New-York tribune., 1908-03-04
CASTRO 0BDURATE.
NEW REBUFF TO AMERICA
An0ther Refusal to 4rbitrate Claims
Diplomacy Fails.

Washington March 3-Venezuela has again
declined to arbitrate the questions of controversy
which have been pending for some time between
the Castro administration and the American
government. This time the refusal is made
specific regarding the questions considered sep
arately. and differs from the last refusal to
hitrate, in that the refusal then comprised all
the questions regarded
1t was explained at the State Department to-
day that the presentation by Minister Russell
of each of the five points in dispute, with a
quest for arbitration. leaves foundation for
a future representation by Venezuela to the
effect that she not asked to arbitrate any
of the questions separately. This would seem
to clear the situation by making it plain that
diplomacy can accomplish nothing further
toward settling these controversies.
There is no doubt that this deadlock will be
made clear to the United States Senate when
it receives from the State Department the in
formation for which it asked last week
In asking arbitration the American govern
ment has left open the question of the ma
chinery of arbitration to be employed. This
government would have been glad to have had
the controversies go TO The Hague Failing in
this il is believed any other duly appointed
tribunal would have been acceptable.
Caracas. March .. via Willemstad. March 8
After an interval of seven months. ". w. Rus
sell, the American Minister to Venezuela. has
presented to the government of President Castro
another note from the Washington government
insisting on arbitration of the claims Of those
American citizens who believe they have suf-
fered Injustice at the hands of Venezuela. This
action was taken by Mr.. Russell on February
~ In the recent note Washington reiterates
the previous demands
Judgment is expected soon in the suit brought
by the government for the annulment Of the
Fitzgerald concession. now the property Of the
Orinoco Corporation.
President Castro has thrice refused submit to
arbitration the American claims mentioned in the
foregoing dispatch. The second refusal was handed
down in July 1867. The five claims which form the
basis Of the present negotiations are those Of A.
r Jaurett. the Orinoco Corporation the Orinoco
Steamship Company. the New York and Bermudez
Asphalt Company and the United States and Nene-
zuelan Company. otherwise known as the trtch-
field concession 1t is not possible accurately 10
estimate the amounts involved in these claims but
they run nomnauy into millions of dollars. Jau-
rert was exnelled from the country. The OrinOco
Corporation claims large concessions covering lron
mines, asphalt privileges and hardwood conces-
sions: the Orinoco Steamship Company claims eA-
elusive rights of navigation branches of the
Orinoco River the New York and Bermudez As
phalt concession was based on the right of the
company to take asphalt from La Feltcidad Lake,
and the United States and Venezuelan Company
says that has deprived Of the right to mine
asphalt build railroad
These claims came UP in the Senate on February
2s when a Joint resolution was introduced by sena-
Tor Lodge. calling the State Department for the
papers in these cases and adopted There is rea-
son believe that the American government in
tends TO act with energy. When the second Areri-
can proposal TO arbitrate rejected by Nene-
zuela it was thought that this action by President
Castro might lead the severance Of diplomatic
relations between the two countries.
In the last few months President Castro has an
nulIed various contracts made by his government
with foreigners including two English companies
and one French COMPANY