The times., 1901-04-24
AS A RBPROOF TO CASTRO
The Purpose of the Recall of
L0Omis From Venezuela.
The Administration Entirely Salts
fed with the Minister'S Course
at Caracas The Latter Refuses
to Discuss the Asphalt Fight.


nt Caracas The Latter Refuses
to Discuss the Asphalt Fight.
| Francis B. Loomis, United States Min
lister to Venezuela, arrived in Washington
yesterday morning, and Immediately re
| ported to Secretary Hay, at the State De
| partment, with whom he had a long con-
| ference. The recall of Mr.. Loomis was
1 urged by President Castro. of Venezuela,
| and the State Department requested that
! the Minister come to Washington to reply
| to some charges made against him by
| Castro and the Warner-Quinlan Company,
which allege that Mr.. Loomis misrepre-
| sented General Castro to the United States
| Government and used his office and pow
ers to favor the Asphalt Trust.
| Mr.. Looms described his conference
| with Mr. Hay as being very satisfactory,
| and Mr.. Hay later gave out statement
that this Government was satisfied with
! the Minister TO Venezuela, and regarded
| his conduct as being intelligent and dis
| Greet at all times.
Mr.. Loomis had an interview with the
President at the White House, last night
and Venezuelan affairs were discussed
at length.
Mr. Loomis win remain here until the
end of the week and will have interviews
with the President and Secretary Hay, in
which the attitude of this Government to-
ward Venezuela viii be defined. From
Washington Mr.. LOOMS viii go to Gin
cinnati, where he Will remain until the
middle Of May He will then go to New
York and sail for Europe to carry out the
instructions of his physician to try the
waters at Carlsbad. He viii be in Europe
several months.
After his talk with Mr.. Hay, Minister
Loomis said to Times reporter that 1t
was among the possibilities that he would
return TO Venezuela. lie declined to be
more definite than that. In answer to a
question whether it was true, as reported,
that he was persona non grata TO the
Venezuelan Government, he said that he
had nothing to say on that subject
Apparently the official status of the
Minister is uncertain, but it is understood
generally at the State Department that he
Will not return to his post unless there
should be a change of administration at
Caracas during his absence from Nene-
zuela. The interview between Secretary
Hay and Mr.. Loomis was necessarily
brief as Mr.. Hay was preparing to go to
the Cabinet meeting when Mr.. Loomis
called. At their next interview Mr.. Eoomis
will explain the attitude of President
Castro toward the United States and what
he has to say may have a marked bear
ing on the policy which this Government
will pursue.
Mr.. Loomis confirmed the report that
before leaving Caracas he had received
positive assurances that reparation would
be made in the case of Ignacio H Baiz
the United States Commercial Agent at
Barcelona. who has been twice thrown
into prison for objecting 10 demands made
upon him for money by the attorneys of
the local government at that place. Mr.
Baiz kept receipts for some of the forced
loans, which he was compelled to make
and Mr.. LOOMS was promised that the
money would be returned together with
apology
Mr.. Loomis' attention was called TO a
statement from President Castro printed
in an Ohio paper and said TO have been
authorized by the Venezuelan executive
In it General Castro is said to have de-
clared:
I'VE have no proof that Mr. Loomis ac-
cepted favors from the BUrmedez Company
Cthe asphalt trusO but his actions lead
us TO believe that he did. Ne have proofs
that he influenced statements to the press
The BurTnedeZ Company has formally de-
MED the jurisdiction of Venezuelan courts
/. as President. can recognize no other au-
thority in the matter. If the United States
sends gunboats either TO La Guayra or
OrinocO, ! will, to the best of my ability
maintain my position as Chief Magistrate
This Republic Will strive TO maintain a
strict neutrality in all disputes between
forei igners. Many Of Mr.. LOOmis' official
acts have convinced me that he was pre-
JUDGED and l therefore asked for his re-
cali
Mr.. Loomis read this statement and re-
piled positively:
Il don't believe President Castro ever
said any of these things or authorized
their publication
Further than this Mr. Loomis declined
to discuss the asphalt dispute. He added
however, that Freeman HaIsted, the man
who obtained the alleged interview, was
the publisher of the San Juan Porto
was continually attacking Governor Al
len and had done great harm to the
American cause in Porto Rico HI claimed
that the people of the Danish West In
dian Islands read the News and We're
prejudiced against the United States. as
they have beeS given untrue stories as to
the treatment accOrCS% the Porto Ricans
by his Government.
After the Cabinet meeting il was learn
ed that Mr.. LOomis was in the good graces
Of the Administration The President and
the Secretary of State are satisfied that
he has not beeCl indiscreet, either I'm his
relations with th2 Venezuelan Government
or in conversations with newspaper inter-
viewers. Some cAnCern Is manifested in
official circles over Mr.. LOomis' physical
condition. and he wiH~Se given every op-
portunity TO recuperate.
From what was learned yesterday 1t is
believed that Mr. LoOmis was recalled as
a mark Of the disapprOval of this Govern
ment of the attitude of President Castro's
Administration toward the United States
and that unless conditions change in Ven
eZuela neither Mr.. LOomis nor a successor
to him will be sent 10 Caracas.