New-York tribune., 1903-01-31
THE FRANKENSTEIN OF ACRE.

The dispute over the territory of Acre is one
which directly concerns only Bolivia and Brazil.
and possbly Peru. The United States is In no
wise involved in it. but regards it from the point
of view of an impartial and benevolent ob-
server II is both legitimate and appropriate,
however, for this country to hope that the peace
will be kept, that the dispute will be am1caDiy
and equitably adjusted, and that the prosperous
DEVELOPMENT of the resources of the territory In
question will proceed unchecked. Looking at
fhe matter thus there really does not appear to
be adequate cause for the agitation which Is
reported to exist in Brazil over the concession
recently made by Bolivia to the international
syndicate organized by Mr.. Whtridge, of this
city. Certainly there is perceptible no Justihca-
ton for any such extreme acts as it Is rumored
are to be taken. We are therefore compelled to
suspect either that rumors are vastly exag-
gerated or that Brazil, through some misappre-
hension, is playing the part of Frankenstein,
or rather is laboring under the deusion that
Bolivia is playing that perilous part
Thus we are told that Brazil denounces the
Aramayo- Whitridge concession "a monstros-
ity in law since it "entails the partial aliena-
ton of sovereignty to a foreign company" We
are not sure that even such alienation would
deserve to be so harsh1y characterized II SO,
there have been good many "monstrositfes" in
the world. But cannot perceive that such
alienation is intended. The AramayoW Whitridge
agreement does, it is true provide for trans
''ferring for period of years to a company
"the fiscal administration of the territory and
"the collection Of all descriptions of public or
state revenue But it does so explicitly Ere
Serving in every case the sovereign rights of
Bolivia, and especially those relating to
boundary treaties with other nations" More
TO &c Sr{ {hn
contract TO administer the fiscal affairs Of the
territory ''in accordance with the laws of the
country"-that is, of Bolivia. Again, the syndi-
cate is bound TO discharge its duties subject to
the laws of the republic" and it is expressly
mot allowed TO transfer the concession to any
state or foreign government 1t cannot even
transfer it to another company without the
consent of the Bolivian Congress. Surely in
such a contract the alienation Of sovereignty,
if there be any at all, is far too slight to de-
serve the appellaton of "monstrosity."
Again, we are told that Brazil declares the
concession to be void inasmuch as it disposes
"of territory which is at the present time the
subject of dispute with Peru To that the
obvious answer is twofold. One part is that,
have already quoted, the contract reserves
the sovereign rights of Bolivia, especially those
relating to boundary treaties with other ma
there be any-is not affected by it. The other
is that the Bolivian dispute with Peru is
Peru's business, and not BraziTs The protest
against the concession on that score should
come from Lima, and not from Rio Janero.
Moreover Brazil has hitherto been inclined to
ignore Peru'S claim to part of Acre. Thus,
the Brazilian Foreign Minister less than three
years ago said concerning the boundary dis
pute between Brazil and Bolivia: 1.-The only
'litigious part is that between the Teffe and the
''Cunha Gomez lines" a strip less than a mile
wide at the widest, and tapering to a point.)
"The part extending to the south of the latter
cline is Bolivian, and Brazil does not question
''it" And again he said If Peru were in pos
session of the territory I could under
stand her government taking an interest:
''but she does not occupy that territory, and
confines herself TO saying it is hers" Ger
tainly it would seem strange for the minister
who thus discredited Peru's claims In 1900 to
enter the lists as their strenuous champion in
1903 II Brazil did not question Bolivia's title
to Acre In 1900 what has occurred since to
make her question ii now?
II does not matter to us, ii does not matter
to the United States, whether not the Ara
mayo-Whitridge contract is consummated or
whether Acre belongs to Bolivia or Peru But
the maintenance of friendly relations among the
South American republics is a matter of In
direct concern to all Americans, and it is a
matter of particularly direct concern to them
that the motives and purposes OF this country
snail be rightly understood little while ago