The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, December 18, 1902, Page 1

VOLUME XCIII-NO. 18, SAN FRANCISCO, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1902. PRICE FIVE CENTS. VENEZUELA DECIDES TO EMPOWER AMERICAN MINISTER BOWEN [ — settlement of the controversy with the powers. The terms of settlement that TO MAKE PEACE OVE_R.#TURES TO THE TRIPARTITE ALLIANCE 'ARACAS, Dec. 17.-=-It has been decided to empower United States Minister Bowen to act for Venezuela in an endeavor to bring about a will be proposed are now being discussed. The Government fears that unless peace be effected at once coercive measures will follow the establishment of the blockade. The La Guaira blockade, affecting 1 Venezuelan shlppmg only, went into force to-day - — Washmgton Govemment Has Understandmg With Great Brztam and Germany Concernmg Their Coerc:ve Measures and the Monroe Doctrine is in No Danger of Infringement. | - szens of Caracas Recommend That Mm:ster Bowsn Be Em-!| powered to Treat for Peace on Behalf of the Republic. ! FORMIDABLE FLEET OF AMERICAN WARSHIPS NOW IN CARIBBEAN SEA. ARACAS, Dec. 17.—The leading citizens of Caracas have addressed a joint note to President Castro, asking him to give full powers to United States Minister Bowen to effect a termination of the present difficulty. This note was transmitted to President Castro at 1 o'clock this after- It is signed by all of the leading merchants, bankers and agricul- 'i | o | 1 I * Fate of Venezuela nocon. turists of Caracas. It reflects truly the consensus of current opinion among the business| Rests in Hands of element of this city. The men who signed the note will meet again to discuss ways Bowen. and means of obtaining money with which Venezuela can meet her obligations, as well as the guarantees which it wiil be possible to offer to her creditors. The note is as follows: T oo vine G CARACAS, Dec. 17, 1902.—To the President of the United States of Vene- il zuela—Sir: The undersigned having met with the purpose of offering their aid CJ\R‘\C“\S- Dec. 17— to the Government in the present conflicting situation which has been created Assistant Secretary = of by the agsressive attitude of Germany and Great Britain, and, upon your re- the Interior Ponte of quest to give our opinions in writing, we address you in the following terms: Venezucla to-night an- | In view of the acts of violence already committed and of the absolute im- |, unced that President: Castro| potence of Venezuela to meet force with force in response to the allied action of | .4 jecided to accept the ultima- Germany and Great Britain; in view of the fact that Venezucla has exhausted | & the ssawers: and. hadi all the means required by civilization and diplomacy to put an end to the s B present situation, and the Government and the people of Venezuela having com= chosen L"'Eul Smfs M,""sm plied honorably and worthily with the demands of national honor, we conelder, Bowen as Venezuela's arbitrator. with all due respect, that the moment to yield to force has arrived. Venezueta will rely upon Bowen We, therefore, respectiully recommend that full powers be given to the|to obtain the best possible terms Minister of the United States of North America, authorizing him to carry out|for the republic. proper measures to terminate the present conflict in the manner least prejudicial| The awakening of the Venezu- to the interests of Venezuela. ( elan people to the present situa- We subscribe ourselves your obedient servants. " & HelE: cauntry it s Signed by JELINAREZ, H. L. BOULTON, CARLOS SANTANA, NICOMEDES | " °© P B BHEET ZULOAGA, CARLOS ZULOAGA, F. D, SALES, M. CHAPPELLIN, JUAN HERRERA, | P21ied by a fecling of bitterness JUAN A, A. TRAVLESO, Y. l)E J. PAUL. and sorrow. Their flect has been In addition to the names given, the note is s.gned by zbout three hundred other |destroyed and their pride has prominent citizens of Caracas. been djeeply wounded, -but they WASHINGTON, Dec. 17.—Officials here are not surprised at the feeling which | "¢ esigned to accept the affront has manifested itself in Caracas of a desire to seek a termination of the unfortunate whish e delyider h?s ki s situat on that now confronts Venezuela. Our Government is anxious that some settle- o l.hem s eyallinn ! ment be found very soon. With this end in view the State Department already has| WS ‘llle by "'; A given permission to Minister Bowen to be the bearer of any messages that'Venezuela de:;.t S 'as,m;; “l'th o may wish to transmit to the allies cn the subject of the present difficulties, such request, ?;":‘c‘:;);|$::§i),; coucm‘ras i:;a“s. however, to come from the Venezuelan Government. He has already been instrumental | ¢, camp, having m;“fl m?,,: in one capacity, viz: That of transmitting a desire on the part of President Castro to| .y 40,000 men, whom he has settle the existing controversy by arbitration. Whether the Minister will be permitted to perform the larger function of exercising full powers toward effecting a te-m‘nation of the d.fficulty is not stated. Indeed, it would be questionable whether such an arbitrator as the American Minister would be acceptable to the allies in view of the natural proclivities which he might have in favor of American countries. So far as could be ascertained here. to-night, no reply has come to the State De- partment in answer to the requests of President Castro tgat the pending claims be sub- mitted tq arbitration. transported from every direction to La Guaira and Puerto Cabello, in the expeetation that the allies | would attempt_to land at one or both'of these points. had - well - armed, equipped and| Continued on Page 8, Column 7. | Administration Has No Fear That America Will Be Dragged Into Venezuelan Embroglio as Defender of Monroe Doctrine. \LLL BUREAU, 1406 G STREET, N. W,, WASHINGTON, Dec. 17—A high official of the Government who has been at the White House and the State Depart- ment- frequently since thé Venezuelan affair reached great proportions explained at considerable length to-night the attitude of the administration. He also gave rea- sons why the administration did not believe it would be dragged into the situation further than as a mutual friend of all parties to the controversy. “What, in your opinion, will be the outcome of the application of coercion?” this official was asked. . “First, it will teach European Governments the stupidity and folly of going into the debt- collecting business on such a large scale by means of a great punitive or coercive expedition. On the other hand, Venezuela will be taught the lesson that it shall not use the Monroe doctrine or the good nature of the United States as a shield behind which it can repudlatc its debts and in- sult and browbeat its creditors and escape a trouncing simply because it is situated in the Western Hemisphere.” N “WVill not these European Governments also be taught a lesson - regarding the Monroe doctrine?” ’ 2 4 “That lessom has been taught already. There is no danger of an infraction of the Monroe doctrine. If there should be the shgh(cst danger of it the United States stands ready to prevent any European power obtaining territory. “Do you notice' the impression in some quarters that Germany is taking advantage of this situation to make a test of the Monroe doctrine before the Venezuelan incident is closed by get- tmg what she m|ght term a temporary occupancy, and that this suspluon is arousing apprehen- sion because she is gradually getting all other European powers to act in concert with her?” “The administration has no knowledge of any other European power acting with Germany except Great Britain and Italy. The reports that Spain, Belgium and France want to join in the little game have not been confirmed, I understand, at the State Department. If it were not for newspapefs agitating this question and ambitious Congressmen seeking to give a paraphnsed programme oration I do not think there would be any apprehension on the part of the public.” - “You mean to say that you think there is no ground for the suspicion that. Germany and other European nations are preparing to test the Monroe doctrine at this time?” . “Absolutely none. . The Monroe doctrine will be upheld, and should a test come I am sure some European influence would be exerted to uphold it. Any riation that seeks to make a test of it is sure in thesend to meet humiliation and disaster. ' It was tried in' Mexico within the memory of many wen still living. What was tlte result? It cost one Emperor his throne and an- other Emperor “his life. An atiempt was made by three Furopean powers when we were other-\ wise very busily employed with a Civil War, but in the end the nation that remained to try got out under ruinous condition and Maximilian was shot.” 1t was added that in all respects this Government was trgated with the utmost deference by the allied powers, cach’of their movements being fully discussed in advance. The following cablegram was sent to-day to Admiral Dewey, in command of the combined fieets, by the Navy Department, addressed to San Juan: ' ““Send competent officer with d-<patch on torpedo boat destrovcr or other vessel to Cara- cas as assistant to American Minister.” The followmg cablegram also was sent to, Commander Diehl of the Marietta, now lying * at La Guaira: “Send Van Duzen (e\ecml\e ofimer of the Manetta) as assistant to the American Minister temporan]y The officer vfrom Dewc) s fleet will rche\e Lleutenant Commander . Van Duzen, wllo is # N . ... |continued on Page a,.rc_olm 1 ) i ! l; | | 1 i l x | : ] | ST