Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-25
SAID TO Be UNJUST
Many Claims Againt Vene-
zuela Denounced.
THE CUSTOMS RECEIPTS
AMPLE TO MEET PAYMENTS ON
FOREIGN BONDED DEBT.
Willing to Have Disputes Arbitrated-
Wealth Based on Agriculture and
Cattle Breeding.
THE CUSTOMS RECEIPTS

persons familiar with the resources OF
Venezuela" said high Venezuelan official
to a reporter for The Star this afternoon,
have no fear that the Venezuelan govern
ment will be unable to meet all Of its just
obligations as fast as they mature. Many
OF the so-called foreign claims are not
founded in justice and equity, and 1t is by
reason of this class Of claims that much
Of the trouble has arisen with foreign
countries AS far as the foreign bonded
debt of the country is concerned the Gus
toms receipts Of the several ports Of the
country are, II not disturbed by internal
and foreign complications, sufficient to
meet, as they fall due. all liabilities.
TO begin with, the public debt of Vene-
zuela dates from the separation OF the
Great Colombia and hanks as far back as
debt Of Venezuela was 74.7s3, 1927 boil
vars, and her interior debt was 126,54O,-
1865 bolivars, making a grand total Of
debt, foreign and domestic. Of POI 1873. 1880
bolivars, large enough, / will admit, ard
yet a smaller Indebtedness than that OF
any other Latin-American state. Now, the
bolivar Is equal to 1923 cents in United
States currency. and it Is easy to figure out
in dollars and cents just where the country
stands financially.
THE principal maritime custom houses
OF Venezuela open to foreign commerce are
La Guaira. Puerto Cabello, Ciudad Roli-
var. Maracaibo, La Vela and Carupano.
There are six others Of more or less i'm
portance. The import duties received at the
port Of La Guaira alone amounted in 1886
to 17,048, 448.1o bolivars. In the year men
TONED the total customs revenue Of all the
several ports amounted to 81 ,527 ,063. 60 boil
from all sources amounted to 81 ,459, 946.9S
bolivars. In 1897-9S the net product Of the
maritime custom houses amounted to d.
364, 1894 bolivars, and the land custom
houses produced In the same period 6, 49,
221.59 bolivars, making for the year OF
custom revenues a total Of 1891 .645.23
bolivars. As a matter of fact it only re-
Quires 1,O4OO51 bolivars per month to meet
the current Indebtedness, and as I have
shown, under peaceful and normal condi-
lions the amount is more than adequate to
meet contingent debts, foreign and domes-
Tic. With the ports of the country block
AIDED, Of course, the maritime customs
cease.
Unjust Debts.
with these resources the question natu-
rally arises, why does not Venezuela pay
her debts more promptly It should be
known in this connection that 1t is not 80
much the bonded debt Of the country that
is in contention as a lot Of debts that are
not founded in equity and justice and which
some foreign governments are clamoring to
be recognized as valid. There seems but
one true and just way out Of all the trouble
over these disputed claims, and that is that
all countries concerned agree that they
shall be passed upon by some competent
tribunal. II the constituted authorities
agree that they are valid and must be paid.
Venezuela will accept the verdict in the
proper spirit and walk up to the captains
Office and settle.
"As many Of the troubles of Venezuela
ha1 rip dQn pp m nv
eign residents. 1t is proper to state that I'M
der the constitution Of the country aliens
enjoy the same civil rights as natives Of
Venezuela. The government Of Venezuela
cannot conclude treaties with nations that
do not recognize that while their citizens
in the country enjoy the same civil rights
as natives Of the country, they are also
subject to the same obligations. Citizenship
is conferred by the fact of birth on the ma
tional territory, and is also acquired by
naturalization. Children Of Venezuelan
father or mother, even though born abroad.
become VeneZuelans by birth upon declar-
ing before competent authority, on entering
Venezuela, that such Is their desire. For
those born abroad Of Venezuelan father
or mother, and those born In Spanish
American countries or the Spanish Antilles,
it is only necessary to declare their inten-
ton to become naturalized to acquire citi-
zenship. No passport is required to travel
within the republic or depart from it.
1.-The President of the republic has the
same powers as the President of the United
States. with little differences. but his nomi-
nations do not need the approval of the
Senate. The judicial power Of the nation is
exercised by the high federal court the
court of cessation. and the other courts
and tribunals created by law, which defines
their jurisdiction and organization. The
supreme tribunal Of the states Is the court
of cessation. The national executive Is en-
powered to treat with the governments Of
America regarding compacts Of alliance and
confederation. The land and naval forces
are made up of the militia.
The Wealth of the Country.
although 1 have mentioned the receipts
from customs as being sources Of revenue,
agriculture and cattle breeding are the in
dustries which form the solid base for the
wealth Of the country. 1t Is true that 1t
has rich mines and other resources. but
they are of minor Importance as compared
with those named. Agriculture and stock
breeding sustain the foreign commerce Of
the republic and attract immigration. The
great agricultural crop Is coffee. The lat
est statistics show that there are in the re-
public over 92266 coffee plantations from
which in 1899 the total production was over
49,, 900 pounds. Germany and France get
the greater share of this product. The
United States also get considerable guam
tity but the finest grades go to Europe
The growing Of sugar cane ranks second as
an industry. In the matter of imports, the
United States furnish most of the wheat
-four consumed in the country. The i'm
ports made by Venezuela from the United
States in 1897 amounted in value to So, 1885,
O16S6. The La Guaira custom house re-
averaged about 100000 bolivars per
month"