The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-12-16
VENEZUELAN AFFAIR MORE COM
PIICATED.

nezue shows a good deal Of grit
If little judgment in mr. OPPOSITION to
the combined forces Of England and
Germany. By SO dong sEe greatly
oomplicates matters AMI makes posi-
biIity greater of the United States being
drawn into the quarrel. Nh: ster Bow
en- now ~eDresents the iT-.T ests of the
two European powers within VeneZue-
Ian territory and. with the excited con-
dition of the people, may IN the per-
aormance Of his new ,1utIes. arouse the
amnesty o. the rabbIs IL Caracas, re-
suIting in 5Ume action which will cause
remonstrance from Cur government
backed UP by armed demCT stTation-
The two allied powers aid the Eene-
xueIaa government nave committed
deeds whi n amount to q declaration Of
war or border very Clrsely thereon
b arrest by the latter OF the represen-
tatives of lie British 1nG German gov
ernments aEd of other CiiiZers OF these
two nations was an aCt If hostility &C
eording to the law Of nations and
would jusriy the two pJvers in begin
ming host,iities without any further
notice. On the other hand, lie seizure
Of the Venezuelan wG,skIps by the
British and German forces was almost
as auch an overt art of : ar as the
other. Their seizure cGn Re excused
only on the ground that it as done to
prevent the possibility IF blC"dshed re-
sulting from the occupation of the Ven
ezuelan customs hoLs ) By the allies,
accompanied with the av1we1 intention
of releasing them as soon % there no
longer remained any reason for retain
ing possession of the ports Of entry and
keeping I'D the blockade Of the Vene-
Zuelan a
As between the two c7ntend.rg parties
the seizure of the ports and the block
ade would amount to the beginning of
hostilities if Venezuela were to resist
such seizure by Fore OF rms. The
truth is thet technically a Etate of war
does exist between these IOuors as far
AS they a.e concerned. arh0ugh it has
not been recognized by otter nations or
been formally declared By any one of
IN parties thereto.
The blOckading powers Of course will
not oppose the entrance nto any port
held by them of ~foreiSn or even Vene-
zuelan merchantmen. 10 matter with
what cargoes they are tadcned. In fact
the more Of c vessels til. I enter. the
better it will suit them for each one viii
add to the fund to be collected through
the customs houses for ~ ttling the
claims against the government. II
is said, though. that President Castro
Is going to abolish all tariff duties
Should he 10 this the situation will be
greatly complicated. Foreigners would
object to paylng to ST fish OF German
customs officers duties on GoCas import,
ed into a country WHOSE government
imposed &c tariff on them. Such a
state of affairs would Ue Ikcsy to soor
a for protests from otI er govern
ments.
The tru-h IS the state Of affairs down
there is in Il terrible mess. while
there is no probability C AIRY really Sc.
rious conditions arising. Things are in
such shape that Il very awkward situa-
ton for US might arise al any time un-
less the Washington government has
made up us mind to give FrgIand and
Germany - free hand To prosecute theil
claims to the fullest extent short OF
Ian territory r.