The morning journal-courier., 1908-07-10
RELATIONS WITH
 VENEZUELA SNAP After Half Century Diplomatic Connections, Strained in Re- cent Years, Are Con-
 pletely Severed.
CASTR0'S LEGATION CLOSED
Trade Will Not Be Interrupted and War Is Not Thought of--Castro Believed to Lack Real
 Facts in Case.

relations between America and Venez- uela that have existed uninterruptedly for more than half a century though In recent years have been strained were completely severed At half-past three o'clock thls afternoon. Senor Neloz Gotlcoa. the Venezuelan charge d'affaires, called at the state depart ment to present to Acting Secretary Bacon notice from his government that he was to quit hls post here, close up the Venezuelan legation in Wash ington and repair forthwith to Ven ezuela.
 The charge executed his commission punctlliously. In, five minutes talk he explained to the acting secretary that the action of the state department in withdrawing Jacob Sleeper the Amer lean charge, from Caracas, and In closing up It's legation there, made 1t necessary for his government to take similar action in the, case of It's own legation In Washington. Therefore he N'o iNdNiilk iIt NdIlAOl lA tllt possible moment. He will arrange his domestic affairs tomorrow and will proceed directly there to take passage for Venezuela on Saturday. The min ister leaves behind him in Washington his family and household effects but they will probably follow him to Ven- ezuela in the near future.
 Just what took place between Acting Secretary Bacon and the charge can not be known beyond the fact that the latter presented his letters of recall He made no demand for his passports nor could he do so consistently In view of the fact that Foreign Minister Paul had declined to Issue such passports to the American charge when he with drew from Caracas on the ground that there was no necessity for passports, the country being in profound peace and his person not being threatened in any way. Senor Veloz did commun- icate with Mir Bacon the fact that the files and papers of the Venezuelan lo- cation would be placed in the custody of Senor Jacobo Pimental, the Ven ezuelan consul general In New York. l This statement is regarded as an in- dication that the Venezuelan govern | will follow the precedent established by l the United States in reiraining from I interfering with trade by closing the consulates notwithstanding the breach l in diplomatic relations No arrange ment has been made for the transac-
 tlon of any diplomatic business which
 Venezuela might find it absolutely
 necessary 10 transact, through some
 unforeseen contingency.
 As to the future 1t Is pointed out
 by officials who have followed closely
 tho developments in the Venezuelan 1 situation that there is not the slight
 est danger of war in the immediate
 future or indeed at all. Rather will
 the situation resemble that following
 the rupture of diplomatic relations between France and Venezuela for in-
 stance, Legations were closed on both
 sides and all official relations were terminated while trade between the
 two countries continued and French
 men came to Venezuela and rich Ven
 ezuelans made their annual trips tc
 Paris as If nothing had occurred
 The history of these episodes in the
 case of Venezuela is very much one ol
 resentment bred by the rupture grad
 ually becoming less acute and at the
 proper moment a friendly third party
 steps in and brings about restoration
 of amicable relations It is even pos
 'sibe in our own case that the pro ! cess may be more rapid than usua
 for two reasons In the first place
 there must be some limit to the mum
 Der of powers from which Venezuela can safely separate herself and witt
 the termination of her relations witt America to-day she has added a yer. potent force to the opposition.
 In the second place theae is som, ground for the belief that Presiden Castro has been acting in a half light that for some reason he has not beel in possession of all of the facts in th
 case of the controversy with tn
 United States or if he has, then h. has been completely mislad as to th motives which have impelled Secre tary Root to request the Venezuelan government to join America in havini Il recourse to arbitration.
 Mir Velose Goiticoa's withdrawa follows that of Minister Russell a diplomatic representative of the Unit ed States to Venezuela about tW months ago and that of Mr Sleeper the secretary of legation and Lieuten ant Ruggles, the military attache about two weeks since, ,tha reasol for the withdrawal of the AmerlcaI legation at Caracas arose from tn persistent refusal of Venezuela for tn government action which all America interests in Venezuela were either des
 troyed or conhscated or to submi the claims of American citizens L arbitration. There were 1ve of thes { claims in all. Those of A. r. Jaurett the Orinoco corporation, the Orinoc | Steamship company, the New Tor