The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-12-18
mo DANGER AT all
Secretary Root Says There Was an
Understanding With the
Powers.
The United States Was Willing to
See Castro Jumped On-The
Cause of the Fuss.
New York Sun Special Service.

New York Sun Special Service. .
Chicago, Dec. 1S.-Speaking Of the
Venezuelan difficulty William E. Curtis,
j ma Washington special to the Record
Herald says: Secretary Root told the
committee on military affairs the other
day that the understanding between the
United States Germany and England
made 1t impossible to become involved
in the Venezuelan controversy He was
so positive In his assertions that several
of the gentlemen present considered his
language very significant and drew the
inference that President Roosevelt was not
unwilling to see Venezuela .chastised for
her sins provided her assailants made no
permanent occupat ton Of the country and
did not interfere with our commerce.
The new recruits in the Venezuelan in
vasion simplify. the situation considerably.
The more the merrier and the saferA 1t
will do the other Latin American repub-
hes lot of good to have Venezuela
jumped on by every nation in Europe;
it will teach them the penalty Of dis
honor and will teach that country whole
sale lesson very much like that which the
farmer taught the pole that was steal
ing his chickens: He shot it dead.
dragged the carcass out into the road and
| commenced to beat it with club. A
netghbor who happened along asked him
why he was beating a lifeless animal.
I'm larnin' the critter thars pun
ishment after DEATH" he replied. r.
Nobody can conceive of any other ad-
vantage the great powers of Europe can
derive from their attack on Venezuela.
There isn't the slightest doubt that Pres
ident Castro is a very bad lot, and that
the VeneZuelans are the most turbulent
and unreliable people in America. If
evidence were needed to prove that fact
it can be found In the Pantheon Of Car
acas. where there is a long row of monu-
ments erected to the honor of national pa
t1ots' VINO, almost without exception were
assassinated, imprisoned, driven into ex-
lie or allowed to- die of starvation by the
very people for whose welfare they gave
their lives. In the building where con-
gress meets the walls Of a large recep-
ton room are hung with portraits of
other great men of the country, nearly
| all OF whom suffered similar fate The
! people OF Venezuela have erected monu-
! ments to Simon Bolivar, their George
Washington, In almost every town; they
have named their currency after him
his coffin and his shroud and garments
| he wore are preserved with sacred care
| In the national museum and all his
| speeches, letters and other writings have
! been published in gorgeous style, but all
| this consideration was displayed after
he was driven from the country to starve
| In exile. -".' -
NO honest man. no patriot was ever able
to enjoy honor and justice in Venezuela
! until after he was dead, and although
| there are multftudes Of excellent men and
| noble women in the country who NAV he
admired and trusted to any extent indi-
Vldually, yet collectively, as a race, as a
nation. they are entitled to no confidence.
| In the long line of presidents and dictators
VINO nave ruled over the country, very few
nave been legally elected. and very few
| have been allowed to Serve out their
terms, and while In Office they have been
| unable to distinguish between the public
revenues and their private incomes, and
nave usually been been t1reacAerous and tyran-
suppose these rait IS are al in j., the blood
and perhaps are the result of training
No colony was ever treated more uniustly
than Venezuela when 1t was under the do
| mtn1on OF Spain. For centuries the peo-
pie were the victims of Spanish deception
cruelty and duplicity, and since they have
neen republic their own rulers have ini-
tated this example. ..-,..
The president, Secretary Hay and other
members OF the cabinet, Mr.. Cullom, Mr.
| Hit and other members Of the foreign at.
fairs committee, are using their best ef-
forts to prevent a discussion of the episode
in congress. They tell everybody that
there Is not the slightest danger that the
Unltea states Will get mixed up in the
! hostilities, and the larger the number o1
nations that participate in the dernonstra-
| tons, the less likely will we be to have
| trouble In defending the Monroe doctrine
| Although American politics and freedom
| OF speech is pretty well understood by the
authorities of the European governments
the newspapers and the people over there
are apt to resent unkind criticisms. and 8
congressional discussion would certain1,
do no good