The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-12-16
TIE WAR CLOUD THICkENs.

THE WAR CLOGD THICkENs.
The war cloud which is rising in the
Caribbeaa sea becomes hacker each
day, and every new bach of cable dis
strained. While the E-op y release Of
the British and German sutitots arrest
ed in Caracas indicates L djsl osition on
the part OF Pesident Caet-o 20 do moth
ing TO pr .cipitate open tnstii.ties. still
he is appaI emily making every effort
possible to resist the foTel=. forces. 1t
seems the allied powers raw taken a
destruction of the Venezuelan warships.
If 1t be true that they nave sunk or
otherwise destroyed suri CT these YES
sells az have come into tieir possession
we do not see What Is to prevent actual
war. Their seizure was a most aggTes-
sive move and if not 4 sUffti lent cause
for Venezuela to begin weItare, their
destruction certainly could be con-
strued as nothing less thar an act of
open attack on the Venezuelan govern
ment. Their seizure and
pending settlement OF the matters in
dispute and while the bIvckade was in
force would have been justified under
the law Of nations as having been done
to insure a peaceful bk cksde,' but
when the powers destroyed these yes
sells they stepped across ne narrow n
almost indefinable lines which separates
a peaceful blockade Of I'm. Their coun-
try's ports from unmistakable acts Of
warfare.
1t looks as IL President castro IS de-
termined 20 resist the LAND '-.g of British
and German forces. OF course there
can be put one conci IsioL. to such a
war. Venezuela would soon be annihi-
lated unless the AmerIc+n government
were to step in and call Q k1lt. There
the question arises: Should Castro
attack the foreign forces landing and
England and Germany ovei' In part OF
the country and take possession would
they vacate at the bidding OF our gov
ernment9 With customs GLt."s abolish
ed by the Venezuelan government and
the other powers forced tc keep up o
sort Of guerrilla warfare at great ex-
pense and heavy loss CT life Venezuela
will be in a poor way OF sal!.1ying their
past demands and those eaT'd by the
cost OF the war. If these conditions
arise we may look for still greater COM
plications.
Again, with Ministe7 Ecwen repre-
senting the. interests o: Germany and
England at the capita OF The hostile
nation he Jeopardizes the fl iendly rela-
tons which exist between tie United
States and Venezuela aid in the ex-
cited state of the people Of the latter
country there is DANCE at my time of
our government being brought into the
quarrel.
So far We are not involved and it Is
to be hoped that we can Keep out of the
affair. We hope that nothing will he
done by the president OF congress to al
ter our neutral DosI,ioE. 1t is to be
hoped, therefore, that the measure in
troduced IN congress suggesting to the
contending parties tina: he matter be
referred to arbitration and guaranteeing
the payment of such SUN a. shall be
awarded will be promptly y6 ted down..
The state department cffc'als declare
that they are Thoroughly acquainted
with the facts in the case: they admit
that the claims are Just, Therefore
Venezuela ought to De male to pay
them. If she will not DO it without
coercion then let her be Ccerced into
paying her just debts. T. is not as IL
she had shown any DISPOSITION to be
honest, u was not able to- meet her
obligations. Her conduct has been just
the reverse and she has banked on hav-
ing the backing of the Ul;tLd States in
her endeavor to avoid these obligations.
She has gotten herself INTO this predic-
ament by criminal obst.nHcy:. now let
her get out of it the best way she can.
The only concern we have in the affair
is TO see that neither Enaiand nor Ger
many establishes a permanent foothold
on Venezuelan territory. when we
find such is contemplated or that the
actions Of either nation point TO that
end then will be time tor rs 70 interfere
and we ought not to takA any action
until such .ime arrive.