Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1903-01-27
WILL NOT End BLOCKADE,
Allied Powers Cannot Entertain
Castro's Proposal Until Proper
Guarantee Is Forthcoming.
THE coERcIyE MEASURES 10 CONTINUE.


Other Claimants Against venesueia l
Must Walt Until Britain, Germany
and Italy Are satisfied-Minister
( Bowen Busy Communicating with
Great Britain.
London, Jan. 26.-It was learned Sat-
urday by Representative OF the press,
that Great Britain, Germany and Italy
have agreed that Minister Bowen's
proposal that the blockade of Vene-
zuela be Immediately raised cannot be
entertained and that coercive action
must continue until a proper guaran-
tee is forthcoming. The foreign of
fees hold that any other course would
entail failure of the attempts to
bring about settlement by diplomacy
at Washington.
Regarding the position of the other
claimants against Venezuela, the
powers contend that their
claims must first be satisfactorily set
tied before the demands of countries
who are not actively asserting them
can receive attention.
Germany Holding Back.
Washington, Jan. 26.-An active ex-
change is going on between England
and Venezuela as represented by Mr.
Bowen, respecting the latter's pro-
posal to raise the blockade of the
Venezuelan ports as a condition prece-
dent to further negotiations. The Brit
ish government is showing an amic-l
able spirit in this matter and there are
hopes of satisfactory conclusion II
Germany can be induced to accept the.
agreement about to be arrived at be-
tween Ambassador Herbert and Minis
ter Bowen. The German government.
however, has SO far returned no an:
swer to Mr.. Bowen's proposition,
which fact is the subject Of unpleasant
comment here.
It is learned that the guarantees Of
fered by Mr.. Bowen are regarded by
the United States government as emf,
nently reasonable and sufficient. They.
include proposition by President
Castro to turn over the entire VeAe.l
zuelan customs system to the allies for
the collection of their indemnities and
authorize the allies to place an official
in each of the Venezuelan custom
houses to make sure that they secure
their proper proportion of the,receipts.
Grave Consultations Feared.
venezuela's initial psopQsition to
the allied powers remains unansayepe9
by Germany, and the blockade com
tinues. This is the situation in nut
shell, but it by no means indicates
the diplomatic activity in Washing
ton at this time. The feeling is i'm
creasing here that unless the block
aiding squadron witharaws from Ven
sezueIan waters within q comparative
" short time grave eomplica ti9ss
may arise.
Sir Michael Herbert, the British
ambassador, was Mr.. Bowen's first
caller Saturday morning. He came
while the minister was at breakfast,
hut was Immediately ushered into hfs
apartments, where a long conference
followed. The ambassador brought
advices from London.
GermanA Indignanf at Amerieans.
Berlin, Jan. 26.-The foreign Office
Representatives Saturday, in converss-
tion with the correspondent OF the
press, referred in aggrieved tones to
the American press comments upon
the bombaYdment of Fort San Carlos.
One official saids &!
AIn view of Commod ese Seized r's re-
port Germany has just right to feel
/ ing indignant at the fact that q portIep
of the American press is aroused over
the false statements Of what occurred
at San Carlos, without awaiting the
facts in the case, and thereupon at.
tacking friendly power. The Pan.
theirs action, the official report shows,
was strictly within the limits Of in
ternational law. She was proceeding
past the fort to enter the lagoon Of
Maracaibo in order to prevent the inn
portations of contrab band articles from
Colombia and in doing so was fred
upon. The Panther, of course, ans
swered the fire, as she was entitled to
do. The attack was not made by us,
but by the Venezuelan fort. We are
quite unable to see why any neutral
should express disapproyal because the
Panther replied, or because our vessels
afterward leveled the fort, since # was
q hindranee tie an effective blockade.
Til assumption that we wapt to pre-
vent settlement of the matter ct
Washington and the speedy raising Of
the blockade is wholly mistaken. We
want tbs blockade to be raised just as
soon as the powers have adequate
guarantees In hand that their claims
will be met. We don't even nsk for the
immediate payment OF money, but erly
for guarantees. We cannot raise the
blockade empty handed, without any
form Of guarantee"
rorty-Four Shells struck.
An official dispatch from Willemstad,
Curacao, dated January %, says: 1.-THE
vineta arrived in the Gulf OF Mara
caibo January 81 and approached With
in 1900 yards of the shore. Attn she
began bombardment, which was CON
tinued with an hour Of intermission,
until three p. m. The Panther, which
was standing by, observed that ~
shells took effect" US -
Drops Dead.
Toledo, o., Jan. 26.John B. Bell,
who served as major with the army OF
the Tennessee during the civil war;.
dropped dead at his resid ence shortly
after breakfast. Since the war Mai.
Bell has been enga ged in the dry goods