Omaha daily bee., 1902-12-25
President Wants Time To Examine Docu-
ments Before Replying.
WILL NOT LONG DELAY HIS DECISION
Blockade Constitutes Ever Present Dagger
Which Executive Would Remove,
REBELS ANNOY CASTRO GOVERNMENT
Revolutionary Leaders Plan 20 Take
Caracas Now ArmistIce is over ana
Country IL Disrupted by
Foreign Complications.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2h-The proposals
OF Great Britain and Germany that Presi-
dent Roosevelt arbitrate the Venezuelan
| dispute have reached Washington,
They are in such form that the president
can accept or reject the proposition out
right
! So far the messages having been received
! while the president was absent from the
white House, he has had no opportunity to
! consider them. and until he does SO his de-
cision cannot be known.
FOR the same reason the information can
| not be gathered here as to the details OF
the proposals, and although great interest
| is felt here as to the extent of the limita-
tions which the allies will ask to bo placed
| on the arbitration, curiosity on that point
must remain unsatisned until the president
mas hnally made up his mind what he will
| do.
Decision VIII he Speedy.
1t is known that he is disposed to act with
all speed in this matter, for he realizes
that the conditions on the blockade line are
such that almost any moment an unpleas-
ant incident may occur through the oh
stinacy of some skipper or from a genuine
Misunderstanding as to the terms OF the
blockade which may diminish the chances
OF a peaceful settlement OF the Venezuelan
troubles.
The Navy department up to noon had re-
| ceived no word from Commander Diehl of
the Marietta concerning his reported pro-
test against the action Of the blockadinK
squadron at Caracas in refusing to allow
the Red Diamond liner, Caracas. to remain
In the harbor yesterday lcng enough to dis
charge Its cargo. No request for instruc-
tions has come from him.
The ofncials OF the department have en-
tRn nAnAd L..
ity to handle the situation, and unless they
hear something from him in the shape OF
protest against the action OF the allies.
they will make no move.
AS a rule, II is agreed that a blockadinr
neet can do pretty much as 1t likes II ia
intimated, as possible reason for the
position taken by the allies in declining to
allow Caracas to remain in the harbor at
night that at dark It would be dIficult TO
exercise any surveillance Of what was being
taken out of its hold.
For the same reason the allies NAV have
decided that it should not return to the
haroor today, but should take on its pas
sengers outside.
Rebels Growing Active.
WILLEMSTAD, Island of Curacao, Dec.
ZS-(By Boat from La Guayra. THE revo-
lutionists, strengthened by the impossibil-
lty OF the governments 8. ppressinE the
smuggling of arms and ammunition into the
country, and by the fact that It has no
longer any feet at its disposal have made
answer to President Castro's proposition
tnat they turn their arms against the for
eigners who have attacked Venezuela by
referring him to General Matos, their only
chlef capable Of dealing with the matter
The rebels have regained courage. The
government. which signed with them an
armistice Of ten days, which ends tomor-
row, has $500 men at Barquislmeto and
1000 near Caracas. but all others who had
enrolled themselves to fight against the
foreigners have retired
The revolutionists have planned a march
on Caracas by three roads The leaders
Ramos. Antonio Guevara, Urbaneta and
Penaloz, with $500 men, will march via
Guatire. Antonio Fernandez Oslo and
Crespo Torres, with $500 more, have left
Camanagua, and General Rolando, with
$500 troops. will go from Alta Gracia.
Ammunition is expected to arrive every
day near Tucacus
The situation for President Castro is
considered to be again perilous. Attacked
by foreigners and his own countrymen, he
can with dificulty resist the shocks. az
the governments resources have vanished.
The presidents departure for La Victoria
is for the purpose Of trying TO check the
near advance to the capital OF the revoIu
tonists. General Matos will leave Curaeoa
shortly.
Passengers Are in QuanderS.
LA GUAYRA, Dec. 24-(New York World
Telegram 1.-THE Dutch
steamship Prins Willem II, which left NeSy
York on December for Haiti and Venez-
uela with a general cargo, largely pro-
Visions was stopped by warships on reaoh-
Ing the line of blockade OF this port to-
day. The commander OF the allied SQUAD
ron refused to allow the vessel to land its
cargo but gave permission for passengers
and mails to go ashore.
The La Guayra port authorities, how
sVer' would not let the passengers land or
-e-emoark because the steamships agents
here declined TO pay the port charges.
which would have to be paid II the cargo
had been discharged at the wharf.
The Venezuelan officials ridieule the
blockade They say the country is self
sustaining and that the greatest sufferers
oy the foreign blockade are the foreign
merchants Complications are arising over
merchant vessels as the allies are making
lew regulations every day
The allies have captured ten small We.
lezuelan vessels. worth all told perhaps
$4,000 and now have them anchored bo-
ween the warships.
The Venezuelan soldiers who have been
'neamped in the mountains behind La
iuayra since the allied warships came have
zone to La Victoria, forty miles southwest
II Caracas. where President Castro is
watching the threatening movements Of
he revolutionists.
Merchant Vessels Hover Around.
CARACAS Dec. 24.-The steamer Cara
'as was cruising today before La Guayra.
Fhe steamer Merida Of the same line has
eft Willemstad, Curocao, for Maracaibo,
where Il will attempt to ascertain whether
he blockade is effective
There is much Indignation among the
'eople OF La Guayra with signor de Riva
nd Herr Won Pilgrim BaltazEi, who are
considered responsible for the lombard
nent Of Puerto cabellO. The snVoys pr0m-