New-York tribune., 1908-07-07
PAUL'S TONE OFFENSIVE
NOT TO BE IGNORED.
Interest IN The Tribune's Publication
of Venezuelan Correspondence.
from The Tribune Bureau


Washington, July 6.-At the State Department
and among diplomats who have not left Wash
ington for the summer great interest was man
ifested in The Tribune's publication this morn
ing. for the first time, of the full text of the
diplomatic notes exchanged between Dr. Jose
de Jesus Paul, Venezuelan Minister Of Foreign
Affairs, and Jacob Sleeper, American charge
daffaires at the time of the latter's recall and
the transfer of the American interests to Brazil.
about three weeks ago.
This interest was heightened by the fact that
officials of the government now in Washington
possessed no knowledge whatever of the notes
exchanged at Caracas, and copies of them have
not reached this capital except through the col
umns Of The Tribune. Acting Secretary of
State Robert Bacon especially interested in
the sharp retort of Castro's Prime Minister
Immediately after his arrival at the department
to-day he read both notes set forth in The
Tribune When seen later in the day he said
there was no comment he wished to make. for
the reason that he wholly without advices
from Mr.. Sleeper, beyond the several perfume
tory cable messages nearly two weeks ago
telling of the arrival of the charge with Major
Ruggles the American military attache, at
Willern stad Curacoa on their way to the United
States.
At Willemstad Mr.. Sleeper and Major Rug
giles had hoped to make transfer from the Amer
lean gunboat Marietta to a passenger steamer
bound for New York. but failing connections
they cabled for permission to have the Marietta
take them to Guantanamo. This request was
granted and they reached that port June 80.
The Marietta awaits orders at Guantanamo.
while the steamer to which Mr.. Sleeper and
Major Ruggles were transferred is expected TO
land them at New York tomorrow
Acting Secretary Bacon said positively this
afternoon that absolutely nothing had reached
the department from Mr. Sleeper since his de-
parture from Caracas except the unimportant
dispatches concerning his itinerary to the United
States Mr.. Bacon said no report had been re-
ceived about the closing of the legation or the
exchange of the notes and that he knew moth
ing more about them than what he saw in The
Tribune this morning.
1t is not known here this evening whether
Mr. Sleeper and Major Ruggles, upon their ar
rival in New York, will come direct to Wash
ington to confer with Acting Secretary Bacon,
or whether Mr. Sleeper will first report to Sec
retary Root who sent formal instructions for
the closing of the legation and the diplomatic
rupture with Castro just before he left Wash
ington with President Roosevelt on June 2o
That was the day the suspension of relations
occurred, and Second Assistant Secretary Adee,
who was then Acting Secretary of War, said
at the time that he had absolutely no knoWl-
edge of the recall of the American officials. for
the reason that he had only returned from
Europe the previous night and had not become
acquainted with what Mr.. Root had done
At that time Senior Veloz, the Venezuelan
charge here, hurried to the State Department
for information, but. in the absence of secre-
tary Root who had handled the matter him
self. the Venezuelan diplomat could officially
learn nothing than that Mr. Sleeper was.
departing on a leave of absence.
Naturally no official diplomat whose opin-
ion would be valuable will permit himself to
comment on condition grave that
ated by Dr. Paurs reply TO Mr. Sleeper's re-
quest for his passports. and the offensive tone
he adopts in endeavoring to place the United
States and President Roosevelt in equivocal
light 1t is believed, however that this COM
muncation will not be ignored after its official
receipt and that a statement setting forth all
the facts which led to the rupture will be forth
coming from the State Department within
week ten days