The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-03-23
FOUR POWERS HAVE
FUN WITH CASTRO
American Claimants Seem
Likely to Pose as TAIL
enderS

AXIS March 22.-The French Ca
ole company has received a fi,rtba,
uspatch from Mons. Brun. IFS rarra
sentative at Caracas, confirming tba
Postpohement of the decision of the
court relative to the company'S conces-
slons. He says the postponement was
sine Ole The company's officials here
say The postponement resulted from tba
representations of the French minister
{ Weiner. 1t is understood that tha
representatives point out that the conn
pany Is governmental concern and
llat an undrlendiy attitude toward it
would amount to an unfriendly atti-
tude toward the French government
Anglo German interests
LONDON. March 22.-At the office
OF the council of foreign bondhoIfers If
was said today that an agreement he
tween the Venezuelan government and
the British and German bondholders
adjusting and consolidating the ex-
terror debt, $2S, 100000, will be signed
| tomorrow. 1t was added that the
guarantee comprises considerably more
man 90 per cent of the customs
duties of all ports except La Glayra
and Puerto Cabello. Surprise was ex-
pressed at the dispatches from Wash
fngton lDtlmating that the American
minister at Caracas, Mr.. Bowen. was
seeking TO prevent the ratification OF
the agreement which the council of
foreign bondhelders contends is en-
tlreiy IN accord with the Washington
protocol The British and German for
eign offices agree that the bordhoId-
ers are entirely within their rights and
the provisions of the protocol.
The council of foreign bondhoIders
has been working for q guaranteed
payment since the PRONUNCIATION of the
protocol, first on scheme which pro-
Vlded for settlement of the Vene-
zuelaD Indebtedness to all countries.
but this plan was killed by the with
drawal of the French last October.
Thereafter the British and German
bondholders united and secured Presi-
dent Castro'S agreement to allocate a
portion of the revenues of La Guayra
| and Puerto Cabello to which Minister
Bowen objected. Since this frustra-
ton in January the bondholders have
been at work on the present agreement.
which provides for the issue of new 3
per cent bonds to cover the debt Of
| the Anglo German bondholders.
Washington Interprets
WASHINGTON, March 22-While
| the proceeding of the Venezuelan court
is peculiar to Spanish law practice, the
| officials here regard 1t as being equiva-
lent to a practical abandonment Of the
attempt to secure by decree a forfeit
luIe Oh lHe COMPANY concession. 1t Is
| pointed out here that by reason of the
| exclusion of the French claims from
! the Velutina arrangement to be con-
/ cluded tomorrow. between the British
and German bondholders on the one
| side and Venezuela on the other, the
| French government probably will still
retain a lively interest in that project
| ed settlement. Notwithstanding the
| statement from London that the for
| eign boDdholders contend that this set
| tlement is entirely in accord with the
Washington protocol of 1908, the Of
fcials here fail to find in that protocol
any warrant for this agreement, which
they regard as likely to seriously af-
feet the claims of all other nations than
Great Britain and Germany. 1t is true
that the German and British protocols
| bind the Venezuelan government to
! enter into a fresh arrangement re-
! speeding the external debt of Venezuela
| with view to the satisfaction of the
| claims Of the bondholders and permit
definition of the sources from which
| the necessary payments are to be pro-
| vided, but this provision is not looked
upon as broad enough to warrant the
practical extinction of other claims.