The Washington herald., 1908-08-19
THE CASE OF VENEZUELA.
|. Castro and His QuarrelS.
By FREDERIC ]. HASKIN
By FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

arbitration commissions ass5-@Aled in
Caracas, not 20 mention another set of
French commissioners. Arbitration was
the order Of the day. Among other
claims submitted was that Of the OrinOco
Steamship Company. II asked for a judg-
ment for H.4u. .599.03 The question final
ly got up 10 Harry Barge. the Dutch
umpire selected by the Queen Of Hol-
land He granted the company . per cent
Of its claim, or S2S.2A93 The company
was not satisfied. and neither was the
American government. Therefore, the
Washington authorities Immediately asked
for q revision OF the case alleging that
certain grave and gross errors were com
mitted in the original trial The Ameri-
can government has ever since insisted
upon the reopening OF this case, and Cas-
tTo has declined.
When the American Minister. ". ".
Russell. gave a receipt for money paid
over TO the United States to satisfy Amer
lean claims, he expressly declared that
no money received would be applied 10
the payment Of the Orinoco Steamship
Company award The Castro govern
ment replied that IT, didn't care what the
American government did with the money,
that Venezuela would pay tbs total
e----N'--A tATNA Al4r 4lA-AEA- NHlAl-
missions. and that its anxiety about the
matter would cease with that payment.
The American minister was reminded IN
that correspondents Of how John Hay
had refused point blank 20 reopen. at the
request OF Salvador. a case which had
been arbitrated with that country.
Mr- Root, in pressing his claims. had
already gently called attention TO the
fact that the United States once CON
seuted 10 reopening Of an arbitrated
case az the request Of Venezuela itself.
setting aside the arbitral award Of the
commission Of Iss6. consenting 10 a
fresh arbitration. and abiding by its
decision. which saved the government of
Venezuela over a million dollars But
Castro still says that this OrinOco steam
ship case IS settled. that the United
States and Venezuela agreed 20 abide
by the decision Of the tribunal, and that
Venezuela is abiding by IL
The claim Of the Orinoco Steamship
I Company. which the Dutch umpire cut
| 10 ? per cent IS one OF the best sup
ported OF the American claims. The
{ company was organized in New Jersey
I in 1872 and succeeded 20 the rights Of an
4 English company. which was four years
older. This company has the right OF
exclusive navigation Of certain navigable
[ courses Of the OrinOco River. This right
/ was terminated by an executive decree
I Of Venezuela in 1900. The chief claim for
4 damages Is based on the injury caused
{ by the breaking OF the contract by the
2 decree Of October ;. 1900 which was pro
mulgsted nearly two years before the
American company was in existence But
I as the English company transferred its
Z claims against Venezuela among its
! other assets. and as the protocol Of arbi-
I tTatiOn expressly included the consider
I alton or all claims possessed" by citi-
Z zens OF the United States. the American
} government took up The case al once
/ The contention Of the American gov
! eminent for a revision OF the arbiJrel
I award IN this case is the CHEZ argument
/ used by Castro IN opposition TO arbitra-
! ton So far as he is concerned arbi-ra-
{ ton hasn't kept him out OF trouble IN
I 1872. his ports were blcckaded by three
1 OF the great powers 4 year later ne
I arbitratsd his disputes with all nations
l and was az peace. Within two years. by
Z whose fault let the records tell. Castro
: was again in a quarrel with almost
every nation on earth And now he IS
| Threatened with actual war by Holland.
I by that peaceful little nation whose cap
ital at The Hague has been agreed upon
by all the powers and Andrew Carnegie
( as the most appropriate roost for the
( dove Of peace Indeed. IL seems that
I Castro would exasperate even a dove 20
the point OF ruf7ing its feathers in anger.
lCopg1eht. Iss. By Fredsnc 7 HaskinJ