Venezuelan Version of Basis of Germany's Claims (Copyright, 1902, by J, I. Diaz Hnrcenns.) IHE attempt at Intimidation of Venezuela on tho part of dor many, becauso of tho Krupp compnny's claim, will not, In my opinion, mean war between tho two countries. It will not mean a solzuro of any territory In South America by German forces. It will not mean nny conflict be tween tho United States and Germany over tho Monroe doctrine. There has been a great deal printed as to tho Justice of tho German claims, as to Germany's resolution to enforco them and as to Venezuela's Inability to pay anil Its powcrlessncss to resent German en croachment. The Justice of tho German claim, now for the first time coming be fore tho world In Its truo light, resolves Itself Into tho Injustice of nn extremely iuestlonnblo case of railway financiering, with bribery and corruption at tho bottom of It originally. Let us look at Venezuela's sldu of tho question. Tho two most Importnnt cities of Venezuela are Valenzln and Caracas, tho capital. They aro separated by a dis tance, of 100 miles by rail, a six hours' journey. Tho population of Caracas some dozen years ago was 100,000 people; that of Valenzla was CO.000. Hctwccn them lay a country filled with herds of grazing cat tle, which wcro shipped abroad from tho port of Caracas. I'll I r I'lc III Attract flcrinniiN. Itojas Paul, In 1SS8, had been elected to tho presidency of Venezuela nfter tho re tirement from ofllco of Guzman Hlnnco. The attention of German merchants, for a num ber of years, had been very closely fixed upon Venezuela, becauso of tho wealth of Its natural resources, and becauso tho trado In Maracatbo and La Guayra coffco was a thing well worth having. Tho com mercial world of Germany, having fixed Its oyes upon tho Venezuelan trade, put Its hands thcro afterward, and now It has most of tho trado In Its pocket. After tho mer chants, camo tho nnnnclers. Whllo I'nul was president tho projectors of tho rail way company, bearing tho snmo nntno ns tho great cannon making establishment In Germany, appronched tho Venezuelan gov ernment with n proposition for tho con nection, by rail, of tho two lnrgo cities of tho country. Venezuela, filled with natural resources and anxiously allvo to tho necessity for speedy transportation, welcomed tho proposition gladly. Within four years tho people of Vcno ztie'a enw In operation, between Caracas and Vnlenzla, a well-equipped modern rail way, carrying passengers and freight at rates which the public found acceptable, and serving nit tho purposes required of a modern, first-clans, well-planned road. It looked ns If German enterprise, German financo and German thoroughners wcro real blessings to tho people of Venezuela. What tho country nt large did not know was tho manner In which the railway con cession had been obtained and tho Shylock terms on which tho road had been con structed and equipped. With every Horn of expense Included, tho cost of the cntlro project could not havo been moro than $7,000,000. From the city of Caracas, for a dlstanco of eight miles, tho country was mountainous, nnd It was necessary that scv oral tunnels bo built, nut, beyond that, alt tho way to Valenzla, tho rnuto lay through coffco plantations and nlong savannahs, as level as a board. All tho railway company had to do was put down Its rails and run Its trains. HiiklN of ICmiiiii'n Claim. Tho proposition which tho Krupp com pany laid beforo tho Venezuelan congress was that tho republic of Venezuela guar antee to pay, Irrespective of nny returns from tho road which went Into tho hands of tho rallwny promoters nn annual sub sidy of 7 per cont on tho capital Btock. Tho stock was to bo Issued on the legltlmnto basis of tho actual cost of construction. Tha rato of subsidy was so high, on tho ono hand, nnd was so eagerly coveted by tho Germans, on tho other, that they mado overy possible effort to secure Iho conces sion. Now, n sulwldy of 7 per cent, clear on nn nctual Investment would havo seemed a Golconda to tho modern Spaniard or Frenchman, n trust of magnificent propor tions to nn English Investor nnd a Klon dike to nn American. As for tho Germans, they mndo tho nstuto reflection that 7 per cent on n real Investment of $7,000,000 was not half ns gocd as 7 per cent on $15,000,0U0. So they Issued capital stock to tho amount of $15,000,000. Tho republic, for Its part, made tho ex tortionate subsidy a national debt. Crespo was In power when tho Krupp company, In 1S92, Immediately upon tho completion of tho road, mado tho staggering demand for a payment of $1,0."0,000, In quarterly In stallments. He declared It was plain rob bery, and, nt that time, there was sotno llttlo talk on tho part of tho Germans about Venezuela's reluctance, to pay Us debts, Tho npprchcnslon of what a refusal to comply with tho terms of tho agree ment might menn to Venezuela In Interna tional finance Induced Crespo to go on with tho payment. Hut embodied In tho nntlonnl debt as they were, tho surplus In tho trens sury frequently fell short. All tho govern ment had It gave until tho arrearages amounted to tho $2,000,000 Germany now seeks to collect. The demand for full pay ment of nil arrears wns mado eight months ago, when tho country was In tho throes of several revolutions, nnd President Castro found his resources fully tnxed to repress them. There was absolutely no money adequate for tho pay ment of $2,000,000. Hut Gcnernl Castro, llko General Crespo, nbhorrcd the Idea of nny chargo of repudiation of debts. Ho endeavored to convince tho Krupp com pany that Venezuela would discharge Its obligations. And, whon government troops hnd to bo transported In tho course of tho disturbances, ho used tho Caracas mil way and paid tho transportation charges In cash, When tho revolutionists toro up tho tracks ho paid the damages In cash. And he, llko Crespo, undertook to pay as much of tho guaranty subsidy ns was pos. slblo at tho first opportunity the nuances of Venezuela could afford, l-'rancr Hum .similar Claim, It lins happened Hint a enso analogous to that of tho Krupp company has brought a French claim up for settlement between Venezuela and Franco. Tho Orinoco ltlvor company, holding a contract with Ven ezuela for tho navigation of the Orinoco nnd tho exploitation of tho rubber belt, claimed damages to tho amount of $100, 000 by reason of tho political disturbances. Tho river company put Its claim Into tho hands of tho French minister of foreign affairs for collection. Ho Investigated tha caso and camo to tho conclusion tho claim was n Just ono. On tho part of tho govern ment of Frnnco, theroforo, ho addressed n request to tho government of Venoznoln for n court of arbitration. Tho determina tion of tho character of tho court Is In course of adjustment. Frnnco desires that (he Judges of tho court bo neither Ven ezuelans nor French In nationality. Vcn ozucla, becauso of tho essentially South American conditions surrounding tho claim, desires tho court to bo composed exclusively of Venezuelans, Tho two gov ernments nro now engnged nmlcnbly In discussing the formation of tho court nnd tho claim will ultimately bo heard and satisfied according to International Inw. Venezuela does not refuse to pay tho tier man claim. Hut tho republic doc refuse to bo bullied Into payment by the German empire. Tho dlsputo will bo settled In either of two ways. One wny Is for the German government to accept General Castro's engagement to pay part of tho $2,000,000 within tho next few months, nnd lo pay tho ,rcwt as speedily as tho condition of the treasury will allow. Tho other Is to Insist on pay inent nt onco nnd to endeavor to eollecl by force. It Is true, Germany could seize nnd hold nny Venezuelan port preferably that of I.a Guayra. Hut tho seizure of I.n Guayra would mean that German troops must keep tho peace of tho territory they occupy, and that tho Venezuelan govern ment Is under no responsibility for their protection. Tho mountains aro only COO feet from tho Bcashoro. Tito inoutntncers hnvo n nasty hnblt of coming- down with rlllrs, In groups of a dozen, nt night. Ger many would 11 Mil Itself Involved In ti guerrilla warfare which would place tho city practically In u slate of siege. As a nation, Germany would feel little appre hension of n wnr with Venezuela, although It might bo well to rcmomber that Spain neidnl 200,000 men to hold Cuba, and Kng laud has already used 300,000 men to secure a grip on South Africa. Hut what Gertnnny has alrendy shown evldenco of remembering Is that tho 700,000 bags of Maracalbo and Lit Guayra coffco nre hnndled by tho German commercial houses. It cannot nffortl to peril Its entire trnde with Venezuela for a claim that can, by no possibility, remain mora than half Just. Tho most serious outcomo of tho trouble that need bo looked for nt nny tlmo Is a naval demonstration off tho const. J. I. DIAZ HARCENAS, Venezuelan Consul nt Philadelphia. Kidnaping of a Lincoln Street by a Railroad Company a m m m WIIEIIE THE TRACK CONNECTS WITH THE YARD LINES-Photo by a Staff Artist. PUTTING DOWN THE TRACKS PAST THE HOMES OF THE PEOPLE-Photo by a Stnff Artist. Episodes and Incidents in the Lives of Noted People D IR. VV. H. MILDURN. tho blind chaplain of tho senate, thinks he may fairly lay claim to tho title of "grandfather of tho house." Ho cntored tho service of that body ten years beforo John Sherman of Ohio and Justin S. Morrill of Vermont, who were termed "fathors of tho house." Mr. Mil burn was first elected chaplain of congress In 1845, being tbon a resident of Illinois, nnd hailing from tho congressional district represented by Lincoln. When Joseph Medlll was editor of tho Chicago Trlbuno ho wns asked by n young man who hnd been sent by him on a special newspaper mission, to put his autograph in tho young man's collection, nnd "somo sultablo Bcntlmcnts to go with it," sug gested tho correspondent. Tho following, duly credited to Emerson, was written abovo tho autograph: "Facts nro tho horror of tho intellectual domain." Tho correspond ent had failed In his mission to obtain tho information which Mr. Medlll considered importnnt. Senator Pcttus, who will be 80 years old in July, scorns to employ n watchmaker when his tlmopleco gets out of order, but does his own tinkering. Two days ago his watch stopped whllo tho senate was In ses sion. Mr. Pettus pulled his spectacles down on hU nose, tool: tho works out of the caso and. begnn looking for tho trouble With a pin ho poked around among tho wheels until tho machinery 'started up again and everything seemed to his liking. Then bo placed tho works back in the caso. Senator McEnery wnB nn Interested spectator and occasionally mndo, suggestions ns to tho best method of procedure It is proposed in Indianapolis to erect a monument to Levi Coffin, "who," says tho Indianapolis Journal, "during tho stirring times immediately preceding the outbreak of tho civil war was at the head of tho organization in Indiana that conducted tho famous underground railroad through tho medium of which hundreds of black refu gees mado their way from tho slavery of, tho south to tho liberty of tho north. Tho movement haa revived Interest In tho llfo of Mr. Collin, nnd particularly In that period of his career devoted to tho asslstanco of tho southern negroes on their wny north ward. Whllo Levi Collin was n resident of Newport ho aheltorcd for soveral days Eliza Harris of 'Undo Tom's Cabin' fame, and It wns ho who guvo tho report of her cross ing tho Icebound river to Harriot Bcccher Stowe. Tho man who, near Ripley, as sisted Eliza up tho Indiana bank of the river was ono of Coffin's assistants nnd con federates, and, only n fow months ago, died In the homo which first sholtorfid tho es caping slavo after her perilous crossing of tho Icefloe. Although Mr. Cofnn died in his home near Cincinnati, In 1877, the move ment now on foot Is to have tho monument orectcd to his memory In this city." General Harrison C. Hobart, a distin guished cltlzon of Wisconsin and last sur vivor of the flvo daring men who planned tho tunnel cscapo from Llbby prison during the civil war, died InBt Sunday, aged 82. Tho story of the cscapo of a number of prisoners from Libby Is a mattor of Inter esting history, and had been told In a pamphlet Issued by General Hobart later In llfo. At that tlmo there wero no exchanges of prisoners and tho men In Llbby planned to gain tholr freedom. A few of the dnrlng and rcsourcoful lcadors finally hit upon the plan of digging a tunnel. Tho scheme was confided to twenty-flvo men, who could bo trusted not to talk, and the work wns be gun. A tablo knife, chisel and spittoon wero the tools. But two persons could work at the same time. Ono would enter tho holo with tho "tools" and n small tallow candle, dragging tho spittoon after him with a bit of string. The other would fnu nlr into tho pnssngo with his hat and with nnothcr string would draw out tho spittoon when loaded and conceal the dirt bonenth straw nnd rubbish of tho celtnr. Each morning tho working party would carefully replace tho bricks In tho llreplace whero tho tunnel started and rcmovo all ovldenco of tho work. Through a mistake of tho "cnglnoers" of the tunnel tho schomo nearly failed, for tho first opening on tho outsldo was within ten feot of some sentinels. This was plugged up and tho work continued. After thirty days tho holo was completed, tho twenty-flvo men In tho plan wero mar shaled under command of General Hobart nnd nt 7 o'clock on tho evening of Fobru nry 9, 1864, tho men began crawling through tho hole. In order to bowlldcr tho guards n dancing party with music was extemporized in tho room. Ono by ono the men emerged from tho holo, passed tho sentinels and mingled with tho crowds on tho streots. Tho subsequent perils of thceo men, some of whom reached tho union lines in safety, pursued by cavalry and bloodhounds, form ono of tho moat picturesque and thrilling chapters in tho history of tho civil war. After the original twenty-flvo men had es caped through tholr tunnel thoy wero given ono hour's start by the remaining prison ers, whon thcro was a wild scramblo for liberty. Ono hundred nnd nine men passed out through tho holo that night, of whom flfty Bovcn eventually reached tho union lines, tho othors being recaptured or dying of pri vations whllo hiding in tho swamps. Judgo Alfred Sleekier, justlco of tho su premo court of tho Stato of Now York, was born a poor lad on tho East Sldo, bis father having died when ho was 6 years old. Ho Bccurcd work In n law ofllce, whero ho mndo his start, and when still a mere boy becamo president of tho Literary Society of tho Cooper Union nnd In Its debates broadened his education. Captain Frnnk Schocffel, who commanded tho detachment which recently repulsed a largo forco of bnlomcn nnd who was wounded, is a horo of Pelt In nnd a fighter of noto among tho gallant men-at-arms of tho "Fighting Ninth." It was Company C of tho samo regiment that was surprised whllo at breakfast at Halangnn, Samar, Soptombcr 29, last, and fought with baro fists tho 300 ferocious bolo men who surprised them, Cnptnln Schooffol's record figured prom inently in tho investigation of tho hazing of Cadet Hooz' at West Point. That episode brought out tho fact that ho was tho only graduato of West Point who had whlppod overy upper class man ngalnst him whllo. n endot nt tho military academy. During his four years at West Point Cadot Schocffel whipped with his fists a whole class of thirty men. Ono dny flvo mon wore pitted ngalnst Schocffel at onco. Tho bout lasted twonty six rounds. At tho end thoy wero all tired by Schoeffol. Captain Schocffcl's. war record is In ac cord with his 'school-day achlovomcnts and his showing In tho engngemont In the Phil ippines Is no Bttrprlso to his friends. At San Juan ho was one of tha first up tho hill. In tho relief of tho Pekln logatlon Captain Schocffel was in tho van of tho dash of the Ninth, which cost that regi ment Its commander and many bravo mon. In this attack his daring won him distinc tion nnd a Chlneso bullet. There ought to bo Joy In tho heart of tho king of Slam, observes the Washington Post. Ho wants to come to tho United States as tho guest of tho nation, which means that tho good people would havo lo pay tho royal bills. If tho proposition now before congress to Invito his raynl majesty should hecomo a law, tho king could put a tlmo lock on his purso whon ho reached San Francisco nnd hold It there until ho set flail for homo. And thcro ought to ho Joy In tho royal henrt becauso tho first step toward Inviting him has been taken. Tho Biib-commltteo of tho committee on foreign relations, which has had tha mattor under consideration, hns decided to report favorably. If tho king has a sonso of humor nnd If ho has not ho ought to cultivate It before ho comes to tho United Stntes ho will laugh nt the reason which has actuated this favorable action. "Tho king's son," said William Alden Smith, tho chalrmnn of tho sub-commlttoo.' "has shown himself to bo n liberal spendor. Ho blew In $30,000 on tho Tcndorloln In Now York. If tho old mnn Is llko him I think ho ought to bo invited." Mrs. Jesslo nenton Fremont, wlfo of tho "Pathfinder," Oonornl John C. Fremont, Is stjll living at tho ngo of 77, In tho pretty cnttngo In Los Angeles, tho gift of tho women of California. During tho early part of Queen Victoria's rolgn she visited Eng Innd nnd wns presented to tho queon nnd Trlnco Albert, and sho has known person ally every president since Jackson. "Tho fenturos of tho human faco," said Mark Twain tho other dny, "can readily bo compelled Into n knleldnscopo of contor tions, running the gamut from tho expres sion of Intenso dollght to tho expression of excruciating agony. You will novor wholly rcallzo this, however, until you have the opportunity of watching a humorist In the throes of turning out a 'sldo-iplltter.' "