The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-02-11
ROOSEVELT WON'T ARBITRATE.
The Venezuelan Question viii Now
Go to the Hague Tribunal.
The PROTOCOLS TO BE SIGNED.
Meanwhile Pending Decision the
Blockade Will be Raised---vic-
tory fer Bowen.

Washington, Feb. president
Roosevelt has declined the invitation
of the allied powers to arbitrate the
question as to whether they shall re-
ceive preferential treatment in the
settlement of their claims against Ven
ezuela over the other creditor nations
He reported this decision shortly be-
fore 4 o'clock this afternoon and in
structed Secretary Hay to dispatch a
note to the British ambassador to that
effect. TIE matter therefore now will
be referred to The Hague tribunal.
This will result in the immediate rails
ing of the blockade. The administra-
tion, it is stated in an official quarter,
was willing to approve the effort of
the British government to eliminate
Minister Bowen from the nego-
tiations and moreover the president
could not have accepted the invita-
tion of the allies, even had he been
disposed, without the consent of the
other negotiator, Minister Bowen, and
this the allies did not obtain or re-
quest in their note of invitation to
the president.
Tomorrow preliminaries with refer
ence to the signing of the protocol re-
ferring matters to The Hague for arbl-
tration will be considered.
It is doubtful whether the initial
protocols between Minister Bowen and
the three allies will contain the same
conditions, though all the negotiators
are working to this end. In these
protocols tthe conditions precedent to
the raising Of the blockade will be
clearly stated namely, that 80 per
cent of the customs receipts Of the
ports of La Guayra and Puerto, Ca
bello are to be set aside by Vene-
zuela for the satisfaction of her credit
ors and that the question as to wheth-
er the allied powers shall receive pre-
ferential treatment, or as Great Brit
ain terms it, "separate" treatment in
the settlement, shall be referred
to The Hague. The protocols also pro-
vide that Venezuela shall pay down to
each of the allied powers e5, 500 as an
initial cash payment.
Having arranged for the signature
of these first protocols the negotiators
will take up the second protocols,
which are to cover the matter of adju-
dicating the claims of the various
creditor powers and the means for the
administration Of the customs receip pts.
It was admitted tonight that some
days may yet pass before either Of the
protocols can be singed owing to
minor differences, but negotiations are
expected to move more swiftly than IN
the past.
In administration and diplomatic cir
cles the reference to The Hague is re-
garded as victory for Minister Bowen
as Venezuela thereby is enabled to re-
cover from the distressing effect Of the
blockade before starting on the pay
ment of her debts.
Confirmation of the London dispatch
yesterday to the effect that Mr.. Bowen
and the British ambassador at their
interview Monday had somewhat
heated argument, was obtained here
today. Indeed, it stated that should
the character OF the cablegrams that
the British ambassador has been send
ing to his government regarding the
attitude of Minister Bowen, become
public, the country would be furnish
ed with sensational diplomatic Incl
dents.
Another feature of the last "a hours
has been the receipt of an exceeding
ly curt note from Lord Lansdowne at the
British embassy. The cablegram, it
is stated, went so far AS to remind
the British ambassador that he was
here TO obey orders.