Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-01-28
BOWEN FULL OF HOPE
Venezuelan Envoy Believes That
Peace Is in Sight.
EARLY END OF DISPUTE PREDICTED.
Germany's Official Statement Regard
ing the Attack on Fort San Car
lOs-The' BOmbardfment at
an Eud.


good reason to believe that the pending
controversy between the three allied
powers and Venezula will be settled
soon and satisfactorily" Mr.. Bowen
said he was able to make this positive
' statement after a number of confer
ences held during the day and evening
with the representatives of the allied
powers. He expressed his gratifica ton
over the prospects of speedy settle
ment of the difficulty. He had nothing
to say, however, as t O whether the as
surances he has received include an
immediate raising Of the blockade.
What Castro Offers.
It is learned that the guarantees Of
fered by Mr.. Bowen are regarded by
the United States government as en-
fnently reasona bic and sufficient They
include proposition by President Cas-
tro to turn over the entire Venezuela N
customs system to the allies for the
collection Of their indemnities, and au-
thorize the allies to place an official in
each of the Venezuelan ustom houses
to make sure that they secure their
proper proportion of the receipts.
Hope for Early Relief.
Washington, Jan. ga long confer
ence between Minister Bowen and Sir
Michael Herbert, the British ambas-
sador, beginning at noon, Sunday, fol-
lowed by further conferences between
Sir Michael, Signor Mayor DIES Planches,
the Italian ambassador, and Count
Quadt, the German charge d'affairs,
indicated diplomatic activity in Wash
ington over the Venezuelan situa ton
All the negotiators decline to discuss
the results of the meeting, but general
statements made by them that the
situation warrants hope of early re-
lief is significant of what has been
accomplished by the last "a hours. By
this time the London, Berlin and Rome
foreign officers are in possession of Mr..
Bowen's third proposition stating the
nature of the guarantee he is prepared
to offer for Venezuela if his initial re-
quest is complied with and the block
ade raised at once. Strict reticence
Is maintained by all the negotiators
as to the nature of this guaranty and
until the joint reply of the powers is
received this will not be disclosed.
Minister Bowen and also the state
department are greatly impressed with
the attitude of the representatives in
Washington of the allies throughout
the present negotiations. While act
ang at all times under Instructions
from their foreign Offices they have ex-
pedlted matters considerably by their
straightforward manner of dealino
with Venezuela's representative. This
TACT has especially appealed to the
"ashm gton officials who, while not
participating in the preHminaries,
necessarily are vitality interested in
their results. To-day there will be
conferences between all of the nego-
t1ators, but no definite action is ex-
Pected regarding the blockade before
Tuesday or Wednesday.
Germany's Official Statement.
Berlin, Jan. 26.-In an official state
ment given out in regard to the bonn
parchment OF Fort San Carlos, at Mara
calbo, it was pointed out:
First. That the bonn bardment oc-
CURED while Mr.. Bowen, the American
minister and representative of Vene-
zuela in the negotiations at Washing
ton, was on his way to the latter CITY.
Therefore the negotiations had not
actually begun.
Second. 1t is claimed that the fault
OF the matter lies wholly at President
Castro's door, and that he alone is re-
spons1ble for every life lost and any
injury inflicted.
Third. 1t was the ri ght and the duty.
OF the Panther to secure free passage
OF the lagoon, and in discharging the
undertaking of the other powers to
secure control of the lagoon and in
spect the vessels therein the Panther
had no intention of bombarding the
forts, and had no orders to do So
Castro Gets the Blame.
The responsibility for the lombard
ment, it is claimed, rests entirely with
President Castro. If he had disavowed
the action of the fort in firing on the
Panther the second bombardment
would not have taken place. But. on.
the contrary, the affair was celebrated
as Venezuelan victory, and as the
fort remained hostile it became neces-
sary to destroy it. In pursuance of an
international blockade an American
commander would have acted in pre-
cisely the same way as the German off,
GERM command. Finally, the statement
says, indignation is felt here at the
manner in which the spirit of the Ger
man proceedings has been misinter-
preted and misrepresented in the
United States.
Bombardment Ends.
Maracaibo, Venezuela, Friday, Jan.
e3.-(Delayed. "a boat with press
representative on board, which was
sent from here yesterday to Fort San
Carlos, returned to Maracaibo at IL
O'Clock this morning bringing the
news that the German warships had
not shelled the fort since Thursday
night. When the boat left San Carlos
the German cruiser Panther was the
Ouly war vessel in sight, It was then