The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-24
AS A REPROOF TO CASTRO
The Purpose of the Recall of
LOOmis From Venezuela.
The Administration Entirely Salts
fed With the Minister'S Course
at Caracas - The Latter Refuses
to Discuss the Asphalt Fight.


fed With the Minister'S Course
at Caracas The Latter Refuses
to Discuss the Asphalt Fight.
Francis B. LOOMS. 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
| 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-
scented 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 a 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.. LOOMS viii 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 win 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 will be in Europe
several months.
After his talk with Mr.. Hay, Minister
Loomis said to a Times reporter that 1t
was among the possibilities that he would
return to Venezuela. He declined TO be
more definite than that. In answer to
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 Ncne-
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. LOOMS
called. AT their next interview Mfr. Loomis
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 II. Baiz,
the United States Commercial Agent at
Barcelona, who has been twice thrown
into prison for Directing to 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
an apology.
Mr. LOOMS 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
the asphalt trust), but his actions lead
us to believe that he did. We have proofs
that he Influenced statements to the press
The BurnedeZ Company has formally de-
MED the jurisdiction Of Venezuelan courts
l. as President, can recognize no other au-
thoTity 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 Chief Magistrate
This Republic will strive to maintain a
strict neutrality in all disputes between
foreig ners. Many of Mr.. Loomis official
acts have convinced me that he was pre-
JUDGED and l therefore asked for his re-
call
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. LOOMS declined
to discuss the asphalt dispute He added
however. that Freeman Hasted, the man
who obtained the alleged interview was
the publisher of the San Juan. Porto
Rico, News, and stated that Hasted
was continually attacking Governor Al
len and had done great harm to the
American cause in Porto Rico. He claimed
that the people of the Danish West In
dian Islands read the News" and were
Irejudiced against the United States as
they have bee=- given untrue stories as to
the treatment accorCcS the Porto Rlcans
by this Government.
After the cabinet meeting it was learn
ed that Mr.. Dpomis was in the good graces
of the Administration. The President and
the Secretary of State are satisfied that
he has not beeQ indiscreet, either in his
relations with thy Venezuelan Government
or in conversations with newspaper inter-
official circles over Mr. LOOMS physical
condition, and he wiS~5e given every on
portunity to recuperate.
From what was learned yesterday IL is
believed that Mr.. LOOMS was recalled as
a mark of the disapproval of this Govern
Administration toward the United States |
and that unless conditions change in Ven
ezuela neither Mr.. Loomis nor a successor
to him will be sent TO Caracas.