Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1903-02-10
Mr.. ROOSEVELT Says NO.
President Declines to Act as Arbitra-
tor in the Venezuelan
Dispute.
the REQUEST OF ALLIES is DENIED.

the REQUEST OF ALLIES IS DENIED.
PhA Question of Preferential Pay
nent to BE Referred to The Hague
Tribunal Protocol Being Pre-
pared-When Signed, the Blockade
NWil BE Raised.
Warrington, Feb. 0. = President
Roosevelt has declined the invita-
tion of the allied powers to arbi-
trate the question as to whether they
shall receive preferential treatment
In the settlement of their claims
against Venezuela over the other
creditor nations. He reached this de-
cision shortly before four o'clock
Friday afternoon, and instructed Sec
rotary Hay to dispatch a note to the
British embassy at once, advising the
British ambassador to that effect.
The matter, therefore, now will be
referred to The Hague tribunal. This
will result in the immediate raising
Of the blockade.
The administration, it is stated in
an official quarter, was unwilling to
approve the effort of the British
government to eliminate Minister
Bowen from the negotiations, and
moreover the president could not
have accepted the invitation of the
allies even had he been so disposed,
without the consent of the other ne
gotiator, Minister Bowen, and this
the allies did not obtain or request
in their note of invitation to the
president.
Protocols Prepared.
To-day preliminaries with reference
TO the signing of the protocol OF re-
ferring the matter to The Hague will
be considered. Immediately on re-
oeipt of Secretary Hays note announc-
ing the presidents declination, the
British ambassador addressed COM
munication to Mr.. Bowen, stating that
he was suffering from an attack of
the grip and would be obliged if Mr..
Bowen would call on him. The Ven
ezuelan envoy went at once to the en-
bassy, where the British ambassador
explained that he had been too i'll to
call for several days and announced the
arrival Of his protocol, which he was
prepared to submit to Mr.. Bowen for
signature. Later the German minister,
Baron Sternburg. called on Mr.. Bowen
and announced the arrival of his pro-
focal. To-day's programme will in
clude preliminary preparations for the
signing of the protocols. 1t developed
that two protocols are to be signed by
Mr.. Bowen, with the Italian ambassa-
dor, Signor Mayor DIES Planches, two
with the British ambassador and two
with the German minister, Baron Spec
Won Sternburg.
Conditions of Protocols,
The first protocol in each case will
provide for the reference of the allies
contention for preferential trea timer
to The Hague and the raising of the
blockade simultaneously with the sign
ing OF this convention. 1t is doubtful
whether the initial protocols between
Minister Bowen and the three allies
will contain the same conditions,
though all the negotiators are work
Ing to this end. In these protocols the
conditions precedent to the raising of
the blockade will be clearly stated,
namely that 30 per cent. of the customs
receipts of the ports of La Guayra 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 receive
preferential treatment, OF as Great
Britain terms it, separate" treatment
in the settlement, shall be referred to
The Hague. These protocols also will
provide that Venezuela shall pay down
to each Of the three allied powers $500
pounds asan initial cash payment. The
differences between these protocols, it
10 said, will concern, certain details, the
nature Of which is not yet known, even
10 Mr.. Bowen.
Having arranged for the signatures
OF these first protocols, the negotia-
tors will take up the second protocols,
which are to cover the manner of adju-
dicating the claims of the various cred
itor powers and the means of the ad-
ministration of the customs receipts.
As announced, the claims of each claim
ant power are to be settled by COM
mission to consist in each instance of a
representative of creditor govern
ment and a Venezuelan, and in case
OF q failure to agree the king Of Spain
will appoint an arbiter. The plan
agreed on for the collection of the
payments provides that the Caracas
government shall be entrusted with the
administration of the receipts unless
30 days are allowed to elapse without
the prompt payment to any one nation
OF its share, in which event the Bel
gium government is empowered to ap-
point agents to take charge of the Gus
toms houses and administer the nav.
ments until the claims of all the ma
lions are satisfied. It is admitted that
some days may yet pass before either
OF the protocols can be signed, owing
TO the minor differences, but nepotia.
lions are expected to move more swift
~ than in the past.
A Victory for Bowen.
! In administration and diplomatic
circles. the reference to The Hague
Is regarded as victory for Minister
Bowen, as Venezuela hereby is ena.
Died to recover from the distressing
enect OF the blockade before start
ang upon the payment of her debts.
Inc cumbersome machinery of The
hague, 1T is expected, will DELAY mat
tors considerably, and the payment
Of creditor nations cannot heo;n nv