New-York tribune., 1910-06-20
SHARP REbUKE TO MADR|Z
The State Departments Reply to
NiCaraguan Protest.
U. S. POLICY UNCHANGED
The Venus Expedition the Only
Possible Violation of Neu.
trality-Diaz Advised.

| washington. June 19.-Madriz has drawr
from this government a sharp reply to the
! protest which he made 10 President Taft
saying that the United States had uro.
Ionged the war in Nicaragua because it re-
FUSED 10 allow the bombardment Of BIue-
nelds or to permit the Venus TO maintain g
blockade there
Consul Olivares. at Managua. has re.
celved a statement. which the consul has
oeen directed TO hand to Madriz. It tersely
observes that If any violation Of neutrality
mas occurred it was when the Venus sailed
| from New Orleans as an expedition of the
Madriz faction.
Maor1z protested not to the United States
| alone but TO all the South American and
central American republics The state
rnents which he made in his teIegrams are
construed by the State Department as
nothing less than an effort to place in a
false light the policy which the United
states has adopted in dealing with the
Nicaraguan affair.
some OF the governments which received
MS protest have asked for information from
washington. on which to base their replies.
and there has been an exchange of tele-
grams between President Diaz of Mexico
and President Taft
President Diaz, it is explained. merely
asked for information, and President Taft.
replying in a cordial manner, sent to the
government at Mexico City the same state
ment which Consul Olivares has been di-
rected TO hand to Madriz
Secretary Knox Immediately decided that
the Madrtz protest required the special
notice of this government because the allie
cations made evidently were founded on
error as to the actual facts and the ap-
plioehIe principles of International law.
"A reply was demanded an official
statement issued to-day says, because the
United States would hesitate to allow to
pass unchallenged a statement from anv
source which might tend, in however slight
g degree, to place its policy in a false
light
The statement which Consul Olivares has
been instructed to hand to Madriz. and, in
accordance with Secretary Knox's policy
Of keeping both factions informed Of this
governments attitude, which has also been
sent to the Estrada faction. is as follows:
The policy of the United States remains
letter Of December I. 1909, to Mr.. Rodri-
gueZ, then charge d'aTaires, whereby re-
latlons with the Zelaya government were
broken off That letter and statements of
policy to conditions as they arose were
duly published.
AS TO the statements made in the tele-
gram of Doctor Madriz to the President.
the government Of the United States took
only. the customary step Of prohibiting
bonbardnlent or fighting by either faction
within the unfortifed and ungarrisoned
commercial city Of BIuefelds thus pro-
tecting the preponderating American and
ctber foreign interests, just as the British
commander had done at Greytown. where
there are large British interests.
The government OF the United States has
acknowledged the right of each faction TO
maintain blockade, but has refused to per
nit vessels Illegally and clandestinely ft-
ted out in American waters to interfere
with American commerce.
The government Of the United States
simply insists that each faction shall col
lect duties only for territory under its de
facto control and refuses to permit the
collection of double duties.
The last paragraph OF the statement
says:
IF any violation Of neutrality has oc-
Cured II was in connection with the sail
ing Of the Venus from New Orleans as an
expedition Of the Madriz faction"