The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-08
QUARREL OVER THE ACRE.
Secretary Of state Of Amazonas says II !"
Ineiisputably Braxtl's.

To THE EDITOR or TIE SUN-ST: For
long time the newspapers OF New YORK
have been publishing kilograms ana re-
ports in regard to the question at issue
between Brazil and Bolivia as TO the owner
ship of and dominion over the territory OF
the Acre.
The Acre, IL has been said. is city ana
mention has been made OF the Bolivian
custom house Of Pureto Alfonso "A oil a
collecting station where are to be found
all the conditions requisite for an establish
ment Of that nature.
The truth is that in the territory known
by the name Of the Acre there is not single
aggregation of houses worthy OF the name
of a village Its inhabitants. numbering
about 5000, all Of whom are Brazihans,
are scattered here and there in the serin-
gaes. leagues apart from each other.
The exclusion house was nothing more
than a hut on the bank OF the River Acre,
whose course runs some "a or rs degrees
west Of Rio de Janeiro.
There is not now, and there never was.
on the Acre a single soldier OF the Bra
lillian Army or Of the forces Of the State OF
Amazonas The revolution was ACCOM-
pished by peasants who were not wiling
to recognize the dominion. provisional
Il.
they had exploited and always held az a
portion Of their Brazilian country
And, since the Imperial Decree No. $3.50
Of Nov. rs, 1858, which promulgated the
only boundary treaty which exists between
Brazil and Bolivia, and which was signed
March 81, 1857. the right of Brazil to the
disputed territory Is incontestable. Ar
ticle of that treaty declares:
n. NJ. the Emperor Of Brazil and the Re-
public OF Bolivia concur IN recc sniz9g az
between their respective territories the uti
pos-idetis, and In conformity with that prin-
ciple they declare and define the said frontier
As may be seen, the .uti possidetis" is
the determining principle Of the boundary
line between the two countries, and for
more than thirty years the Acre has been
exploited and held by Brazilians who there
established their homes as upon the soil
of their own country.
Even now, In this repulse Of the regular
forces OF the Bolivian Army by the peasants
Of the Acre, II Is patent that Bolivia has no
rooted hold Of the territory which 1t oovets
and which was exploited by the energy and
daring Of Brazilians. decimated by swamp
fevers and other hardships which there
assume a terrifying aspect
But this Is not all The right OF Brazil
appears still moro clearly upon the face
tracing the boundary from south to north
declares:
From the extreme north of Lake Uberaba
the frontier shall run in q strntRht line 70 the
as they are the Brazilian and Bolivian VII
lagos. as they respectively may lie on the side
of Brazil or Bolivia: from the extreme south
OF the CoriXa Grande. II shall run in straight
line TO the Moro ds Boa Vista and TO the 0uatro
Irmao@: from there. also IN 2 straight line to
that river to It's confluence with the Guapore,
and through the middle OF that river and OF
the NJ more to the Benz, where the river
Madeira begins.
From that river to the westward the from
tier shall follow along a parallel drawn from
It's left bank in latitude 10 degrees 20 minutes
South until IL reaches the RIVER Javary.
III the sources Of the Javary lie to the north
OF that east and west line. the frontier shall
run from that same latitude along q straight
line until il reaches the principal source OF the
ssid Javary
When confronted with the text Of the
treaty, literally transcribed above. so far
az IL is Material. no one can In good faith
cues. ion the right of Brazil to the disputed
territory. Respectfully.
PoRFIRIo No0UEIRA,
Secretary Of State Of Amazonas, Brazil.
Nuu XpRU Eah 1903