The Cairo bulletin., 1908-07-10
RELATIONS At
LAST SEVERED
BETWEEN UNITED STATES AND
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. COLT
ICOA rs RECALLED.
NO IMMEDIATE DANGER
OF War Between the Two Countrie
Castro's Government Has Re
fused to Arbltrate Our
Claims For Years.

! Washington, July 9-The diplomat
ie relations between the United
States AMI Venezuela that have exist
Cd uninterruptedlY for more than halt
/ a century though IN recent years
severely strained were today com,
pletely severed. This afternoon
Senior Veo2-Goiticoa, Venezue an
charge d'afaires. called at the state
department by appointment to present
to Acting Secretary Bacon notice
from his government: that he was TO
quit his post here closing up the
Venezuelan legation in Washington,
and repair forthwith to Venezuela.
Goiticoa executed his commission
punetiously In a few minutes talk
he explained that the action of the
state department in withdrawing JOS
eph Sleeper, the American charge
from Caracas, and closing up its lega-
ton there. made it necessary for his
government TO tabc similar action In
the case OF its own legation There
fore he was leaving the capital at the
earliest moment tna' he could ar.
range his domestic affairs TO 10 so.
which will be tomorrow. and will pro
coed directly to New York. there TO
take passage for Venezuela on Satur.
day.
Just what took place between Ba.
con and the charge cannot be learned
beyond the fact that the latter pre-
sented his letters Of recall No ar
rangement had beea made for the
transaction of any diplomatic bust
ness which Venezuela might find il
Absolutely necessary 10 transact.
through some unforeseen contingency.
As to the future, it is pointed out
by officials who have followed closely
the Developments In the Venezuelan
situation that there is not the slight.
est danger of war in the immediate
future. If indeed at all
Goiticoa's withdrawal follows that
of Minister Russell, as diplomatic rep
resentative OF the United States 10
Venezuela two months ago. and that
| of Sleeper. secretary of the legation
and Lieutenant Ruggles, military at.
ltache two weeks since. The reason
for the withdrawal OF the American
legation from Caracas arose from the
persistent refusal of Venezuela to give
redress for governmental action by
which all American interests In
Venezuela were either destroyed or
confiscated, or to submit the claims
ton
There were five OF these claims
those OF F. Jaurett. an Orinoco cor
poration the Orinoco Steamship CON
pany. the New York aud Bermuda
Asphalt company the Criticized Con.
eession. For a long time past the
American government has been max
ing efforts to secure a settlement Of
these claims, various atatsmp's hay
ing been made by preceding admins
trations Secretary Hay having gone
so far at one time as to lay down
what was regarded Utmost as an ulti
matum. Secretary Root took up the
matter In February 1907. in letter 10
Minister Russell and instructed him
to demand reamedy and redress
Russell, however. was unable to Oh
tain any satisfaction from Castros
government, which adhered 10 its
position that there was no reason why
Venezuela should srbitrate
President Roosevelt determined 80
send the whole correspondence bear.
ing up the claims and showing the
efforts made by the United states to
have them arbtrated 20 congress. the
president and Secretary Root deem
ing it best to leave to that body the
determination of tie question OF what
if anything, should be- done by this
government OF bring Castro TO terms.
Long before the recent session
closed, however. ii was evident that
the senate would not Initiate any &C
ton although Root appeared before
the committee on foreign relations re-
peatsdly to discuss the situation.
Public opinion it was declared. had
not crvstallized Sufficiently to war
rant the senate in taking action while
the persons AMI firms having com
mercial interests in Venezuela might
be affected by punitive measures :
were urging that action be DELAYED.
Practically the next step was the
departure late in April of Minister