Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-13
THE REVOLT IN COLOMBIA
Reports Of Insurgent Defeat Are Often In
correct.
The Government is I'm Sore Straits for
Men and MOney-The Exact
Situation.

Special Correspondents Of the Associated Press.
COLON, March 5-The recent reports Of
repeated victories by the Colombian gov
eminent troops over the revolutionists chal-
lenge surprise and some amusement when
they get back here from distant parts in
printed form. These reports are mislead-
ing, because the revolution Is not yet
stamped out by reported victories.
1t is still progressing, and the govern
ment of Colombia is In sore straits for
men and money. The congress at Bogota
has Just passed a bill for a forced loan.
This measure provides that a million dol
lars a month shall be collected from the
merchants throughout the republic. The
method of its collection. no less than the
loan itself. will cause bitter dissatisfaction.
1t is believed that the officers who appor-
ton the amount to be collected from each
merchant will favor individuals. and as
the amounts to be collected are not based
entirely on the actual capital Of each mer-
chant but on his supposed capital. 1t can
be plainly seen how a supposed sympa-
thizer with the revolutionists may be as
sessed beyond his fair proportion. There
is no appeal from the assessment, and the
tax must be paid on demand, or property
equaling the tax levied will be confiscated
to its satisfaction
Industries Paraly.ed.
The industries of the country are par
alyzed. as the government is conscripting
soldiers down to the age of fourteen years.
and those who are not in the army already
or in the field with the revolutionists are
hiding in the mountains. In order to reach
these fugitives. through their families. a
law has been passed imposing fine of 500
on any one discovered slaughtering domes-
tic animals for food. or selling meat. ex-
cept through an authorized agent Of the
government An inspector has been ap-
pointed under this law. who will issue a
permit to each person desiring to purchase
meat from the butchers. and thus the
families Of actual revolutionists and those
of fugitives will be prevented from buying
the neceSsarieS of life.
The premium on gold has risen to 142 per
cent, and that, with the increased cost OF
living, owing to recent advances In the
tariff and the low price for labor prevail
ing, is causing great distress throughout
the country.
Fenrs of Plllage.
Merchants are exceedingly apprehensive
that their places of business will be fired
for pillage.
Three attempts were made on the night
of February IS to burn Colon, and but for
the prompt discovery and suppression OF
the fires Colon would have been in ashes.
The merchants of Colon are doing night
patrol duty, as most Of the police force OF
the city are now in the army.
About three hundred soldiers In Panama
were ordered on March i to proceed to
Carthagena, on the. chartered transport
Premier. All but fifteen Of them refused
to go, saying they were from the Cauca
valley, and would go there IL necessary.
but not to Carthagena.
No action was taken by the government
officials to punish these soldiers.
The troops in Panama are paid their
wages every other day, but the civil OFF,
GERS are in arrears Of pay several months.