Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-29
Conferred With the President
and Senator Hanna.
MAY TAKE UP CLAIMS
OBLIGATIONS OF VENEZUELA
HELD IN EUROPE.
Feeling in Official Circles Regarding
the Proposed Action of the New
York Bankers.

What Is regarded as an important con-
ference was held at the White House this
afternoon, the participants being the Presi-
dent, Senator Hanna and Isaac n. Seligman
of the banking house Of Seligman Bros
The report is circulated that Venezuela in
tends to settle, through an Anglo-American
banking house, the claims against her held
by Great Britain. Germany and France
Mr.. SGigman, at the conclusion of the con-
ference this afternoon, declined to say any
thing regarding the rumor, or what had
passed in the conference in the President s
room. He declared that the call made by
him was a social one. Mr.. Seligman was
with the President and Senator Hanna
about twenty minutes. Senator Hanna was
uncommunicative when he left the White
House. The total amount of the claims held
by citizens of Germany, England and France
against Venezuela amounts to about S25,-
100000, about S15, 900. 900 of which are held
by Germans. 1t is for the payment Of these
claims that Germany and England are pre-
pairing to make a demonstration against
the revolutionary South American republic.
1t was Mr.. Seligmans intention to see
the secretary of State as soon possible.
View in Official Circles.
The appearance in Washington of Mr..
Seligman, taken in connection with the
press dispatches printed this morning from
London relative to Venezuelan finances, was
taken in official circles here today as in
dicating the existence of a syndicate with
the purpose of floating all of Venezuela's
many debts and thus averting the very i'm
minent dangers that country now stands in
Of a seizure of her customs houses by for
eign powers. The assumption is that the
prospective syndicate wishes to ascertain
h1fA 11@
whether or not the United States will in
sure the meeting by Venezuela of the obli-
cations she would assume in the matter of
repayment Of the loan.
Now the United States government, it
can be stated on authority, is extremely
desirous that Venezuela settle her troubles
with Great Britain, Germany and other
foreign countries without mourning the
seizure of any Venezuelan ports even tenn
porarily. For it is realized that while the
United States could not consistently OBJ
ject to the seizure Of Venezuelan customs
houses by a foreign power as means of
collecting just debts, that Is regarded as
the contingency to be avoided if possible,
for it is feared that serious friction might
follow between the foreigners and the
VeneZuelans and what in the beginning
might be declared to be merely temporary
occupation would end by claim of perma-
nence of which the United States must take
notice and which 1t must contest.
Therefore, if any responsible financial
body is willing to pay off Venezuelan for
eign claims, and so relieve the country from
danger of occupation. such a, move would
be welcomed by the State Department.
Would Not Give Guarantee.
But 1t is stated that the official settle
ment, touching the guarantee by the United
States government of the syndicate's Vene-
zuelan loan, would be unfavorably consid
cred. The Department of State objects very
strongly to giving any guarantee of that
kind, and it's official practice has been to
extend to an American holding foreign
bonds such protection as it would accord to
any other citizen, but to allow him to bear
the risk of his own venture holding that he
takes the bonds of foreign government
subject to The vicisSitudes of that govern
ment, and cannot expect the United States
to act as his collector in the event that his
speculation does not turn out SO well as he
expected