Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-04-02
PRESIDENT. PUTS THE MATTER
UP TO SENATE IN COR
REsPONDENCE.
SECRETARY ROOTS EFFORTS TO
EFFECT SETTLEMENT
UNAVAlLING.
PROPERTY OF AMERICANS CON
risCATED AND NO REDRESS
GIVEN.

Washington, April 1.-The long eX-
Dected correspondence between Amer
lea and Venezuela, respecting the
pending American claims against the
latter country was submitted TO the
senate yesterday and is almost certain
to create a profound impression. 1t
will DO difficult to digest the vast
mass Of material which Secretary
Root has placed before congress, but
even a cursory inspection of the doc
uuenls make it evident that the nego-
ttatiOns have reached a critical phase.
The presidents realization Of that
fact is shown by his transmission OF
the matter TO the senate without com
ment regarding the correspondence
and especially Secretary Roots strong
presentation Of the American case as
sufficient to instantly enlist the atten-
ton nj congress.
All correspondence and documents
were referred to the senate commit
tee on foreign relations. Secretary
Root will appear before the commit
Zee today, ostensibIy to discuss
some of the treaties negotiated at
The Hague, but it is expected that he
will take up the Venezuelan affair and
suggest some action Those members
of the committee who have already
faniliarized themselves with the stu
alton have arranged tentatively a pro
g,raD which consists of three PROPOSE
sitiUns, as follows:
Retaliatory Program.
Place a Drohibitiye tariff on Vene-
zuelan coffee, the exports of which
constitute As per cent of the entire
Venezuelan foreign trade, and 80 per
cent Of the coffee IS taken by the
United States.
Exclude all importations Of asphalt
from Lake Bermudez, the product OF
which is taken almost entirely by the
United States.
Authorize the president to exercise
the general power vested in him to
take whatever steps he may consider
necessary to treat with Venezuela in
the future
Patience Exhausted.
The most interesting features Of the
correspondence are those in which
Senator Root figured. Various at
tempts had been made by preceding
administrations to effect settlement of
the American claims, the late Secreta-
~ Hay having gone so far as to lay
down what was regarded as almost an
uItimatum. But all these attempts
failed of success and after a lapse of
many months, Secretary Root felt
bound to again strive to reach an
agreement His efforts also have
been in vain, and having exhausted all
resources at his command to bring
Venezuela to a realization of the ne
ccssity and the justice of a proper
settlement finally felt compelled to
submit the matter to congress.
American Property Confiscated.
The action Of Venezuela through
out tie discussion OF various matters
is thus summarized in Secretary
Roots letter of general instructions
10 Minister Russell:
notwithstanding the long and I'M
broken friendship manifested by the
United States for Venezuela; notwith-
standing the repeated occasions up
on which the United States has inter-
vened as a friend in need to relTeyc
Venezuela from disagreeable and
dangerous complications with other
powers; Notwithstanding the patience
and consideration which has always
characterized the action of this gov
eminent towards Venezuela, the gov
eminent of Venezuela has within the
past few years practically ContisCated
or DESTROYED all substantial property
interests of Americans in that Coun
try. This has been done sometimes
in accordance with forms Of law and
contrary to the spirit of the law;
sometimes without even the form Of
law, ny one device or another with
he action of the government appar-
entity always hostile to the American
interests, until of the many millions
of dollars invested by American citi-
zens in that country. practically moth
ing remains"
Noted Asphalt Case.
The most noted of the many cases
IN dispute is that OF the New York
and Bermudez company, which has
not only been dispossessed of what is
regarded as the largest asphalt lake
IN the world, but has Ueen con
demned by the Venezuelan courts %
nay that government a fine of S.
100000 for melting a revolution. The
troubles OF this company seem 10
have begun from the moment HoratiO
h. E4mIton. an American. obtained
a 25-year concession to exploit the
natural resources of the state OF
Bermudez, September 10, 1888. The
first mistake seems 10 have been the
mIsplacing of a decimal point by q
surveyor. This mistake located the
asphalt lake $50 meters above the
sea. instead of $50 meters. This
-