The Nome nugget., 1903-03-04
THE VENEZUELAN DIFFICULTY.


 Dispatches received up to the middle of December indicate that the muddlc in which the republic of Nenezula finds herself likely to create heap of trouble for the republic and bring discomfort to England, Germany and France, as well as to the United States It is, however, probable that the dl cu!ty has been left arbitration. It iS the of orcibc interventons that it can never be foreseen where they will end. How many punitive expedi- Jons sent ny the great civilized powers against Afr savages Asatic barbarians, have not resulted in permanent annexation by the former of the terri tory inhabited by the latter? The joint proceeding of Germany and Great Britain serves anew to illus trate this remark. These powers established ''pa- cifc blockade" of Venezuela which was to be the limit of the coercive measures to be taken. Yet it would that situation developed that cannot be distinguished from an actual state of war. That President Castro If Venezuela, gave the provocation SC, ms to he true. He caused to be imprisoned in foul Venezuelan dungeon all the German and British residents ui Caracas. t utterly aNless act. The treatment as hostages If non-combaants of hos tile nationality is war Inca urn that Las long ceased to have the sanction of civilized governments IL was practice in vogue amongst the ancient Greeks and Romans; the soldiers of NalIeu.tcn and the butcher lilly, indulacd iu the same during the Thirty ears, war, but Iattcriy it has been confined to t'e brgands of Colabria Sicily and the Balkan peninsula. The Venezuelan president would have within hi, rights If he bad ordered the Germans and British out of ths country within given time after the declaration of war; put, officially and iltcrnaton ally state oi war does rpt seem to have existed.
 Under the circumstance ;hc retaliation of the German and British naval commanders by the .e1- urc oi the entire Npn,zuriau war fleet should cause no surprise This seizure was also an act of war and
 inconsistent with the declaration o the intent of the power. 10 establish n. rely pacific blockade unac- comranicI by any aggressive ho.tiiities. The incl dent i, aao.hcr c&cmYIiicalion of the practical inn possibility of keeping within lr scribod hounds in play right receives Iit!r or no consideration. The seizure oj the N.nv.uelan vessels, however, q yyu..i oI,u-c by comparison with the Imprisonment oi tio British and German rc. dents at Caracas. 1t might even be justified a, necessary prelim nary to the establishment ot peaceful blockade. Anyhow the pb'c property ot state against which torcibie proceeding, are being taken, does no, stand the sane footing with respect 10 iuvolabiiity as the property and personal liberty of non-combatants.
 Less u~ti.iabe than the capture of the Venezuelan war ships lys the seizure hy the British oi the island oi Patos. This is one of group oi islands lying be- tween Trinidad and the coast of Nenc czira. There was no justification for such an act, and it serves only to show the uuchochyd greatness and alacty oi tho European powers. Thai the wifi be toIer ated hy our -oyyrnInent cannot he supposed and the next mail will probably bring US the news that the entire dispute will br submitted to peaceful arbitra- ton, although the fact that the British advance a claim Co the ownership of Patos may stand in the way of peaceful settlement.