Evening star., 1901-08-31

many of the houses were occupied by
pretty senOritas and close up to one of the
windows stood a gaily decorated horse
ridden by truly Spanish caValerro, SOM
brero in hand, who was talking with girl
sitting behind the barred window, fan be-
fore her face.
The American minister has been having
a lively time down here The Spanish war
was right under his nose, and the Nene
zuelan people were eXciteGly pro-Sp3n:sh,
although the government maintained
strict neutrality. 1t was necessary to put
a guard around the legation on several
occasions. Then, TO make life more lively
for the foreign representatives, there is
nearly always something in the shape of
revolution going on, although Caracas it
self has been untouched by war or battle
of "A number of years On top of our min
isters other troubles has been the recent
affair over the asphalt concessions. The
foreign representatives here have unfavor-
able opinions of President Castro. They
say he is utterly without knowledge of
government, and of the obligations of one
nation to another. Andrade was better to
get along with, but was a weak man. At
one time the contention over the asphalt
affair looked serious, but the matter is at
rest now for the time being although fur
ther trouble is probable. The New York
and BermudeZ Company has concessions in
the asphalt lakes and mines in certain ter
rltory. This concession is law CreSpo
when president attempted to grant new
concessions in that territory. but the
preme court of Venezuela decided that
such concessions could not be made, the
granting of them would be the setting aside
of the law of the land Castro has. how
ever. not been affected by any such puny
affairs as laws, and has granted one slice
of a large lake within the BurmudeZ con-
cession to the Warner-Quinlan Company,
and holds another slice of the same lake
himself which he is negotiating to sell.
Castro's opinion of the law is founded on
the fact that he has absolute control of the
removes Judges
preme and other courts at his will. Thus
the controversies in which he is directly
financially interested go into court over
which he has absolute control The de-
cision itself, then. will, it is thought here
be against the BermudeZ Company and
them will come an appeal from this COM
pany to the United States on a plea of
miscarriage of justice. The whole conteri-
tion is then liable to come up again. 1t is
said that there Is a clause in the Berrnu-
dez Company $ concession requiring it to
work the territory within specified time
and ii is claimed by the Venezuelan gov
ernment that this clause has been violated
and that the operation of the concession
has thus lapsed. The Warner-Quinlan peo-
pie have paid the government $4,000 for
the concession they have received and re-
fuse to take the money back.
If their concession is not carried out they
will undoubtedly make a claim for big
damages through the United States If ii
is fulfilled the BermudeZ Company will ap-
peal to the United States. 1t would seem
therefore. that Castro has trouble before
him under any decision There is how
ever. a possibility of the affair being set
tied out of court by the parties at issue
From an outside standpoint it seems rather
a pity that there is not some asphalt COM
pany outside of the trust that munich
palities might escape being squeezed so
fearfully In paving their streets. With all
the asphalt lakes and mines in Venezuela
there are no asphalt pavements in Caracas.
When l asked gentleman here why this
was so he said: These Americans have an
unpleasant way of wanting to be paid for
the work they do
CiprianO Castro.
Cipriano Castro, the head of the Vene-
zuelan government. has a small black beard
and is OF mediocre appearance He is short
and wears his hair close cropped Blanco
his minister of foreign affairs, on the other
hand. is extremely distinguished looking
| large with a gray beard and mustache
| Castro, In his present position, is a re-
| suit of change. backed up by persistency
and some skill as general He is native
of a mountain district away off in the in
terror of the country, where he was up to
| the time of his sudden rise, simply q cow
| boy. Tie revolution fever took possession
of him short time ago, and he started a
| local revolution against the governor of
his state. His army consisted of seventy
| five cowboys, but he was successful in his
| local uprising, and secured redress of
| the grievances against which he had taken
| the warpath. The business of revolution
appealed to him; 1t had attractions above
those of herding cattle and branding steers.
| He, therefore, did not disband his local
| army, but started with 1t across country.
| On his way he met Hernandez, who was
| then In revolt against Andrade, the presi-
| dent Of the republic. The two men Joined
| forces and with an army consisting Of a
| couple of thousand men moved down
| toward Valencia.
In August. 1885, this army met a gov
ernment force and battle was fought.
| The revoutionists held the field. but they
1 were beaten to a standstill themselves,
| being utterly crippled through their loss
Of men and by the fact that they had pracs