Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-06-22
Quotes Current Report
and Private Views
In Condemnation Of LOOMS
and Dealings at Caracas.
Scores Governments Action In What Ne
Calls 1.-The LOOMS Scandal"

| Rrvcn formerly minister to NeneZuc-
In. TODAY. made public Il long statement
in reply to President R"osevclts let
ter dismissin;, him from the diplomatic
service as IL result of the investigation
made by Secretary Taft in the contro-
Versy.
| Mr.. Bowen declares the "VeneZuela
| scandal constitutes national dis
| grace" He asserts that The LOomis
scandal pcrvaded Caracas and con-
| stanly grew worse and worse
Mr.. Bowen says that shortly after he
called the matter to the attention Of
the DEPARTMENT of state lie received q
cable offer from Washington to dip!o-
| matte promotion that would remove
him from Caracas.
| Il admit" he declares, that regard
ed the offer rs an attempt to bride me.
| yelled under the offer of I; higher po-
sition and inspired by Mr.. LOomis.
make no doubt that IN the course of the
recent inquiry it has been sufficiently
plain that l did not think Mr.. Loomis
an honest man and that / did not be
lieve his conduct rs minister to Vene-
zuela had been HONORABLE
| When he went to Venezuela in 1901
AS successor to LOOMS, kowen declares
| he found current rumorS seriously af-
| fecting the honor and integrity of his
| prede ccssor, both as Il man and as rep
resentati,e of the United States gov
eminent.
EpitoiZinS the rumors, Bowen says:
Mr.. Loomis while minister was re-
ported to have used his public position
| l.; nj. NJ
ing interests in concessions and in var
| ious claims against The Venezuelan
government. He was commonly thought
| also to have been in the pay of the
Bermudez Asphalt Co. and to have
made use of his own official position
to give color to the belief that the
| United States government was espec-
tally favorable to the side of that COM
pany in its controversy with the Nene-
zuclan authorities. l had no means of
rcfutinG these scandalOus statements
Their substantial truth was assumed
by my diplomatic colleagues as well as
by the general public at Caracas"
Referring 10 the documents left by
his predecessor in the legation at Cara
cas- and forwarded by Bowen to the
state department. the latter says:
Il cannot better express my own
feelings in regard to their contents
than in TIE words of the secretary of
state who, in his letter acknowledging
their receipt, said:
81 have been greatly surprised and
pained in reading the documents you
sent me-"
Bowen tells of sending to the stat"
department information of the report
current in Caracas, that an incrimi-
Mating check to Loomis and 4 letter
from him to the governmental Custod-
| ian Of the Asphalt property promising
that the United States would not inter
| vene in Venezuela, were iE the hands
of one of President Castro's friends.
| After describing an offer of promo
ton which he says the state depart
ment made to him, and which, he says,
he refused, Bowen continues:
"Currently with the report in Cara
cas- that President Castro has possess
sion Of documents directly incriminat-
| ing tho first assistant secretary of
state, President Castro dispatched a
special agent to Washington. Concur
| rently with my refusal to leave my
post at Caracas there began to appear
! from Washington. sucn false and mis-
| leading statements in our papers as
| Bowen has asked to be recalled: he
wants to sever diplomatic relations
| with Venezuela he advises that a naval
| dcmonst IA ton be made in Venezuelan
! waters, he is at swords roint with Cas-
| tro." False reports IF this sort are or
dinarily contradicted by the depart
merit Of state. In This instance they
| were not. Any one at all familiar with
| diplomatic negotiations with Nenezuc-
| III viii understand without further eX-
PLANTATION the manifold Cnibarrassments
of such situation"
After referring to the appearance of
| the Loomis charges in several papers,
| Bowen says:
"To say that instiga.ed the charges
is the product Of 4 heated imagination.
ct was right after this that I was
summoned by the state department to
Washington and a departmental in
puiry was made into Loomis conduct
| in Venezuela. ard l was dismissed from
the diplomatic service. Yet am neith-
er responsible for Mr.. LOOMS unsa-
worry reputation in Caracas nor for the
circulation of scandalous reports about
| nIIIl III reputation T1In-
self while living there as American
minister from 1897 to April, 1901, and
the statements charging him with dis
honest and dishonorable conduct were
made with such detail of circumstances
that mere denial by me was useless.
What was needed was not the denial.
but their disproof.''
With regard to the Mercado claim
EOwen given the text of a letter which
was among the papers he found at the
legation archives. This letter is adj
dressed to w. w. Russell, and saws:
Dear Sir-In reference to the nor
ton of Mr.. Mercado's claim, which
bought. I want to state that the only
terms of settlement which will accent
other than a full cash payment of
about 1000 bolivars in gold. are the
following:
Il will accept 10000 bolivars in gold