The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-01-12
our TrouhIe With venezueIa.

In regard to our unfortunate quarrel
with the Republic of Venezuela. it must
be evident 10 The most beclouded intellect
that the Government OF that country is a.
together in the wrong One OF what Mr.
Hanna in his happy, epigrammatia way,
calls our best business interests''-the
Asphalt Trust to wit-secured a conees-
sion authorizing it 10 work certain defined
asphalt deposits After the manner of its
kind the trust construed this as meaning
that it could seize. occupy. and work all
asphalt deposits in the State; at least,
that IS the Venezuelan view of the mat
ter. Near but outside the limits of the
concession given TO the Asphalt Trust is
the pitch lake known as Felicidad- This
the Government leased to another Ameri-
can concern, and straightway got iatO
trouble The trust holds the lake vi e
arms. the native authorities are trying 10
place the legal concessionaries in posses
sion, and, naturally, the Administration
at Washington is endeayoring TO back the
Asphalt Trust in its effort 10 monOpolize
the valuable deposits which form the sub
ject OF the strife. This is proper and logi-
cal; for. if the people who have leased
Lake Felicidad were to be allowed 10 cp-
crate at that point there would be CON-
petition with the trust-a thing not TO be
tolerated. of course
Only last week Mr.. Long had three war
vessels at La Guayra for the purpose of
illuminating the Venezuelan Government
and it was openly announced that if the
native officials did not refrain from hos
tile action in behalf Of the legitimate pos
SCISSORS of the disputed ground, landing
party would be ordered to invade the
country and do battle with the native
army The unpopuIarity of this project
led to its suspension, if not to its abaR-
donment. The war vessels were with
drawn, and, We are told, the Asphalt Trust
was advised 10 hire force of flibusters,
as this Administration could Got eonven-
ientIy act in the premises with Congress
en- its hands.
It is at this point that We pick up the
tangled skein. Our news today VIII in
form readers of The Times that the Gov
eminent of Venezuela wickedly and in the
most afronting manner. remarks that It
VIII not be buIlied by the United States,
but on the contrary. viii remove the
great American Asphalt Trust from the
territory it has seized. The necessary
consequence OF this truculent attitude is
that the training-ship Hartford viii re-
turn TO La Guayra, and if that does n@
induce the Venezuelan authorities 70 be
good, other vessels Of the navy viii join
her And the movement is in no sense a
peaceful one; otherwise we should hear
that Sampson had been assigned to com
mand it.
One Of our readers has written TO Us,
expressing wonder that the Administra
ton should venture TO interfere IN the
affairs Of State with which We are at
peace. in a strictly private matter. He,
and all other citizens, should remember
| that combination which has not hesti-
| tated TO violate the Constitution OF the
United States in order to benefit the
trusts, need not be expected 10 respect
the laws or territorial integrity of other
nations weak enough TO be assaulted with
impunity- Venezuela IS such q country
but il is possible that though impotent
herself, she may have powerful friends,
who viii get out warrant and hale US
before the international police court at
The Hague unless we repent Of our evil