The Washington times., 1904-05-13
PERU OFFERS TO
NEUTRALIZE ZONE
Submits Plan for Arbitrat-
ing Acre Dispute.
A CONCILIAToRY EFFORT
Legation Replies to Last Word of
Brazil-Not Willing to
Withdraw.

In reply to BraziTs last word in
the diplomatic controversy, which has
arisen in Washington over the rival
claims of Brazil and Peru. Senior Cal
dcron. the Peruvian minister here,
makes the following statement:
when in 1874 Brazil gave for the first
time an erroneous Interpretation to the
treaty of 1851. and claimed that the
boundary line with Peru ended at seven
degrees south at its junction with the
Yavary River. Peru notified that govern
ment that it claimed the whole of the
territory south of parallel south and
bounded on the east and south by the
rivers Madeira and Benz. respectively, a
claim that the latter government based
not only upon its actual possession, but
also upon. the treaty Of St. Ildefonso.
Doctrine Favors Claim.
"The .Uti-possidetis' doctrine as in
terpreted and always applied by the
South American governments. decided
IL favors Peru's claims. as she bases
them upon the known and respected
boundaries at the time the colonies
severed their relations from their re-
spective metropolis
These same colonial titles that sup
port the Peruvian contentious nave been
time and again invoked by Brazil IN
boundary disputes with her other neigh
''The titles that the government of
Peru possesses have thus been known
for some time by the Brazilian foreign
office, and a pretended ignorance OF
them would hardly Justify the latter
refusal to submit the controversy to
arbitration.
Attitude Unjustifable.
..1+s atti+,,da is unt,,stfhabIe aIso in
its pretension that Peru, previous TO the
initiation of negotiations. should evacu-
ate the disputed zone. which would mean
the voluntary abandonment in favor of
Brazil Of a land the occupancy of which
has been admitted as legitimate by His
EXcellency Magazines, a predecessor of
Baron de Rio de Braneo. (Brazil's min
lister for foreign relations), with regard
10 the headwaters of the Yurua River
The treaty Of 1867 between Brazil and
Bolivia, against which Peru opposed its
protest. recognized as Bolivian a part
Of the disputed region; and il is only
after the treaty of Petropolis, entered
into six months ago, that Brazil &C
CURED Bolivia's claims, subject TO an
entente with Peru, which Implicitly
means the carrying out OF the provisions
OF the boundary arbitration treaty that
Peru and Bolivia had celebrated one
year previous. The government at Rio
was so familiar with this treaty that
IL used II as an argument in its cam
paign TO annul the concession Bolivia
had granted TO an American syndicate
for the exploitation of the Acre terri
tory.
Peru's Rights Admitted.
''The first statement of the Brazilian
legation at least admitted that Peru's
occupancy of the disputed zone was
previous to the acquisition by Brazil OF
its unique claim to the dispute. subject
OF course to an understanding with Peru.
and ii is thus unreasonable that Brazil
should demand as a sine qua non con-
citiOn TO initiate negotiations that the
government of Peru should evacuate the
territory over which it's sovereignty is
actually exercised. So unjustidable IS
this attitude that ii leads 10 a doubt
as 10 the ultimate intentions Of the gov
eminent at Rio.
THE conciliatory policy of the Peru
Wan government with regard TO the dis
pute may be easily ascertained by Its
Two recent proposals to BraZil's foreign
Office most unfortunately rejected by the
points Of provisional possession in the
latter. One was the determining OF
disputed rivers, and the other uncondi-
tional arbitration.
in view of the rejection of the pro-
posals just mentioned. II has finally
submitted the plan Of neutralizing the
disputed zone. pending an understand
ing. or the award OF an arbitration tri-
bunal that should decide as 10 It's ulti-
mate destiny and IL is 10 be hoped that
this conciliatory effort on the part Of
Peru shall meet with the approval of the
government at Rio de Janeiro."