The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1905-01-28
CASTRO IS EVASIVE.
TEMPORARILY AVOIDS DEMANDS
OF UNITED STATES.
Proposition to Negotiate Arbitra-
ton Treaty and Let Asphalt
natter Come Under lt-GeneraI
Treaty Said Already to Be In
Effect.

ing authoritative quarters here from
Caracas, Venezuela, says President
Castro has decided to give a negative
reply to the representations of the
United States. The president has left
Caracas for fortnight with the evi.
dent intention of putting off an imme-
date reply. His attitude leads to ap.
prehension here that the situation in
Venezuela may develop serious compli-
cations.
Washington, Jan. 23.-The informa.
ton respecting the situation 1T Caracas
received at the state department from
Minister Bowen in cablegram of Fri
days date is to the effect that Presi.
dent Castro made proposition for the
settlement of the asphalt and other is
sues between the United States and
Venezuela Of nature that makes it
impossible of acceptance by our gov
eminent, and being notified of that
fact, and having left the capital for an
indefinite period, he has terminated
the negotiations, at least for the time
being.
The effect of this action is to place
the relations between the United States
and Venezuela under decided strain.
Though it is now almost certain that
some action Of a compulsory nature
will in to end be forced upon our gov
eminent, this will not occur until ev-
cry resourse of diplomacy has been ex-
hausted.
Castro's last proposition, it is learn
ed, was to provide for permanent arbi-
tration Of all issues arising between
the United States and Venezuela. This
is regarded at the state department as
entirely unnecessary, In view Of the
fact that the United States and Vene-
zuela were both signatories to the gen.
eral arbitration treaty resulting in the
last Pan-American congress, held at
the City of Mexico some years ago, so
that any special treaty would be sur
plusage. Then Castro proposed that
if the arbitration proposal was accept
ed the first question to be submitted to
the arbitrators would be the right of
the United States to intervene in the
asphalt case, which it regards as pure
ly an internal affair. This is, in effect,
another application of the old Calvo
doctrine denying the right Of diplo-
matic Intervention in the internal
affairs of the state, which has been
uniformly repudiated by the United
States. Lastly, assuming that the ar
bitration decides that the United
States had right to intervene, then
Castro proposed that the arbitration
should ascertain the merits of the
claim,
Departments Position uncertain.
The position of the state department,
beyond the statement that it has found
this proposal unacceptable, has MT
been definitely laid down. Further in
formation from Mr.. Bowen, the Amer
lean minister at Caracas, is waited as
basis for future actor.
Meantime, Attorney General Moody,
through his assistant, Mr.. Russell, is
making careful inquiry to ascertain
whether all of the proceedings in the
last few years before the Venezuelan
courts respecting the asphalt contro-
versy have been conducted according
to the established legal procedure in
Venezuela, and to ascertain whether or
not there has been technical as we'll
as actual denial Of Justice to the CON-
plainants.