The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-03-28

 OF NEW WAR Colombia May March Up- on Venezuela. PRESIDENT REYES IS MAD Castro Refuses to Resume
 Relations. The Chesty Chief Executive of Little Republic Finds Himself in the
 Middle of Another Bad
 Tangle.
PRESIDENT REYES IS MAD

Correspondence of the Associated Press-Trinidad. March 19.-President Castro has again refused to resume diplomatic relations with Colombia and in so doing has created a situation which many South American diplomats fear will lead to a war between Co., lombia and Venezuela.
 Early in February President Reyes sent Lucas Cabellero as minister to Venezuela, having been advised that President Castro desired the re-es- tablishment of diplomatic relations be- tween the two republics. For more than a month after his arrival in Cara cas Senor Cabellero was practically ig- nored. He was never officially re- ceived but finally Lopez Baralt, for mer minister of foreign affairs, was named to confer with him.
 A sort of protocol was presented to Senor Cabellero by Senor Baralt and it was stipulated that in consideration of the resumption of diplomatic rela- tions with Venezuela, Colombia must cede to Venezuela the border provinces to Colombia in settlement of the con- troversy between Venezuela and Co., lombia. It was also stipulated that five political refugees now in Colom- bia be returned to Venezuela and that three other political refugees be ex- pelled from Venezuela.
 President Castro insisted through his representative. Baralt, that these concessions should be made by Presi- dent Reyes in settlement of damages Colombia Is alleged to have inflicted upon Venezuela by assisting the Matos revolution, which developed near the Colombian border and was waged chiefly with supplies said to have been obtained through Colombia.
 Although Colombia Is anxious to re- sume diplomatic relations with Vene- zuela and have the embargo raised which Castro has placed on commerce along the eastern boundary of Colom- bia. President Reyes resented the at titude of Castro and authorized Cabel- lero to withdraw from Venezuela at once if he considered such action ad- visable.
 Have Left Caracas.
 The Colombian minisister and his secretary left Caracas several days ago and went to watering place near Macuta, where they now are. The Cas- tro government Is said to have asked that they remain In Venezuela until the relatiils betwee nthe two republics can be discussed more fully.
 Last year President Reyes visited President Castro in Caracas and 1t was rumored at that time that their differ 
 was not the case. President Castro has persistently refused to permit Co., lombia to carry on trade except under considerations which are almost pro- hibitive through Maracaibo and other ports at q great loss. This discrimi nation against Colombia has almost ruined the trade of one of tne richest sections of the republic and has also brought great loss to Venezuelans who depended on that trade.
 President Castro has disregarded the request of both Venzeulans and Co., however. his purpose being to punish Colombia for it's alleged as- sistsnce to the Matos revolution It was said that Senor Herbossa, the Chilean minister in Caracas, induced President Reyes to send Minister Ca- bellero to Caracas on the representa- tion that Castro was ready to resume relations. Herbosa is also to nave assured the Castro government that Reyes was willing to cede the two disputed provinces If diplomatic relations between Colombia and Venezuela could be renewed. Her bosa now denied that he made such 
 At present Colombia Is in such an unsettled conditions and its finances are so low that war seems unlikely. but diplomats familiar with Southe Amer ican politics believe the time is not far distant when Colombia will take arms against Venezuela if the commercial placed upon the eastern part of Colombia by Castro are not modified.