Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-06-12

Correspondence of the Associated Press)
PORT OF SPAIN, Island of Trinidad,
Wednesday. June 4-Events are march-
ing with giant strides in the country OF
Bolivar. President Castro, of Venezuela
has been forced to recognize that the
Matos revolution is not a myth, for his
best troops are beaten daily by the revo-
lutionary forces and at the present hour
from north to south, from east TO west,
the country is rising as one man against
Castro.
General Matos, who likewise entities
himself president, has personally taken
command of the revolution, and was, on
June ]. at Urica, twenty leagues distant
from Carupano, marching toward Cara
cas- with an army which some persons es-
innate at $500 men, and others at 1,5OO
To believe, however that he will reach
the. capital and take possession or the
presidency without a deadly struggle
would be an Illusion. General castro Is
preparing TO offer resistance and hopes TO
bar the invasion either in the plains or
Carabobo or in the valley of the Tuy
This is not the only direction in which
the presidents political horizon is men
aced. Coro, Valencia and Barquismeto
are all more or less in the power of the
revolutfonists. At Coro Generals Riera
are absolutely masters OF the environs.
Revolutionary troops enter the city of
Vanencia every night. and as the town
is no longer lighted, give themselves up to
all sorts of reprisals. Even LaGuira, the
port OF Caracas. is attacked nightly by
armed bands. who on the night of May q
killed the military chief of Maiquetia be-
fore his own door. All this is hard fact,
and will give a vague idea of the social
condition of Venezuela. All these bands
only await the approach of ,Matos' army
to their districts to hasten to join him.
President Castro's political conduct leads
to the belief that before his departure he
will indulge in the committal of all sorts
of extra arbitrary acts. He has lately
suppressed the newspapers FL TEMPO and
La Linterna, arrested the manager Of the
Bank of Caracas Mr. Castillo, imposed
on the widow of the late Guzman Blanco
a forced war contribution of one million,
and has arrested the president of congress.
Gen TOsta Garcia5 andstile president of
the Societe Franchise, Mr.. DeVidale Rigo,
a highly respected man on very slight
supposition. Such is the way in which he
treats his supposed enemies. He has also
caused his faithful officer. General Davila,
the vanduisher of FL Mocho, TO be arrest
ed after very violent scene at the palace
OF Mirahores. during which Davila re-
preached him for his ingratitude.
The relation of these facts will prove the
nature Of the atmosphere in which Ven
ezuelans and foreigners resident Of Vene-
zuela are Obliged to live. Everybody is
expecting the imposition of a forced war
contribution Business is paralized, and
the banks are without specie. The Bank
of Caracas, the capital of which is six
million bolivars Ca bolivar is equivalent to
about 20 cents) has only 12600O bolivars in
its Golfers, that.it to say about $4,000.
Whatever may be the result of the revo-
luton General Castro said to one OF his
intimate friends a few days ago:
cha chn that raifhar
Andieza nor Andrade, whom they sent to
LaGuaira in a basket. If 1 leave my
palace at Miraflores it will be feet fore
most"