Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-04-04
Entered at the Newport Nows. Va.
postonlce ns second-class matter
SATURDAY. APRIL, 4, 1908.
CASTRO rs a DIFFICULT PRoa-
LEM TO SOLVE.

a-EN ' " WI
If the contumacious and insolcnt Cas-
tro Is In close touch with the United
states these days. he Is doubtless \
very happy individual as he Is of the
sort that finds delight in The fact that
he Is n source Of Worry and trouble
to others. but II no continues his ut.
ter defiance. perhaps It will. not bc
such n long time before his happiness
IN changed 10 something else. Since
tho papers bearing OH the Venezuelan
question Wore given TO the public the
belief has been growing that SOME
thing must be done TO the head OF
that country. but just what mcasures
Hhould be taken TO compel him to be
lesH inaolent to the United States Is
no easy problem to solve. There seem
TO be only two ways In which no can
10 brought To tcrms--to menace him
with force of arms or threaten him
with trade reprlsals. The country
Will naturally hesitate n long time be-
fore sending to Venezuela u punitive
expedition. 1t has In the past shown
In no uncertain way that II dcprcct-
ateB such course, aud II perhaps
would be considered inconsistent II It
did what ii told other natlond they
must net do.
~ trade war with Venezuela would
seriously iujure the interests of that
country. A popular proposition Is
that the United statcs place n prohb-
tive tariff on Venezuela coffee the OK.
port of which constitutes about one.
half OF the foreign trade of Venezuela
OF the eiracy of this device 10 inlic,
punishment there Is little doubt. YET
It may be that Castro. willy and re-
sourceful as he is. would find way to
Gcircumycnt this move
The question has been asked whcth
] er II would be dignifled for The United
States TO adopt suhtorfuge. or indirect
means, OF enforcing what are univcr.
sally regarded as legitimate demands
II the qucstion of difference with
Nonezuela was one OF tariff 4 punitive
duty on coffee from that country
would be a stroke in kind. But the
Issues spring from the refusal of the
government at Caracas to salisry
claims of American citizens. the JUS
tlce (which this country IS convinced
or to acccde to their reference to Tho
Hague court of arbitration. In the
last analysis of the case Ncneauela
has adopted a position of utter ana
contcmptous defiance of the United
States, involving denial of It's con-
tentions on a variety OF subjects and
= refusal to admit It's rights to press
for settlement any OF The questions
at issue.
To withdraw The United States
minister from Caracas would merely
sover relations and lcnve Castro hap
ply in his immunity from further mo-
iestationE. Tho case involves so
many ramifyinE considerations that 4,
was too much even for President
Roosevelt to solve, so he sent It on 10
the Senate. Whatever Is undertaken
should be carried out to the finish. II
lit Is deemed best to send fleet to
srenezucla to bring that oD.tinate. nm
grateful country TO terms, it should
do its work SO we'll that a second les
con would never be necessary. It
would perhaps seem the part of bull
~ to have war with Venezuela. be,
staere are lqts of things great ma
tlen has to perform which Il does not
want TO do.
Inc committed on fereisn relations