The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-10
HIS PLAN AND AMBITION
CASTRO WANTS TO UNITY FIVE
SOUTH AMERICAN REPUBLICS.
Would Garry Out the Original Desire
the Greater Nation the stake


New York Press.
Few people in this country realize the
magnitude OF the ambition OF President
Castro Of Venezuela. an ambition in which
he Is supported by his own party in the
country OF which he is the chief executive
and by a large and active party in Colom-
bia and Ecuador. II is nothing less than the
re-erecting OF the old republic Of Colombo
formed by Simon Bolivar, the Liberator,
which consisted of the countries now known
as Venezuela, Ecuador and Colombia. That
accomplished. IL would be a logical step in
the advancement Of his ambition TO seek
10 add 10 the reconstructed nation Peru
and Bolivia. as Bolivar sought to do, and
in which ne almost succeeded. being for
a considerable time not only President OF
Colombia, but the arbiter of the affairs OF
those two nations. This would mean the
formation. in place OF five weak, discord-
ant, belligerent and turbulent countries, OF
a nation with a population Of between thir-
teen and fourteen millions and an area
nearly as large as that of the United States.
exclusive OF Alaska.
II would be larger than the Russian en-
pire in Europe. larger by about 100000
square miles than the German or the Aus
trian empire or the republic OF France. and
nearly two-tnirds the size OF Europe. In
population it would be equal TO European
Turkey, the kingdoms OF Servia and Rou-
mania and the principality OF Bulgaria
taken together. It's boundaries would be al
most ooincident with the territory reigned
over by the Incas and their tributary
princes at the height OF the power Of the
ancient Peruvian empire. 1t would have a
coast line OF $500 miles. of which 5000 are
on the Atlantic ocean and Caribbean -
n the remainder on the Pacific. NeneZue-
Ia alone has a coast line of 1900 miles, with
thirty-two natural harbors and nifty bays.
The rebuilt nation would be the third pow
er on the western continent i'm point Of
area and population. the United States be-
ing the first and Brazil the second.
The natural resources. as yet developed
hardly at all. of the lands comprised within
the boundaries of the contemplated republic
are immense and varied, and under a stable
government the nation would be one which
would afford opportunities for the working
out Of the best destinies of the Latin race
in the western world, and would be a pow
er strong enough 10 defy foreign aggression
from any European quarter whatsoever.
The projected Pan-Ameriean railway would
run through the heart OF this nation. and.
with its branch lines, would connect with
the Pacific ocean on the west and the Carib-
bean sea on the north, thus fastening the
material and social development of the
country and vastly increasing its CONNER
cial Importance.
1t viii be seen that it is with no mean
ambition that President Castro is credited.
AT present the agitation for a union Of the
separated nations does not amount to a
sentiment within the domain of practical
politics. except in Venezuela, Colombia and
Ecuador. In Colombia and on the borders
of Venezuela and Ecuador actual fighting
IS going on for the accomplishment of the
scheme OF reunion. The Liberal parties in
these three countries are united in an at
tempt To bring the scheme of union to an
accomplished fact, and President Castro
has made himself the head of the move
ment.
LIBERALS ARE UNITED.
Read in the light Of the knowledge of
this movement for unihcation the seeming
ly confused state of affairs in Colombia and
Venezuela becomes more comprehensive.
For a long time we have been reading dis
7atehAs Sm South America telling Of in
vasions of colombian territory by troops
from Ecuador and Venezuela. and of the Vi
olation of the territory of these republics
by the troops of Colombia. The news has
been really a record of the stand which is
being made by the Conservative Marty of
Colombia against the Liberals of the other
two nations. Ecuador, being a small nation
and the government seemingly having the
Liberals better in hand than they are i'm the
other two countries, has so far managed
10 keep from becoming embroiled In actual
war: but under the lead of Castro the Lib
erals OF Venezuela have made common
cause with their brethren OF Colombia
against the Conservatives who opposed the
union, and a state OF war exists between
the two nations. Should Castro, with the
aid of the Colombian Liberals. succeed in
overthrowing the existing government of
Colombia, the union is inevitable. and
Ecuador would come into the federation
quietly, as she did before in Bolivar's time
After that IL will be time enough to taIk
about Peru and Bolivia. At present armies
are marching and battles are being fought
for the unihcatiOn of the states which Boil
var freed from the Spanish Yoke and
formed into a nation which he fOndly hoped
should flourish and be forever d monument
10 his memOry-a landmark OF his fame
but which fell to pieces upon his death
Castro. in seeking 10 re-estabish the great
nation OF Bolivar. may be like the dog ir
the fable, and in erasping al the vision OF
what he desires may lose the substance OF
that which he has; for his enemies are
numerous and are not idle. AT present. how
ever, he seems 10 hold Venezuela with 2
firm hand. the firmest which has been az
her helm or state since Guzman Blanco left
the country to its fate and became fat
supine and politically impotent amid ths
pleasures OF Partisan life.
Castro has great energy. great ambition
and cannot be denied considerable ability
OF a certain sort In politics and war bis
career has been adventurous. and when n
suddenly became a political factor his rise
10 power was rapid. He came TO the presi.
dency of Venezuela by fire and sword. anC
he holds his power I'm a manner which
would not be tolerated in English-speakine
countries, but which seems TO be the ONLY
way in which permanency of rule ever /.
attempted or accomplished I'm the Latin.
American nations.
Castro is as arbitrary. as d~espotic. a,
p~ohtically INSCRIPTIONS as Guzman Blanco
bus his ambitions seem To be higher. and n,
Is free. at least in part, from that extraor.
binary vanity which Blanco displayed
Blanco did a great deal for Venezuela anC
q great deal for BlancO. He was practically
an absolute monarch. as Castro is: but
Blanco was content 10 hold Venezuela ir
the grasp OF his strong hand and did no
look beyond her borders. finding quit,
enough To do at home. He scattered great
statues OF himself all over the country anC
gave to himself the title OF ne Hlustriou.
American; he made for himself grear
wealth and large estates. but he nevel
aimed at power outside of Venezuela. cas-
tro DEGREES himself no titles. ereCts M
statues OF himself. but he rules with al
the deSpotism and remorselessness o.
Blanco and seeks 10 build himself a monu.
ment in the shape OF a nation.
CASTRO THE OUTLAW.
II is only a little while ago that Castro
was a wandering outlaw whose life woule
have been sacrificed had the people in pow
er caught him. He was only an ordinary
everyday revolutionist. like so many othe,
gentlemen adventures OF South and Cen.
trail America, liable TO be caught at an,
time and suffer the "pasar por las armas.'
as the Spanish-Americans euphemisticall
call a military execution. and then be for
gotten. But Castro has a genius for organs
zatiOn. and hts conscience did NOT keen hin
r. IL 10 VHUhFn cabin ~.