Abilene weekly reflector., 1902-12-25
ROOSEVELT WANTED.
Proposal Made BY Allied Powers In
the Vsnezuslan Dimculty.
PRESIDENT ASKED TO ARBI1RA1E.


| Nie~NS " thS alliCd DON
ers that he arbitrate the Venezuela
issues has been received in Londor
The strictest secrecy with regard t.
every phase of the negotiations i
preserved, however, and it is impossi
BILE to make definite statement, bu
such Indications as are obtainabl,
point to President Roosevelts &C
ceptance of the Office Of arbitrator.
A constant interchange Of cable
grams is proceeding night and day
between the United States embassy
here and the state department q,
Washington. II Is believed that the
presidents answer will be submit.
ted formally to the foreign Office to.
day. By Wednesday, unless some un.
expected complications arise, it is be.
loved the negotiations will reach a
stage assuring . definite arrange
ment and obviating hostilities.
II must be said that the accept.
snce Of the Office Of arbitrator by
President Roosevelt would greatly
surprise the foreign Office, which ai-
ways has bsen doubtful Of the issue
Of tho arbitration negotiations on
account Of the belief that President
Roosevelt, or the United States, was
mot willing TO undertake the respon-
sibility thereby involved.
Judging from private American ad-
vices which have been received In
London President Roosevelt, as srbi.
traitor, would be favorably disposed
toward tho temporary adoption Of
somc such method as was arranged
with the Venezuelan secret mission
and communicated TO the stats de-
partment by Isaac Seligman. With
President Roosevelt acting as arbi-
traitor the serious objections in the
matter Of guarantees, which fire.
quently have been mentioned at the
foreign office and in these dispatches,
would disappear. The foreign Office
has repeatedly said that the great
difficulty in its seeing a way to agree
TO a pacific settlement of the Ven.
ezuelan trouble was its inability to
ascertain to what extent the United
States was willing to assume respon-
sibility.
In spite of the fact that Sunday
Is usually sacred to leisure in Lon
ion's diplomatic circles, yesterday
has been marked by activity at all
The embassies, and especially the
where work was in prog
'ess all Saturday night. The prompt
ness with which Washington deals
With those vital matters concerning
which prolix pour parlers have been |
nterchanged in Europe astonishes
diplomats here and forms an inter-
sting phase of an engrossing situa-
ion.
Blockade of Venezuelan Ports Begun,
Port of Spain, Trinidad, Dec. 22.-
The blockade of Venezuelan ports
vas begun with an effective force at
Midnight Saturday night by the Brit
sh and Germans, 1t is reported that
ir. Haggard, British minister to Ven
zuela, has said that Great britain
cted only after great provocation
nd that the whole world must an
rove of what she did. The climax
} Anglo-Venezuelan relations was
cached when Venezuelan gunboat 5
'pttred, a British merchantmen on |
he high seas, shipped her crew and c
'luables and landed them at Mar t
rita island Then Great Britain Il
'termined to act Mr.. Haggard and L
e German representative, Herr Won !,
Igrin Baltazzi, are said to have
II Caracas secretly in the fear that n
ey might be held as hostages by !,
'csident Castro. :
aatr" Accepts Roosevelt "a Arbitrator. \,
Caracas, Dec EN- the name Of : :
President Castro has signi. : "
d acceptance of the appointment of ! :
esident Roosevelt to arbitrate the !, -
difficulty. ~