The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-06-22
RowEN-LooMls CONTROVERSY.

Former Minister Herbert w Bowen s
disgrace again illustrates the folly of
pTeferring serious charges against a
man without being in possession of
facts to substantiate the accusations
Nj Bowers OfTense consisted of
charges that Assistant secretary or
State Francis Is. LOOMS, who preceded
Nj Bowen as minister 10 venezuela,
had used his position as the diplomatic
representative of the United states TO
advance his private interests in secur-
ing privileges for the asphalt company
operatine in Venezuela. From the re-
port in the case it appears that Mr..
Bowen not only made his charges per
sonafly. but secured their publication in
a New York paper.
Mr.. LOOMS, judging from the find
inGs. had. i'm fact some business trans
actions with the company. but the re-
port does not indicate any improper use
Of his official position in that connec-
tfun. The fact that he had these deal
ings with the company is however. SUI
ficient Justification for the structures
placed upon him by Secretary Tafts
report and should serve as a warning
to other foreign representatives of the
government
The whole affair constitutes a scandal
that viii not soon be forgotten. but will
not he wholly bad if it leads to sweep
-1g reforms in our manner Of treating
with South American countries. Our
y
recent years are open TO more than d
suspicion of unfairness. and possibly
the exposures in the present case viii
result in a changed policy At least
she case will have tendency to make
mon more careful. not merely in regard
10 their charges, hut in regard to their
conduct while holding Office, since
I.oomfs has not come out of the affair
Uuscathed.
Mr. Bowen's unfortunate connection
With this case brings to a close a pub
lie career that was one of considerable
promise. He is only ~ years old. He
graduated with honOrs from the Co
lumbia law school in 1881 and prac-
ttced his profession in New York until
n entered the government foreign serv-
ice. He was appointed consul to Bar
ccIona i'm 1890 and was promoted to be
consul general AT that place i'm 1875,
where he remained until the Spanish
American war broke out. He was the
last American official TO leave. After
the war he was transferred to the diplo-
uatic service and had been stationed
at Venezuela for several years His
work there during the earlier part of
his service contained much that is to
be commended. During the past few
years. however. he had many disagree
ments with President Castro. These
disagreemcnts had become so pro-
nounced during the present year that
his transfer to another post was in
evitahIe, even had he remained in the
service. Whether his trouble with Cas-
tro was a result Of what President
Roosevelt calls Boweu-s ''monomania"
for hunting up gossip and scandal re-
mains to be seen. The Well known per-
sonaI characteristics Of Castro led
many to believe the Venezuela presi-
dent was largely responsible for the
difficulty. but the disclosures in regard
TO Bowen cast doubt upon this belief.
The published report OF the findings
leaves much to be desired, and a fuller
explanation of the transactions in
voIved would be welcomed by the pub
lie