The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-04-01
UNCLE SAM IS
GROWING ANGRY
Venezuela Must Act at
Once.
THE SENATE TAKES A HAND
Secretary Root Turns Over Core
spondenee to Congress.
Pressdent Roosevelt VIM Probably BE
Given Authority to Take what
ever steps He Deems Advis-
able AZ Necessary.


washington, Marcn oi.--lne long
expected correspondence between
America and Venezuela, respecting
pending American claims against the
latter country, was submitted to the
Senate and Is almost certain to create
a profound impression.
1t win be difficalt to digest the vast
mass of material which Secretary Root
has placed before Congress, but even
a cursory inspection of the documents
makes IL evident the negotiations have
reached critical phase. The Presi-
dents realization of that fact Is
shown by his transmission of the mat
ter to the Senate without any COM
ment regarding the correspondence and
especially Secretary Roots strong pre-
sentation of the American case as suf-
flcient to instantly enlist the attention
of Congress
All of the correspondence and docu-
ments were referred to the Senate
COMMITTEES on Foreign Relations. Sec
rotary Root will appear before the
committee tomorrow, ostensibly to dis
cuss some of the treaties negotiated
at The Hague. but IT is expected he
will take up the Venezuelan AFFAIR
and suggest some action. Those mem
bers of the committee who have al
ready familiarized themselves with the
situation, have arranged tentatively a
program which consist of three prop
ositions as follows:
Place a prohibitive tariff on Ven
ezuelan coffee, the exports OF which
constitute 45 per cent OF the entire
Venezuelan foreign trade and 90 per
cent of the coffee is taken by the Uni
ted States.
Exclude all fmportations of asphalt
from Lake Bermudez, the product of
which has been taken almost entirely
by the United States,
Authorize the President TO exercise
the general power invested in him TO
take whatever steps he may consider
necessary to treat with Venezuela in
the future.
Demand Remedy.
In a letter to Minister Russell on
February 20, 1901. Secretary Root re-
viewed the difficulties encountered by
the various American claimants and in
structed Mr.. Russell to demand rem
edy and redress The letter concluded
with this statement:
You are instructed to bring these
several causes of complaint to the i'm
mediate and serious attention of the
Venezuelan government and to insist
that the government to which you are
accredited shall give to each and every
demand herein set forth. immediate
consideration"
In issuing general instructions to the
American Minister. Secretary Root SAID
"You will call the attention or the
government of Venezuela to the fact
that Notwithstanding the long and un-
broken friendship manifested by the
United States for Venezuela; notwith-
standing the repeated occasion upon
which the United States has interviewed
as a friend in need to relieve Venezuela
from disagreeable and dangerous COM
plications with other powers; notwith-
standing The patience and consioera :
ton which has always characterizeo
the action of this government TOWARDS
Venezuela. the government of Venezue-
=. h,s within the past few years. prac-
ticailv confiscated or destroyed all the
substantial property interests OF Amer
teams in that country. This has peen
done sometimes in accordance with tns
forms of law and contrary 10 tne
shirt of the law; sometimes witnou'
even form of law, by one device OF an
other, with the action OF the sovern
ment apparently always hos.Ie ~
An,erican interests. until OF the many
1,.iiIians of dollars invested by Ameri
can citizens in that country Pfa9
tically nothing remains.
A memorandum compiled by Solicitor
scoft ~ the state department gives
exhaustiyely the facts and law In each
of the subjects of dispute between the
American and Venezuelan governments.
This memoranda. which occupies nearly
two hundred printed pages. 1orms
part of the voluminous record OF tne
cases which Secretary Root transmit
ted to the senate in response 10 res
olution of Senator LodgA
Tha pouddle of concession on con-
cession. revocation of mining titles.
wild cat land titles. and titles under
changing constitutions and varying
Iaws intrigue, revolution, imprisonment
ara death woven and interviewer In
the case of the claim against Venezu-
ole ~ the New York and Bermuda
company. forms the most interesting
chapter of the long story. Inc COM
many is now completely dispossessed
of what is regarded as the largest as
phalt lake in the world ana mas neen
condemned by Venezuelan courts TO
na,, that government a fine of $1,000
400 for melting revolution. Though re-
naatedly requested. Venezuela has re-
fused TO arbitrate this case and II is
the opinion of the solicitor that 1t is
iradvisable to resubmit the claim
through the ordinary channels. AN
Imnasse has been reached in this case"
he saws. (which cannot be resolved by
ordinary peaceful metnous.
The First Mistake.
The troubles OF the company seem
70 have begun from the moment Horatio
r Hamilton. an American. obtained a
TWENTY-FIVE years concession to ex-
nioit the natural resources of the State
Of Bermudez September Is. 1888 The
first mistake seems to have been the
misplacing of decimal point by a
surveyor. This mistake located the
asphalt lake $50 metres above the sea,
instead of $50 metres.
This mistake resulted in the. conces-
SION and subsequent titles being sue
cessfuly disputed In the Venezuelan
courts: other claims were established
and then revoked The Venezuelan
Government next forcibly seized the
property and placed IT In the hands of
a receiver who had formerly man
aged the company's interests and later
became its enemy. The most recent
action of that Government was to de-
clare the receivership ended, the prop
I'D hA