The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-04-29
BOWEN TO BE FIRED?
MINISTER MUST EXPLAIN CHARGES
 AGAINST LOOMS.
Seems Very Probable That United States Representative to Vene- zuela Will Re Furnished
 His Walking Papers.

Washington. april 2S.--Secretary Taft is considering the advisability of ordering Mr. Bowen at Caracas to re- port forthwith in Washington and ex- plain the charges against Assistant Secretary Locmis which he has con- veyed to Secretary Taft in a personal letter. If President Roosevelt assents this order will be issued immediately.
 This proceeding is to determine pre- cisely the extent. of Mir. Bowen's re- sponsibility for the circulation of these charges. The official mind here is made up so far as Mir. Loomis is con cerned: it is absolutely convinced of his innoncence of any wrong doing while he was minister to Venezuela and has reached this conviction after thorough sitting of the allegations. That being the case 1t is felt that Minister Bowen, in order to escape blame himself, must show that ne did one or two things; either by private inquiry in Caracas he arrived at con clusion as to the truhtfulnsss of the charges or that he did what he could to denounce them and to discourage their circulation in Venezuela.
 Months ago MT. Bowen reported to Secretary Hay that rumors affecting the integrity of his predecessor were in full circulation in Caracas and that to his knowledge these rumors had been transmitted promptly by the for eign diplomatic representatives 10 the various European capitals.
 Secretary Hay promptly co4A nuntca- ted this meassage to the Presiuent and then admonished Mir. Bowen that 1t scarcely was becoming an American Minister to allow his predecessor to be traduced when the honor of the mission was involved.
 Meanwhile an estigations was con- ducted here which satisned the author ities of the innocence of MT. Loomis. The rumors in Caracas became more and more definite in form as the State Department here increased It's pressure on President Castro to secure settle ment of the asphalt case and h1ally MT. Bowen again took them up and repeat ed them to Secretary Taft. The Sec retary felt that no matter how Mir. Bowen regarded 1t, the matter was not personal to him and communicated with the President on the subject. Having thus become, public the matter could not be dropped and hence the determi- nation to bring MT. Bowen to Washing ton to explain his connection with It.
 It is not doubted that the President will accept promptly Secretary Taft's suggestion and that MT. Bowen Will take the next steamer for this country. One result of this last move in the case may be the defeat of a project which has been formed to exchange MT. BOW en to another SOutn American HliSSloH which cannot be done now unless he shows that he was not culpable.
 IL is expected that the Presidents answer to the secretary's suggestion that MT. Bowen be directed to come to Washington will be received tomor- row and it is not doubted that the President will accept the secretary's suggestion. It is quite certain that MT. Bowen will not return to Caracas as American Minister except perhaps to pesent his letters of recall, for 1t Is understood that even if his explanation is satisfactory and he is to remain in the diplomatic service his usefulness in Caracas will have been impaired and it will be necessary to carry out the State Departments original plan form ed before the publication of the attack upon MT. Loomis, and transfer MT. Bowen to either Columbia or Chile, or perhaps to Brazil, in the event that Ambassador Thompson Is sent to Mex ico, as he desires.
 Secretary Taft, 1t is understood, to- night heard from President Roosevelt approving his proposition to direct Minister Bowen at Caracas to report to Washington to explain the charges against Assistant Secretary Loomis of the State Department. which were com munieated to Secretary Taft by the Minister Secretary Taft accordingly will act in the matter tomorrow.