The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-29
Vene5IeIa Closes Her Doors I Trade and Capital
R!tID DECREE BY CONGRESS
Foreigners Not Allowed to Mix In Poll tics, Edlt Newspapers or Take Any Part in Government Whatso-
 ever-Expulsion Is Penalty.

New York, April 2s.-The correspondent of the Associated Press at Caracoshos forwarded a copy of the decree issued by the congress of Venezuela on the 1=h s day of April defining the duties and rights of foreigners in Venezuela. It is most drastic in its character and excites great exasperation among all foreign res- idents It is believed that 1t will effect ually end all immigration or the introduc- tion of any foreign capital
 Foreigners domicied or in transit must not mix in the political affairs of the re- public or in anything relating to politi- cal affairs. To this end they cannot form part of political societies. edit political newspapers or write about interior or ex- terior politics of the country in any news paper; fill public offices or public employ ment; take arms in the domestic conten- tions of the republic; deliver speeches which in any way relate to the politics of the country
 Domiciled foreigners who violate any of these provisions lose their character of foreigners and become ipso facto sub feet to the responsibilities, burdens and obligations which might be occasioned to natives through intestine political con tingencies.
 Castro's Decree.
 Caracas, April 2S-Following is the text of the decree just issued by the govern ment defining the duties and rights Of foreigners in Venezuela:
 The Congress of the United States of
 Venezuela:
 ehall ioy in the territory of Venezuela the same rights as Venezuelans, as is de- termined by the constitution of the re- public.
 Article g. Foreigners found within the territory of the United States of Ven- ezuela shall be considered as 1eitner resi- dent or in transit.
 Artir1e-2 nnniciIed foreigners are: i. Those who have acquired residence in cQ'formity to the provisions of the civil Sbde.
 3 Those who have voluntarily and with out interruption, resided within the ter ritory for more than two years without diplomatic character.
 9 Those who own real estate within the territory of the republic and who have established permanent residence herein. X 4. Those who have been residing in the # territory of the republic for more than g two years, and who are engaged in com nnerciai pursuits or any other kind Of Industry provided they have house es- tablished in a permanent way, even though invested with the character or consul.
 Article 4. Foreigners in transit are such as are found within the territory of the republic and are not comprised within the definitions of the preceding article. Article 5. Resident foreigners are sub feet to the same obligations as the Ven ezuelans. both as to their persons as well as their properties, but they are not subject to military service nor to the navment of forced and extraordinary war contributions in case of revolution or of international armed warfare.
 Must Not Mix In Politics.
 Article 6. Foreigners domiciled or in transit must not mix in the political af- fairs of the republic in anything re- lating to political affairs. To this end tey cannot:
 | Form part of political societies.
 ?. Edit political newspapers or write about the interior or exterior politics or the country in any newspaper.
 3. Fill public offices or public employ ment.
 4 Take arms in the domestic contentious of the republic.
 B. Deliver speeches which in any way relate to the politics of the country.
 Article T. Domiciled foreigners who vio- late any OI the pEONiSiOhS III oi tSiS v lose their character of foreigners and be- come ipso facto, subjected to the respon- abilities, burdens and obligations which might be occasioned to natives through intestine political contingencies.
 Article 8. If. in contravention of the ex- press prohibition of this law any for eigner exercises any public charge with out being empowered thereto in conform ity with the constitution, his acts are null and the person elected and the function ary who names him are jointly responsible for the same
 Shall Be Expelled.
 Article g. Foreigners in transit who vio- late the provisions of article shall be irn- mediately expelled from the republic Article 10. The presidents of the states and federal district upon becoming aware that any one more of the domciled foreigners intermedde .n the political af fairs of the republic, they shall bring pro- per legal action transmitting the proceed ings to the federal executive.
 Article II. Neither domiciled foreigners nor those in transit have any right to re- sort to the diplomatic road, except when having exhausted all legal means. before the competent authorities, 1t clearly ap- pears that there has been denial of jus tice or notorious injustice or evident viola ton of the principles of international law Article 12 Foreigners already or to be hereafter domiciled and those in transit who are not invested with a diplomatic character, shall besobliged to make dec laration before the civil authority that they submit to the provisions of the pres ent law in It's entirety and to those of the decree of the 12th of February, 1873, which established the rules for the in- demnization of foreigners. All foreigners who omit to make this declaration shall be expelled.
 Article 13. The civil authorities before whom the declaration should be made shall not make any charge whatsoever.
 Shall Not Issue Photographers.
 Article IA. The national executive shall not issue exchequaters for the consular or vice consular service to persons who are engaged in trade.
 Article 1S. The provisions of this law , are without prejudice to the agreements < olntained in public treaties. \ Article 19. The presidents of the states Aad the governors of the federal territo-