The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-06-26

WITHDRAWS
PRACTICAL CESSATION 81 plPLo-5
MATic RELATIONS WITH VEN.
EzuELA u ADMITTED.
IS SILENT Len

Charge d'Affaires # Washington
May Demand His Passports u H.
suit Of Complications Growing Out
OF Root and Bacon Investigation.
Washington, June 24.-senor Velex-
Goiticoak, the Venezuelan charge
d'afaires in Washington was a caller
at the state department today. He
talked with Acting Secretary Adee
but the latter declined to indicate
the nature of the conference.
Mr.. Veloz mas not the remotest
idea Of demanding mis- passports 40
the outcome Of the withdrawal Of ia
cob Sleeper, the American secretary
IN charge at Caracas. MI. Sleeper is
coming home by direction Of the state
department and it is admitted In ON
cial circles that the fact means q
practical cessation Of diplomatic rela-
lions with Venezuela. MI. Veloz has
been in New York for several days
and only returned to Washington at
10 o'clock this morning and knew
nothing Of what had occurred III Ven
ezuela In connection with closing OF
the American legation there until he
read the morning papers. Nothing
had been prepared for this action on
the part Of the state department, and
the latest mail from his own country,
dated the 18th instant, repored that
everything was quiet and there was
not even any mention OF the bubonic
plague which Is said to be prevalent IN
some OF the ports and even in the
capital at Caracas. Senior Veloz was
somewhat taken aback at this last
news, but after all he was not much
disconnected, for Venezuela has had
many similar ruptures in the past and
Is even now not or speaking terms
with France. Certainly in the abb
sence Of any direct instructions from
this government, the charge will
make no demand for passports and 1t
is quite evident that he scarcely ex-
poets such instructions. He will prob
ably ii an unofacial way take steps
to learn the disposition Of the state
department toward himself and 1t may
be stated that personally Senior veloz
10 highly esteemed In ofncial Wash
Iington.
Il develops that the program adopt
ed by the state department is after
all not one Of the moment, but Is the
result Of the careful deliberations on
the part Of Secretary Root and As
sistant Secretary Bacon. dating back
to last winter when. at the request Of
Senator Lodge, the state department
submitted to the senate all Of the
great mass Of correspondence that
has been exchanged between Wash
ington and Caracas within the last
few years in regard toSS American
claims. The withdrawal Of the Amer
lean legation from Venezuela was q
complete surprise to President Cas-
tro. and that he was somewhat
startled by the drastic actionof the
American government there Is no
doubt.
What the next step in this interna-
tional complication will be Is q prob
lem that no one connected with the
administration appears able to an
swer. and It IL saidethat the present
10 : time 20 swat developments.
pecially to see whether President
Castro, always resourceful. Is willing
to permit the United States to take
the next step without any intervening
move on his part.
Castro alone is the dominant figure
In Venezuelan affairs and It 10 be-
lieyed here that he will continue to
play that role az he has done Tor nine
years unless conditions should he de-
veloped to break his n man power.
The publication in the Constitutional.
Castro's personal organ, suggesting
that IN spite Of the action Of the
American government IN withdrawing
its legation, 'the brotherhood Of high
consideration OF the Venezuelan peo-
pie toward the United Slater would
not be- weakened, Is regarded with
considerable interest here because Of
the columns OF that paper have been
nlled with foundations Of the Unit
ed States.
The Constitutional TO such q o.
tent Il regarded % the personal organ
|of Castro that there 10 little doubt
that he personally dictated the tons
of the editorials II not IT. exact Ian
suags.