The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1905-04-29
MINISTER BOWEN MUST
EXPLAIN HIS CONDUCT
NAY SOON BE ORDERED HOME
FROM VENEZUELA.

An Explanation Of the Charges Against
Assistant Secretary of state Loomis
Likely to be Demanded-Possibility
of His Losing His Post Unless He
shows He Was Not CuIpabIe.
Washington, April 2S.- Secretary Taft
lis considering the advisability Of order
ing Minister Bowen, at Caracas, to re-
3 port forthwith in Washington to ex-
plain the charges against Assistant
Secretary Loomis, which he has con-
iyeyed 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 Mr. BoWen,s re-
sponsibility for the circulation of these
charges. The official mind here is made
up so far as Mr.. Loonlis is concerned,
/ it is absolutely convinced Of his inno-
tcence of any Wrong-doing while he was
minister to Venezuela. and has reached
this conviction after a borough Sitting
Eof the allegations. THAT being the case
+ 1t is felt here that Minister Bowen, in
order to escape blame himself, must
show that he did one Of two things
either by private inquiry in Caracas he
arrived at another conclusion as to the
9truthfulness of the charges, or that he.
did what he could do TO denounce them
and to discourage their circulation in
/ Venezuela.
Months ago Mr.. Bowen reported to
Secretary Hay that run1ors affecting
/ the integrity of his predecessor were in
! free circulation in Caracas, and that to
his own knowledge these runors had
been transmitted promptly by the for
eign diplomatic representatives to the
various European capitals.
Secretary Hay promptly communicate
/ ed this message to the president and
I then admonished Mr.. Bowen that it
scarcely was becoming an American
minister to allow his predecessor to be
| traduced when the honor of the mis-
sion was involved. Meanwhile an in
fvestigation was conducted here which
satisfied the authorities Of the inno-
lcence of Mr.. Loomis. The rumor in
Caracas became more and more definite
lin form as the state department here
/
tro to secure settlement of the asphalt
case, and finally Mr.. Bowen again took
them up and repeated them to Secre-
/ tary Taft. The secretary felt that, no
matter how Mr.. Bowen regarded it, the
matter was not personal to him, and
communicated with the president on
the subject. Having thus become Off
cial however, the matter could not be
Edropped, and hence the determination
| to bring Mr.. Bowen to Washington to
explain his connection with it. 1t Is
not doubted that the president will ac-
lcept promptly Secretary Taft's sugges-
tion, and that Mr.. Bowen will take the
next mail steamer for this country. One
result of the last move in the case may
be the defeat of project which had
| been formed to exchange Mr.. Bowen to
another South American mission, which
cannot be done now unless he shows
that he was not culpable.
! 1t is quite certain that Mr.. Bowen
will not. return to Caracas as American
minister, except perhaps to present his
letters of recall, for 1t is understood
that even if his explanation Is satisfac-
tory, and he is to remain In the diplo-
matte service, his usefulness in Caracas
will have been impaired and it will be
necessary to carry out the state de-
partment's original plan, formed before
the publication of the attack on Mr..
Loomis, and transfer Mr.. Bowen to
either Colombia or Chill, or perhaps to
Brazil In the event that Ambassador
Thompson is sent to Mexico, as he de-
sires.