The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-01-04
couARE DEAL WANTED.

The special commissioner of the
United States, W. I. Buchanan. is nov
at Caracas. the Venezuelan capital, for
the purpose of negotiating with the
new government for the resumption Of
diplomatic relations and looking into
The various claims of citizens and cor
porations of the United States. With
Castro barred from returning to the
country prosperous times are ahead for
Venezuela. unless. tile great powers
swoop down like a flock of vultures
upon the little republic.
Secretary Root has made strenuous
endeavors TO draw the South American
republics closer TO this country, COM
merce being of secondary Importance to
peace and good will. so there is much
ground for hope that this country, at
least, win not be a party to the robbing
of the VenezueIans for the benefit of
concessionaires whose titles would not
bear the scrutiny of a competent court.
William e Curtis. correspondent of the
Chicago Record Herald, says our gov
eminent has been guilty of gross injus-
tice in the past by insisting upon the
payment of damages. and gives utter
ance to the following regarding the
claims of the Asphalt trust, the Orinoco
corporation. George w. Criehfeid. the
19rinoco Steamship company and A. F.
.Iaurett:
With the exception of the Crichfeld
case, these are about the rottenest
claims ever brought by one government
against another, and like most of the
el1ims made against other American
republics. they are brought by adven-
tuners and spectators who went to
Venezuela. obtained concessions from
that government with enormous risks.
and made their terms accordingly.
Having lost their money. they demand
thas our government shall use its
mighty power to recover it for them"
"AIl the trouble comes from adven-
turers who obtain speculative eonces-
sions or engage in questionable pro-
ceedings. and then. when they are beat
en- at their own game, come crying to
Washington for the protection of the |
government. They present claims for
several times the amount Of damages
they have suffered. and give their at
terneys half the money our government |
can collect for them.
1.-THE most serious claim is brought /
because the Venezuelan government re-
vokei a concession given to an Amerf-
can drummer as an inducement to mar
~ and take to New York a lady who |
was giving the dictator OF Venezuela |
a great deal of trouble. That contract |
passed into the hands OF a company /
which financed a revolution. to over /
throw President Castro; when he dis
covered the fact he revoked their privi- /
leges and ordered their agents out Of
his country. which any self-respecting /
president would have done. What /
would President Roosevelt have done
under such circumstances"
Notwithstanding these facts thSre are
men in both branches of congress who
have been trying TO force the admins
trstion TO use the great navy of the
United States for the benefit of the
Asphalt trust and Adventures VIII I'M
saNory records. Our future relations
With the South American republics de-
pend in a great measure upon the action
taken by this country in Venezuela
Having been party to the conspiracy
70 wrest the istkmus of Panama from
Colombia. which can never be satisfae-
orily explained TO the South and Gen.
raj Americans. the participation of the
United States in the looting of Ven
,zuela. or even allowing it to be done
- other nations. would forever ALLEVIATE
.ur southern neighboTs.