Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1903-02-05
BtTIhATUM TO
ALLIED POWERS
BoWsn'S Last Note Regarding Insist
ence Of Preferential Treatment.
BUSY
AMBASSADORS GET BUS
And Flash Communications to London, Ber
lin and ROme-BOwen Refuses Point
Blank to Accept Their Terms

Washington, Feb 2.-Herbert W.
Bowen, Venezuela's representative IN the
negotiations at Washington for a settle
ment of the claims against that country
has sent through the British ambassador
here what amounts practically to al
ultimatum to the allied powers OF Great
Britain, Germany and Italy regarding
their insistence for preferential treatment
in the settlement of their claims against
Venezuela, This note, which the British
ambassador received shortly before y
O'Clock tonight, was caDled at Onceto Lon
don, copies of it being transmitted to the
Italian and German embassies for trans
mission 10 Rome and Berlin. 1t ls IN re-
nv to the proposition submitted at a joint
conference of the negotatOrs this after
noon bv the British ambassador that the
allied powers be allowed two thirds OF
thirty per cent, of the customs receipts OF
the ports of LaGuaira and Porto Cabello
and that the United States and the other
claimant nations, France, Belgium, Hol
land, Denmark, Spain and Norway and
Sweden content themselves with the re-
naming one third of this percentage, that
is, 10 per cent of the receipts of these two
ports.
In the note received by the British am
a..
latter refuses point blank to accept the
proposition for a twenty and ten per cent.
division on the ground that to recognize
the principle it elnbodies would be absou'
tely offensive to modern civilization. In
view of the fact that the negotiators are
agreed on all save the question Of pre-
ferential treatment the ambassador is IN
formed that Venezuela has decided to
submit that question to The Hague arbitra-
ton tribunal. 1t is said the acceptance
Of this proposition contends, carries with
it raising of the blockade the general un'
derstandipg being that the blockade would
end whe1 the negotiations at Washington
ha6 reached an agreement.
Ais understood that in refusing this
- Exposition submitted by the British
AMBASSADOR on behalf of the allies Mr..
'eBowen takes the ground that he cannot
accept in principle the contention that
blockades and bombardments of forts, and
the consequent killing of helpless men,
women and children, entities any power
or alliance of powers to preferential treat
ment at the hands of civilized nation. 1t
is claimed that should the peace powers
and the blockading powers agree to such
a principle they would incorporate Ill the
law of nations doctrine in conflict with
the tenets of all modern ethics. Moreover,
Venezuela, 1t is stated, regards the pre-
ferential demand Of the powers as OBJ
iectionable because it would enable the
continuance of the triple alliance of Great
Britain, Germany and Italy for a period
of six years or more, and in accepting 1t
Venezuela would be encouraging and
abetting the maintenance of hostile allan
ces against herself The British ambassa-
dor is informed in the note that Amer
cans, North and South, want peace anc
not alliances.
Venezuela bas, taken special exception
TO the action of the British government III
initiating this last proposition by which
Great Britain can hold fast to Germany
and Italy in their alliance against Venezu'
ella until the last cent of the claim is paid.
The prediction is made III her response
that surprise and regret of the keenest
sort will be felt throughout the Americas
when it is known that Great Britain has
even proposed continuing her present
6ii1s.2ce with Germany and Italy one
moment longer than is necessary, partlcu
larry in view of her previous representa-
tions to the effect that she was anxious t.
end the Venezuelan dispute and call Oh
the alliance at the earliest possible time.
Whether the allies will accept as fna!
what Mr.. Bowen has bad to say or VIII
assume conclliatory attitude and ask, as
has been suggested both by Mr.. Bowen
and by the representatives of the allies Ill
this city, for preferential treatment for
limited period, no one in Washington feels
competent to predict. The position taken
by Mr.. Bowen, it is stated, has received
the endorsement of all the unallieo
claimant nations, in which number is in
GUIDED the United States.
CONFEDERATE REUNION.