The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-03-04
HAS CONVEYED TO THE STATE
DEPARTMENT THAT HE WILL
NOT DEAL PLOMATiCALLY
WITH YANKEE PIGS"
DANGEROUS POSSIBILITIES,
Senator Lodge Is at the Helm in the
Attempt to Bring About an Ami
cable Adjustment-History of the
Case.

Washington, March 4.-The state de-
partment has sent President Castro, of
Venezuela, an unqualified demand
that he submit all matters in dispute
between this country and Venezuela to
arbitration.
President Castro has refused uncon-
ditiOnally to accept the demand. The
administration is now in a position
where it must make d display of force
or recede from its attitude and resub-
nit the causes Of the quarrel back TO
the state department. The admins
tration has taken practically the stand
that the asphalt rus is in the right in
its controversy with Castro and has
substantially made its case the govern
ments.
1t was learned last night that the
president is preparing for a display of
force Events in connection with this
disagreement are moving with great
rapdity and developments of interest
are looked for any day.
Army and navy officers expect any
day now to get orders for movement
against the miniature South American
republic There are six prominent
cases at issue, and the most important
Of these is the fine of SS,OO0,O0O i'm
posed upon the Asphalt trust by Presi-
dent Castro.
The first decisive step was taken last
week, when Secretary Of State Root in
structed United States Minister Rus
sell in Caracas to make a demand upon
Castro en- bloc for the arbitration of all
questions in dispute. In case Castro
had answered that the proceedings
were irregular Russell was to make a
definite stand upon each individual
case. This was done and Castro re-
fused point blank both the enbloc and
the individual offers.
Congress Expected to Act.
The state department has gone as
far as it can while congress is in ses-
sion. 1t would be useless to expect
the president to take any step Of war
or any act similar to war while con-
gress is in session, that body having
the right to declare war. 1t is fast
crystalizing opinion, however. that if
Castro and the United States are not
bluffing, serious trouble is bound to
develop. The honor of each nation is
involved.
The fact that the United States gov
ernment has. demanded arbitration,
SHOWS that it believes that there is
merit in the Asphalt trust case, the
n,.ip
case and the others which have from
time TO time been published
The senate has asked for the CORE
spondence in all of these cases, and
this request was made, it is understood,
at the request of the president him
self. He puts where it belongs. the
responsibility for any physical action
against the republic of Venezuela.
Four years ago Castro assumed the
same attitude he maintains now. At
that time it was no secret that the
United States had sent army officers TO
Colombia and Venezuela 10 make rec
onnoissances with reference to a pos
sible conflict with the recalcitrant re-
public. Castro has been very impu-
state department is said 10 have con-
veyed the statement that he would not
deal diplomalicaIIy with Yankee
PIGS.
The real question now is wheChc.
congress will take the Castro business
Z in It's own hands aud suggest that an
/ uItimatum be sent TO Venezuela. If
that be done it will pTecipitate a cri-
sis
The situation at the present moment
is one full of dangerous possibilities.
1t is being handled in the senate by
Senator Lodge. He has not Yet
brought before the senate all the cor
respondence in the various cases. but
he was informed that Castro had fiatly
refused yesterday TO submit any of the
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