Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1903-02-12
Mr.. Roosevelt Declines to
Act as Arbitrator.
1T GOES TO THE HAGUE.
international Court Will Settle
Venezuelan Affair.
MANY YARDS OF RED TAPE.
They VIII Have TO be UnwOund Be
fore Negotiations at Washington are
Complete, but the Blockade Will be
Raised Within IA Few Days.

Washington, Feb. PRESIDENT
Roosevelt has declined the invitation
of the allied powers to arbitrate the
question as to whether they shall re-
ceive preferential treatment in the
settlement of their claims against
Venezuela over the other creditor ma
tions. He reached this decision short
" before O'Clock Friday afternoon
and instructed Secretary Hay to send
note to the British embassy advis-
ing the British ambassador to that
effect. The matter therefore now
will be referred to The Hague tribu-
nal. This will result in the imme-
date raising of the blockade.
The administration, it is stated in
an official quarter, was unwilling to
eliminate Minister Bowen from the
negotiations, and moreover the presi-
dent could not have accepted the in
vitation of the allies even if he had
been so disposed without the consent
of the other negotiator, Minister
Bowen, and this the allies did not OBJ
tain or request in their note of invita-
ton to the president.
Preliminaries with reference to the
signing of the protocol referring the
matter to The Hague, will be consid-
cred to-day.
Immediately on receipt Of Secretary
Hays note announcing the presidents
declination, the British ambassador
addressed a communication to Mr..
Bowen, stating that he was suffering
from an attack of grip, and would be
obliged if Mr.. Bowen would call on
him. The Venezuelan envoy went at
once to the embassy, where the Brit
ish ambassador explained that he. had
been too i'll to call for several days
and announced the arrival of his pro-
tocol, which he was prepared to sub
nit to Mr.. Bowen for signature.
Later the German minister, Baron
Sternburg. called on Mr. Bowen and
announced the arrival of his proto-
col
To-day's program will include prep
arations for the signing of the pro-
tocols. Two protocols are to be
signed by Mr. Bowen with the Italian
ambassador, two with the British
ambassador and two with the German
ambassador.
The first protocol in each case will
provide for the reference of the al
lies contention for preferential
treatment to The Hague and the rails
ing of the blockade simultaneously
with the signing of this convention.
1t is doubtful whether the initial pro-
tocols between Minister Bowen and
the three allies will contain the same
conditions, though all the negotiators
are working to this end.
In these protocols, the conditions
precedent to the raising of the block
ade will be clearly stated, namely
that 30 per cent. of the customs re-
ceipts of the ports of La Guaira and
Porto Cabello are to be set aside by
Venezuela for the satisfaction of her
creditors, and that the question as to
whether the allied powers shall re-
ceive preferential treatment, or as
Great Britain terms it Separate"
treatment, in the settlement, shall be
referred to The Hague. These proto-
| coils also will provide that Venezuela
! shall pay down to each of the three
| allied powers $500 as an initial cash
| payment.
Having arranged for the signatures
| of these first protocols, the negotia-
| tors will take up the second proto-
coils, which are to cover the manner
of adiudicating the claims of the
various creditor powers and the adj
minstrations of the customs receipts.
| The claims of each power are to De
| settled by a commission to consist in
each instance of a representative of
the creditor government and a Vene-
| Zuelan, and in case of a failure to
agree the king of Spain will appoint
! the arbiter.
| The plan agreed on for the collec-
! ton of the payments provides that
/ the Caracas government shall be en-
! trusted with the administration of
receipts unless 30 days are allowed to
elapse without prompt payment to
any one nation of its share, in which
event the Belgium government is en-
powered to take charge of the Gus
! toms houses and administer until the
claims of all nations are satisfied.
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