Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1903-02-07
VENEZUELAN AFFAIR
STILL IN A MIDDLE
Bowen and British Ambassa-
dor Have Tilt.
NEGOTIATIONS INTERRUPTED.
British Ambassadors Cabearams
Sent to Hls Government Regarding
BoWen's Attitude Would Furnish
Sensational Diplomatic Incidents.

Washington, Feb. 6-The confirma-
tion of the London dispatch of yester-
day to the effect that Mr.. Bowen and
the British ambassador at their inter-
view Monday, had q somewhat heated
argument, was obtained here today. In
deed, it is stated that should the char
acter Of the cablegrams that the Brit
1sh ambassador has been sending to
HE, government regarding the attitude
OF Minister Bowen become public the
country would be furnished with sen.
Eational diplomatic incidents. 1t is
the opinion of the Venezuelan ngeotia-
tors other than the British ambassador
that the latter is directly responsible
for the abrupt breaking off of negotia-
tions with Mr.. Bowen.
1t is the opinion in official circles
here that Minister Bowen has an ab-
solute right, acting for Venezuela, of
course, to object to President Roose-
velt's acting as arbitrator. To do so
would cause pain to Mr. Bowen, whose
admiration for Mr.. Roosevelt is well
eknown, but he feels obliged to keep
we'll in mind the fact that he is here
not as an American, but as a represen-
tative of Venezuela.
The British ambassadors conduct
has resulted in several important de-
tails Of the momentous conference of
Monday last leaking out and these are
now substantiated by other negotia-
tors present. 1t seems that when the
British ambassador who took the lead
at this conference had finished read
ing the cablegram of Lord Lansdowne
containing his last proposition for q
20 and 10 per cent division of the Gus.
toms receipts of Porto Cabello and
LaGuayra between the allies and the
other claimant nations respectively.
Mr.. Bowen at once remarked in en-
phatio tones that the proposition was
but another scheme to trick Venezuela
into abetting an alliance against her
for six years and probably longer. He
added that he would not consent to
any scheme for continuing the triple
alliance one day longer than he was
dIIGTs
wards
1T was Mr.. Bowen who exploded
the bomb@hel1 the moment the propo-
Bition was made" Charges that Great
Britain was endeavoring secretly to
continue her alliance with Germany
were resented by the British ambassa-
dor, though he showed no i'll feeling
at the conference. After the CON
ference, 1t is said, he sent q cable
gram to London stating that he was
dtspleased with the conduct of Mr..
Bowen and that If it were left to him
to decide he would not continue ne
gotiations with him. He expressed
to his conferees of the displomatic
corps the greatest indignation that an
ambassador from the court of st.
James should be so treated. On the
other hand both the Italian ambassa-
dor and the German minister have TAX
en- occasion to say several times since
the Monday conference that Mr.. Bow
en- has treated all the negotiators with
uniform courtesy and surprising gener.
os1ty throughout the negotiations and
only yesterday both of these diplomats
called and expressed their thanks for
his consideration of them.
Mr.. Bowen must stand up for vene-
zueia, 1t was explained. If he did not
he would forfeit their respect. An.
other feature Of the last "a hours has
been the receipt of an exceedingly
tart cablegram from Lord Iansdowne
at the British embassy. The cable.
gram 1t is stated, went so far as to re-
mind the British ambassador that he
was here to obey orders.