Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-02-11

months. The tribunal also will de-
eide the vital question to South
American states as to whether block
AIDES and bombardments entitle pow
ers to preferential treatment at the
hands of their debtor. Coming from
The Hague, it will establish prece-
dent, while a decision on the point
from President Roosevelt would have
carried no such weight as decisive of
a point of international law. The ef-
feet of an adverse finding by the
president, therefore, could not have
prevented the allied powers from re-
peating their blockade next month
if they desired, whereas an adverse
verdict from The Hague would add a
new canon to the law of nations and
stop such a course of practice COM
pletely. 1t was to gain this princi-
pie, which necessarily vitality affects
not only the future of Venezuela
but of the other republics of this
continent, that Mr.. Bowen stood out
for arbitration by The Hague tribu-
nal instead of by the president.
Herbert and Bowen Clash.
Washington, Feb. denomination
of the London dispatches of Thurs
day that Mr.. Bowen and the British
ambassador at their interview Mon
day, had somewhat heated argu-
ment, was obtained here Friday. In
deed, it is stated that should the
oh oo%4 1f hot h0
British ambassador has been sending
to his government regarding the at
titude of Minister Bowen become
public, the country would be fur
nished with sensational diplomatic
incidents.
Mr.. Bowen Emphatic.
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 the other
negotiators present. 1t seems that
when the British ambassador, who
took the lead at the conference, had
finished reading the cablegram of
Lord Lansdowne containing his last
proposition for a 20 and ten per
cent. division of the customs receipts
of Porto La Bello and La Guayra, be-
tween the allies and the other claim
nations, respectively, Mr.. Bowen at
once remarked in an emphatic tone
that the proposition was but another
scheme to trick Venezuela into abet-
ting an alliance against her for six
years, and probably longer. He add
ed that he would not consent to any
scheme for continuing the triple al
lance one day longer than he was
forced to. A diplomat stated after
ward:
cit was Mr.. Bowen who exploded
the bombshell the moment the propo-
sition was made"
Herbert Indignant.
Charges that Great Britain was en-
deayoring to secretly continue her al
lance with Germany were resented
by the British ambassador, though
he showed no ill-feeling after the
conference. After the conference it
is said he sent a cablegram to Lon
don that he was displeased with the
conduct of Mr.. Bowen, and that if it
were left to him to decide he would
not continue negotiations with him.
He expressed to his conferees of the
diplomatic corps the greatest indig-
nation that an ambassador from the
court of St. James should be so
treated.
MIR. Bowen's Attitude Comm ended.
On the other hand both the Italian
ambassador and the German minister
have taken occasion to say several
times since Mondays conference that
Mr.. Bowen had treated all the negotia-
tors with uniform courtesy and sur
prising generosity throughout the
negotia tions, and only Thursday both
of these diplomats called and ex-
pressed thanks for his consideration
of them.
"Mr. Bowen must stand up for
Venezuela it-was explained. eff he
did not, he would forfeit our re-
spect.''
Another feature of the last "a
hours has been the receipt of an ex-
ceedingly tart cablegram from Lord
at the British embassy.
The cablegram, it is stated, went so
far as to remind the British ambas-
sador that he was here to obey Or
ders.