The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-02-07
TO The HAGUE.
That's Where Venezuela Matter
Seems Destined to Go.
President Roosevelt Declines to
Act as Referee.
HE STANDS BY BOWEN.
Unwilling to Allow Him to Be
Thrust Aside.
Probability That the Blockade
Soon Will Be Raised.

as to whether they shall receive prefer
entail treatment in the settlement of
their claims against Venezuela over the
other creditor nations He reached this
decision late yesterday and instructed
Secretary Hay to dispatch note to
the British embassy at once advising
the British ambassador to that effect.
The matter. therefore, now Will be re-
ferred to The Hague tribunal. This
viii result in the immediate raising Of
the blockade.
The administration, it is stated in an
official quarter, was unwilling to ap
prove the effort of the British govern
ment to eliminate Minister Bowen from
/ the negotiations and moreover, the
president could not have accepted the
invitation Of the allies. even had he beef
SO disposed. without the consent of tn
other negotiaror. Minister Bowen and
/ this the allies did not obtain or reques.
I IN their note of invitation to the presh
dent
Immediately on receipt of Secretary
/ Hays note announcing the presidents
declination, the British ambassador ad-
/ dressed a communication to Minister
J Bowen, stating that he was suffering
/ from an attack Of grippe and would be
+ obliged if Mr. Bowen would call on him
/ The Venezuelan envoy went at once To
/ the embassy. where the British ambas
sadOr explained that he had been too Ill
/ to call for several days and announced
1 the arrival of his protocol, which he was
prepared to submit to MI. Bowen for
/ signature. Later the German minister.
Baron Sternberg, called on Mr.. Bowen
and announced the arrival of his pro
tocol.
1t developed that two protocols are
+ to be signed by Mr. Bowen with the
Italian ambassador, SignOr Mayor des
I PIanches, two with the British ambas
! sador and two with the German min
protocol in each case viii provide for
/ the reference of the allies contention
i for preferential treatment to The
Hague and the raising of the block
ade simultaneously with the signing of
4 this convention. 1t is doubtful whether
the initial protocols between Minister
/ Bowen and the three allies viii contain
the same conditions, though all the
+ gotiatOrs are working to this end. In
these protocols the conditions precedent
to the raising of the blockade will be
clearly stated, namely, that 80 per cent
of the customs receipts of the ports of
La Guaira and Porto CabellO are to be
set aside by Venezuela for the salts
faction of her creditors, and that the
! question as to whether the allied pow
ers shall receive preferential treatment
or as Great Britain terms it. sep
arate," treatment in the settlement
shall be referred to The Hague. These
+ protocols also will provide that Nene-
zuela shall pay down to each of the
( cash payment.
NEW PRECEDENT LOOKED FOR.
New York, Feb. 7.-Referring to the
arbitration of the Venezuelan difficulty,
the Westminster Gazette says. accord
ing to the Tribune's London correspond
/ ent it is a pity a serious quarrel be
tween the two great friendly English
speaking powers cannot be amicably
settled and then remarks:
IF, as seems likely, the United States
each year, extends the scope of her
.1=-- 1r--
selves Increasingly hampered by the
power which the constitution gives the
senate"
The Daily Telegraph says.
If the question of preferential claims
is referred to The Hague tribunal and a
decision is given in favor of equality of
treatment England will accept the judg-
ment with subdued delight; but the
+ principle must be definitely and author
itatively included among the recognized
/ rules of international law wherein al
present it has no place known to
4 jurists."
SMOOTH SAILING NOW.
London, Feb. THE announcement
from Washington that the Venezuelan
/ protocols are in course of preparation
| confirming the hopeful views of the
situation expressed here, has created
/ great satisfaction. During the later
part of the week official circles here
| evinCed quiet confidence that in spite
I of alarming reports a settlement wa
in sight. There have been private ex-
pressions of intense irritation at Min
lister Bowen's alleged breach of eti-
quette but these have never been al
lowed tOinterfere with the determination
voiced by both the British and the Ger
man diplomats to secure termination
of the difficulty through any feasible
channel. Ambassador Herbert's stric-
lures found sympathetic support in
Downing street and apparently formed
the subject of exchanges of messages
between Berlin, London and Rome,
whence the representatives of those
powers at Washington were instructed
to present a united front and prevent
the recurrence Of the publication of
news of the nature of which he had
complained
The refusal of President Roosevelt to
arbitrate the question as to whether the
powers shall receive preferential treat
ment in the settlement of their claims
against Venezuela is regretted but as
cabled yesterday it was anticipated
here.
The strong disinclination of the Brit
ish foreign Office to have recourse to The
Hague court of arbitration was founded
chiefly on the fear that between now
and the rendering of the courts decis-
ion new complications may arise and
the decision TO refer the matter to The
Hague was only arrived at as a last re-
sort when the negotiations threatene
to drag on Indefinitely.
The officials here are confident that
The Hague court viii give the allies at
least some measure of different treat t.
ment in the settlement of claims from
that accorded to the other nations. who
did not take aggressive steps to secure
their alleged rights
Beyond some comparatively slight de-
liberations over the wording of the pro-
toc0ls no further trouble IS expected
here where the raising OF the blockade
viii be regarded with almost as much
relief as it wiz be in Venezuela.