The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-07-23
ARBITRATION FAILED.

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1t looks squally down in South Amer
lea just at present. The Argentine re-
public has withdrawn her minister from
Bolivia and sent the Bolivian repre-
sentative home. The cause of the diff
Guilty is the refusal of Bolivia to accept
the decision of the president of Argen-
tina in the matter of a dispute With
Peru over boundary lines. Bolivia had
sold certain territory 10 Brazil and Peru
disputed the validity of the transaction.
The dispute was referred to the eXecu-
tive of Argentina as arbitrator and
Peru was favored in the decision. Riots
Immediately broke out at La Paz, the
capital Of Bolivia. and the situation at
once became tense. Bolivia, having sub
mitted the question to arbitration,
should abide by the result. The New
York Sun summarizes the situation as
follows:
The immediate issue is clear enough In
conformity with the agreement OF Jan.
q 1892 Peru and Bolivia concluded "a
treaty on Dec 80, 1902, providing for the
submission Of their boundary dispute %
the president Of Argentina as arbitrator.
The BOlivians have believed that the YER
dict would be entirely in their favor and
are disappointed and angry to find it less
favorable than their expectations. They
show their anger BY proceedings which
unless promptly suppressed may lead TO
measureess disaster They insult Peru
and Argentina, powerful neighbors TO
right and left SlOuld both OF either es-
say punishment by force Of arms the en-
tire continent might easily be plunged
into war; Chile and Brazil would hardly
sit quietly bV and see Bolivia absorbed by
either or divided between Peru and = fgen-
tina. Present relations between Brazil
and Argentina are none too cordial, and
Peru and Chile are mt ch OF the time little
short OF open hOstilities. The imm adiate
situation AT least carries the possibility Of
q horrible experience.
The BOlivians are wrong, absolutely
wrong They have agreed to arbitrate
dispute. have chosen an arbitrator, and
have bound themselves to abide by his
decision. They may ba bitterly disaD-
pointed, but national wisdom as well as
national honor demands that they take
their medicine, even though it is bitter,
and take il gracefully.
Agreeing with the sun that the Bo-
livians are absolutely wrong and should
take their medicine, it is called to mind
that the decisions of high courts of ar
bitration are not always respected or
adopted by the parties in interest. On
Feb. u, 1908, there was signed at Wash
ington a protocol of an agreement for
the arbitration of all unsettled claims
Of citizens of the United States against
the republic of Venezuela. This proto-
col provided that the claims should be
examined and decided by a mixed COM
mission consisting Of two members, one
to be appointed by the president of the
United States and the ether by the pres
ident oe Venezuela, and an umpire to
be named by the queen OF The Neither
lands The protocol also contained this
clause THE decisions Of the commits
sion, and in the event Of their disagree
meDt. those of the umpire. shall be final
and conclusive" The protocol was
signed by John Hay on behalf of the
United States and by Herbert ". Bow
CT Oh behalf of Venezuela. Mr.. Bowen
had temporarily retired as our minister
10 Venezuela in order that he might act
as the plenipotantiary Of Venezuela in
arranging her difficulties then pending
with other nations.
Among the claims submitted was that
Of the Orinoco Steamship company, con-
trolled aud owned by American citizens,
for Sl,401,55S.03 The commissioners
awarded the company S2S.22493. Taking
advantage Of the propaganda being
vvaged. against President Castro of
Venezuela. the United States promptly
repud;ated the award and demanded
that Venezuela resub-nit the steamship
company's claims. Since Castro has
Been driven into exile, the United States
being directly concerned ia preventing
his return, a protocol has been arranged
with the Gomez government and the
Orlnoco Steamship compauy's case is to
be reviewed ut The Hague
1t is merely a question Of might maxi
ing right in the case of the United
States, and under the circumstances the
state department at Washington is es-
topped from preaching TO the Bolivian
government as to it's duty to submit
gracefully TO the award of the arbitra-
tor. Arbitration is like prohibition in
some respects.