Evening journal., 1903-02-07


Court be called upon to arbitrate. the
allies having already acknowledged in
principle that this was the proper ulti-
mate disposition of all questions COM
cerning the foreign claims against
Venezuela which could not be adjusted
by direct negotiation.
Washington. Feb z. - President
Roosevelt has declined the invitation
Of the allied powers to arbitrate the
question as to whether they shall re-
ceive preferential treatment in tho
settlement of their claims against
Venezuela over the other creditor ma
tions lie reached this decision yester-
day afternoon and instructed Secretary
Hay to dispatch a note to the British
embassy at once advising the British
ambassador to that effect. The mat
ter. therefore. now will be referred to
The Hague tribunal. This will result
in HE immediate raising of the block
nde. The administration. It Is stated
in an official quarter, was unwilling
TO eliminate Minister Bowen from tho
negotiations, and, eieovor, the presi'
der could not have accepted the invi.
talon of the allies, even had he been
so disposed, without the consent of
the other negotiator, Minister Bowen,
and this the allies did not obtain or
request in their note Of invitation to
the president
Immediately on receipt OF Secretary
Hays note announcing the presidents
declination. the British ambassador ad.
dressed a communication to Minister
Bowen, stating that he was suffering
from an attack of the grippe, and
would be Obliged If Mr. Bowen would
call on him. The Venezuelan envoy
went at once to the embassy, where
the British ambassador explained that
he had been too IN 10 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
Sternberg. called on Mr.. Bowen and
announced the arrival of his protocol.
Today's program includes preliminary
preparations for the signing Of the
protocols Il developed that two pro
tocols are to be signed by Mr.. Bowen
with the Italian ambassador, Signor
Mayor des Planches; two with the
British ambassador. and two with tho
German minister, Baron Spec Won
Sternburg.
The first protocol in each case will
provide for the reference Of the allies
contention for preferential treatment
to The Hague and the raising of the
blockade simultaneously with the sig.
nature of this convention. 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 Guaira and Porto Cabello
are to be set aside by Venezuela for
i the satisfaction of her creditors, and
that the question as to whether the
allied powers shall receive preferen-
tial treatment, or, as Great Britain
terms It. separate" treatment. in tho
settlement, shall be referred to The
Hague. These protocols also will pro
vide that Venezuela shall pay down
TO each OF the three allied powers
e55OO 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 manner of ad
Indicating the claims of the various
creditor powers and the means for the
administration of the customs re
ceipts. The claims OF each claimant
power are to be settled by a commits
sion, to consist in each instance of :
representative of the creditor govern
ment and Venezuela, and in case of q
failure to agree the king of Spain viii
appoint the arbiter The plan agreed
on for the collection Of the payments
provides that the Caracas government
shall be entrusted with the admins
tration of the receipts unless 80 days
are allowed to elapse without ths
prompt payment to any one nation o
its share, in which event the Belgian
government is empowered to appoin
agents to take charge OF the customs
houses and administer the payment
until the claims Of all the nations ar
satisfied.