The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-05-11
B0WEN'S PART
IN THE MATTER
Interesting Data Regarding the
Venezuelan lmbrOgIio.
AMERICAN FULL OF GINGER
HARD PROPOSITION FOR THE
FOREIGN DIPLOMATS.

Washington, Nay 10.-How Great Brit
ain. Germany and italy for the asking
could hive secured from Venezuela pref
erential treatment IN the settlement of
their claims had they asked IN time and
thereby been relieved of the necessity of
Quent expense and delay is told in the
blue book which Mr. Herbert w. Bowen,
who acted as Venezuelan plenipOtentiary
IN the peace negotiations at washington,
mas prepared.
The book shows that President Castro
conferred on Mr. Bowen two sets of pow
ers, one authorizing him TO conduct 1ero-
uattOns' with the representative of the
allied pOWers-Great Britain Germany
and Italy-and the other granting him
1uH authority to effect q settlement with
the representatives of all nations having
claims against Venezuela Mr. Bowen,
on Jne DAY OF his arrival here, called at
the embassies of the allied powers TO pre-
sent his credentials. He presented first
his full powers, though expecting that
these would be objected to promptly, in
which event he intended to fall back on
the original powers granted him
Promptly Accepted
Instead, the Italian and British ambas-
SadOrS and the German charge accepted
without question Mr.. Bowen's letters en-
creditor nations. In 50 doing they
waived at the outset the question of sep
arate or preferential treatment for their
governments and this point was not
raised until the peace protocols were
practically ready for signature
The blue book begins with President
CaSUO-S note of Dec 9, 1902. expressing
his Willingness to arbitrate the differences
or the allied powers and the Caracas
represent Venezuela as arbitrator Many
cablegfan1s were exchanged between Ven
ezuela and the allies, via Washington,
before they would agree to President
Castro's proposition for preliminary ne
gouauons at Washington looking to the
raising Of the blockade. The allies stood
reference n
OF the entire question, until Secretary
hay transmitted TO them a cablegram
from Mr. Bowen at Caracas. pointing out
the unreasonableness Of forcing" any
nation to carry a controversy TO The
Hague, which is essentially a peace tri-
bunal.
Mr.. Bowsn's Note
The book makes public FOR the first time
to Sir Michael Herbert, the British am
bassadOr. which, for a time. threatened
to break off negotiations 1t is as fol-
I have given due consideration to your
government proposition that twO-thirdS
of 50 per cent of the customs receiDts of
La Guayra and Puerto CabellO be given
to the allied powers and that the re-
naming third be paid to the powers. That
PIoPoslllAA must aechne. l cannot ac-
cept even IN principle that preferential
treatment can be rightfully obtained by
b4ockading and bOmbardments. 1t would
be absolutely offensive to modern ciVili-
incorporate it into the law of nations Is
1t would have TO be should the allied
powers and the peace powers agree to it
and acknowledge it Furthermore. that
proposition is Objectionable because it
would keep the allied powers allied for a
period of more than six years. Vene-
zuela cannot, 1 am sure, be expected TO
encourage the maintenance OF alliances
against her. On this side Of the water we
want peace, not alliances
The Hague Proposed.
NOW, as the question of preferential
treatment IS the only one which we have
not agreed to. L hereby propose that we
leave that question to The Hague. What
we have already agreed upon we can hold
TO and stand by We need only to add
to ii that we have decided TO submit the
question Of preferential treatment to The
Hague.
'If this proposition is adopted-and
do not see how it can be denied-there !
would be, Of course, no reason to con-
Cnue the blockade.
This solution Of the controversy is
honorable TO all parties and I beg you