Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-08-11

, the Asphalt Trust upon president
Castro OF Venezuela The armed rev
dictionary forces placed in the hefd
by the Trusts money were beateh
and disappeared: but the warfare OF
/, falseh0Od and Misrepresentation goes
on unabated There are no vices, re"
crimes. and fewer international mis-
demeanors OF which h" has not been
accused. and the assumption mat ut
Is guilty upon all counts mas beeh 81
assidunusly proclaimed that 1t mas
been unthinkably accepted by por
ton of the American press. Ihe
President OF an independent and
friendly American republic has E1eh
portrayed in such repulSlve colors tha'
agents of the Trust sent broadcast q
statement that the diSnifcd chairman
OF the Senate committee on 1oreisi
relations had declared In favor OF
"spanking" him This was vigorous
" denied BY Senator Cullom. but the
lie Is still alive and on its travels.
History will record that the Presl
dent OF Venezucla-whO, by sheer
force OF character and patriotic I'M
mise rose from the humhlest begin
ninps to his present exalted station
mas been many years at the ncau Oh
the government OF his country; mas
suppressed revolutions: has stamped
out disorder; has established an Ell
lightened judiciary. anu has consis'
.entlv maintained the rights ana IN
terest of Venezuela against the world
In resisting the despoilments OF MS
people by ruthless adventures. graft
ing diplomats and greedy foreign cor
porations, Castro has acted IN the De-
lief that he owes allegiance to no
country but his own; his course. wheh
bullied by other powers. Is marvellous
Nv like that Of the Presidents OF our
own United Stataes in the days ~hen
tbis was a weak and often mallgned
nation.
Three incidents OF recent occur
renee serve to accentuate the pOllcs
~ instrumentation adopted by pro-
motors OF the Asphalt Trust: ~
The withdrawal Of the United States
minister to Venezuela: (2) the expul-
sion bv Castro OF the Dutch minister
at Caracas: and ca the publication
in a Paris newspaper OF pnrporteu
interview with the Venezuelan Pres
ident that was craftily designed 10
Mace him in n false light in the courts
OF Europe. This 'interview" has been
ofScially stamped fictitious. Analysis
of these incidents and the facts sur
rounding them rebound to the credlt
CT Castro.
Minister Russell. in his letter an
nouncing his departure from caracas
said in terms that his withdrawal had
been ordered because OF President
Cas,ro's refusal to accede to the AS
pha,t Trusts demands. voiced through
our state department. for internatloh-
al arbitration OF claims that the
Trust and its allies had solemnly CD
ligated themselves TO submit to judi
cial determination in the courts anu
by the laws OF the republic OF Eehe-
zuela Other claims" were assert
ed. but it is common knowledge that
the Asphalt Trusts interest was par
amount. That the withdrawal OF our
minister was in a large measure
blur is shown by the fact that the
minister's nephew. young man at
tachcd to the legation. was left IN
Caracas. ostcnsibiy lin charge OF me
archives of the legation" but ealiy as
the state departments correspondent
in Venezuela. This is witnessed py
his cable to Washington notifying our
OF the expulsion by Pres
ident Castro of the Dutch minister
Castro's refusal to consider Secre-
tarv Roots demand for submission 10
arbitration OF the asphalt and other
claims" cannot be attacked on any
ground that leaves to the Uniteo
States government basis Tor se"'
respect. The claimants" excepting
alone the unspeakable. Jaurett. had in
every case hound themselves in Wit
fig to abide the adjudication o. tne
Venezuelan courts upon any and all
issues arising out Of the construction
Of their contracts. The Asphalt
Trusts confessed completely in the
Matos revolution that cost Venezne'a
twelve thousand human lives ana
many millions OF treasure, would seem
10 be a SUFFICIENT bar in equity to any
demands II might set up for reIief
from the logical consequences OF liz
own acts. Many eminent jurists
share Castro's belief in this regard
though his position has repeatedly
been faIsi,ed in high oficial quarters.
IT.
Ingenious a.tempfs have been made
nv Trust agencies to befog the Issue
In the matter Of the expulsion ~ Mt.
he Reuss. tho Dutch minister. ITO"
Venezuela. with the apparent purpose
Of adding to possible international
complications and weakening Presr
dent Castro The facts concerning
the expulsion are terseiy told In the
dispatch sent by young Mr.. Brewer
minister RusseIrs nephew to the