Gilpin observer., 1901-08-22

over the mountain trails, and to en-
dure the hardships of camp life in the
high wilderness. So he acquired the
splendid physique and the courage
which has enabled him to win no less
than forty-six pitched battles. coming
off victorious and scatheless in every
one he has been engaged in.
In the meantime his ambitious par
ents saw that the boys education was
not neglected After he had finished
at the little mountain school he was
sent to the great national university
of Bogota, the capital of Colombia,
which is also a mountain city located
far in the interior and thousands Of
feet above the sea level. Here the
young man graduated and then went
back to his mountain home to practice
his profession as lawyer. Almost i'm
mediately he was chosen by his fellow
townsmen to represent his native town
in the national Chamber of Deputies,
corresponding to the lower house OF
Congress in this country. Tribe
Uribe soon developed great powers as
House. The Conservative party was in
control of the government, and Uribe
thundered in vain in favor of free
press, free speech, and free education.
These reforms were resisted by the
government, and finally the people Of
Uribe-Uribes mountain home rose in
revolt. Their first revolution was in
1876, and Uribe threw himself at once
into their cause. He soon won wide
reputation as a brave and able soldier
A second revolt occurred in 1885, and
in this struggle Uribe won great fame,
becoming the leader of the insurgent
forces.
Time and time again, at the head of
only 300 mountaineers, Tribe won VIC
tories over larger numbers of govern
ment troops. Once when few of the
men under his command mutinied
Tribe shot the leader with his own
hand and reduced the other to submis-
sion in a few minutes.
Finally he was captured and thrown
into prison. When he was brought to
trial his defense was so logical and
eloquent that he was acquitted with
out a moments hesitation.
In the latter part of 1899 another in
surrection broke out at the head Of
which Uribe promptly placed himself
During this struggle, which has been
almost continuous ever since, Uribe
performed many feats Of daring and
heroism. On one occasion the rebel
army lay on one side of a stream fac
ing a greater force of the enemy. A
narrow bridge formed the only passage
way over the deep river. Tribe final
ly announced that at a certain hour
he personally, with the first ten volun-
teers, would cross that bridge and lead
a charge on the unsuspecting army.
The first volunteer was negro SER
geant whom Uribe took by the hand,
and. leading him out before his army.
cried out: Soldiers, this is Sergeant
Zuleta. who will cross the bridge.
hand in hand with me. l name him
Captain for his bravery"
Forthwith the whole rebel army vol
unteered. and when the time came the
general and the negro sergeant led
what proved to be a successful charge
against the rebel army.
During his stay in the United States
General Uribe-Uribe was anxious to
explain what led him to take up arms
against the government of his native
land. He declared that personal ambi-
tion had nothing to do with it. On
the CONTRARY, he declared he was fight
ing for the oppressed people of Co
lombia.
In answer the friends of the present
government enter n general denial.
They say that the frequent revolutions
have been the cause of the deprecia-
tion OF the currency. and they declare
Tribe to be fraud and an ally of
Dictator Castro of Venezuela, whose
idea 1t is to combine Ecuador, Vene-
zuela, and Colombia into one govern
ment, with himself at the head as EN-
peror. They say that Tribe is in the
pay of British bondholders.