Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1905-05-22
From Washington.
Correspondence of the Alexandria Gazette
Washington. d. c., May 22.

Inc NOhNACfNAS- 10Y
believed, be the discharge of Mr.. Bow
en-. former u. S. Minister to Venezuela,
from the diplomatic service. 1t lslearn-
ed that he admits in the papers he has
filed with Secretary Taft that he did
talk with the newspaper men IN Caracas
about the rumors and charges rejecting
upon the integrity of Assistant Secretary
of State Loomis, who was his predecessor
in the Venezuelan mission. He admits
that he told them the whole story but II
is understood that he claims that In
making the matter known he felt he was
doing patriotic duty, inasmnch as the
circulation of these charges in the ABB
sence of full aad impartial investiga-
ton was hurting the prestige OF the
United States in Venezuela. 1t is known
that President Roosevelt has held that
if it should be shown that Mr.. Bowen
was in any way responsible for the pub
LEGATION of the statements which reflected
50 severely upon the integrity Of his su-
perior officer, the assistant secretary OF
State, he would consider it sufficient cause
TO drop him from the service. In vie.
If Mr.. Bowers own admissions, there
fore, it is expected that his retention as
Diplomatic officer of the United States
will be short lived. Mr.. Bowen called at
the War Department this morning and
left with Secretary Taft additional papers
bearing upon the case. Among them,
it is understood, is protest to the effect
that it is strange that Mr.. LOOMS has
not been called upon TO produce the
stubs of his check book during the
period under investigation. He claims
that if this were done it might efectually
prove or disprove Mr.. Loomis's con-
tention that the incident of the $40, OOC
check was merely business transaction
between himself and the Asphalt Com
pany, brought about through Mr.. LOOMS
desire to change Venezuelan money into
American money. John G. Dater, the
financial editor of the New York Herald,
who was sent down to Caracas as the
correspondent of that paper, and who
was the first 10 put into print the many
rumors affecting Mr.. LOOMS which had
been in circulation here among the lega-
lions as well rs there in official circles,
gave his testimony TO Secretary Taft this
morning. 1t is understood that Mr.
Dater admitted that Mr.. Bowen had
talked freely with him on the subject OF
The Loomis charges, but he ais told the
Secretary that Bowen was not the only
one. The statements against Mr.. LOOMS,
he said, were in general circulation and
he had felt il his duty to publish them
in order that there might be an inquiry
into their truth which would definitely
clear Mr.. Loomis of the damaging
charges or else prove motive for the
attitude of the United States in insisting
upon arbitration of the asphalt case
while it was still pending for adjudica-
lion before the Venezuelan courts. Mr.
Dater said that Mr.. Bowen was no more
responsible Tor publication OF his artl-
Gle than were a number of other individ-
uals.
Judicial proceedings in Venezuela in
connection with the case of the New
York and Bermudez Asphalt Co. have
not yet been exhausted. Therefore
there will be no immediate accretion OF
the discord between the United States
and that country as the result of
the decision of the High Federal Court
of Venezuela on Saturday to annul the
charter of the Asphalt Co. and con-
demning it to pay damages for its al
legged participation in the Matos revolu-
ton. This decision, which comes after
a years litigation, was handed down by
the president of the court individually
and the company has five days in which
to make an appeal to the full court,
The presidents decision must then be
confirmed by a majority Of the other
members of the court before it can be-
come effective. 1t is understood that
the representatives of the company have
already taken steps to make that appeal
and it will probably be some weeks be-
fore a final decision will be rendered
anl before the case will be outside the
realms of judicial procedure. Little
hope is entertained, however, in official
circles here that action on the appeal
will result in any change in the decision
pi Saturday.
Interstate Commerce Commissioner
Joseph w. Fifer, Of Illinois, in an ex-
PLANTATION today before the Senate COM
mittee OH interstate commerce on the
work of the commission, dwelt upon the
increasing spirit of antagOnism existing
between the people and the railroads.
He said that he did not favor gov
ernmeutal ownership, but declared
When the people get the notion that the
railroads are too strong for the commits
sion, too strOug for the government then
will they demand governmental control"
He said he was no pessimist but he had
heard the matterings and he was afraid
that if once aroused the people would
take the matter into their own hands.
Two hundred of the greatest thief
takers in the world gathered here this
morning when the annual convention of
the International Association of Chiefs
Of Police was called to order by Major
Richard Sylvester, is President, and the
head of the Capitals Finest" Dis
Irict Commissioner West made the adj
dress of welcome and Major Sylvester
responded in behalf of his brother chief |
tain. A business session will consume the
ime of the convention during the day
and in the evening the Library Of Con-
yress will be visited. Many important