New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-03-11
TALK WITH GEN. MATOS.
rro1 TTIONARY LEADER SEEN on
BOARD THE BOLIVAR.

-,,.-,s,sd. Island Of Curacao. Feb. 17-Hav-
-sceived information that the Venezuelan
,,+ionarv steamer Bolivar formerly the
.. Righ). would lie. during the night. off the
-,,5 Of Curacao, in order to get her CORE
%.ondence take board partisans and
ss-tain the march of events. a correspond
- of The Associated Press left this port
.+erday evening on a steam launch and
,se5 about, without lights, for three hours
=, the vicinity OF the spot where the Bolivar
&c expected TO communicate with the shore.
,.11:45 .. m. a black mass was deserted more
.hsn a mile off, and. without lights noise, the
,oiyar was soon almost upon the launch. The
-svoIutionists' steamer stopped and anchored.
signals were exhibited from the shore and from
me launch. Soon afterward a naphtha launch
,sme alongside the steam launch. The former
vas manned by two Venezuelan officers and
,Lrse men. One of the officers the correspond
ant was informed, was Senior PARA, General
Asstos's private secretary, and the other was
colonel Felix Ambard. 1t was agreed that the
correspondent should go on board the Bolivar,
which he did, and presented TO a number
nj generals. some Of whom spoke English. Pres
entity very tall and robust young man, of fine
figure, and having heavy black beard, ap-
peared This was the son of the leader of the
revolution. He also spoke English and asked
the correspondent to wait until General Matos
had finished writing some cable dispatches,
which were TO be sent on shore
The Bolivar is a vessel of about 900 tons very
clean and we'll kept. lighted with electricity,
and mounting four powerful cannon. several
Calling guns and five fifteen Founders. She is
commanded by an Englishman The artillery
IS served by FrenChmen and Venezuelans.
After few minutes General Matos appeared.
dressed in a suit OF blue serge. without braid
or gold. in striking contrast with the other gen.
erals and wearing a small cap. The correspond
ent asked General Matos about the revolution,
and especially as to the cause of the delay in
his operations. He replied:
. 4 was educated in manner at once theoreti-
cal and practical, and I am endeavoring to ap-
ply this theory and this practice in the attempt
which now making 10 save my poor coun-
Try from the anarchy under which it is at pres
ent groanng. I have taken my decision only
after deep reelection. To stir a country which
is gagged by the most frightful tyranny is no
easy task. The country is almost TO a man
in favor Of the revolution, but the people have
neither arms nor money. l. we, for in this work
am not alone. having with me almost all the
chiefs OF the Liberal party, have already OBJ
tanned much. Ny emissaries have already set
out. and within two weeks the remotest villages
of Guyana Will know that the hour of revolt
has arrived; arms will then have been distrib-
uted and the thousands who awaiting
US will be ready Il take the field. To risk the
life Of others is matter OF grave responsibility.
We now sowing, but tomorrow we will
reap I am preparing our revolution as the
Germans prepared the war Of 1870. The uneX-
pected arrest Of a large number of leading men
has retarded the movement, but il does not
matter, the current will soon be so strong that
IL Will sweep everything before it, and Cas-
tro, the representative of a cause which IS both
wicked and disastrous TO my country, Will hnd
himself alone with his Andinos."
Asked II he thought the revolution would be
of long duration, General Matos answered:
Perhaps, for shall not admit ourselves
ganQuished until every chief. every man, lies
dead and all our resources are exhausted. We
will submit to ruin and death rather than see
Venezuela governed and debased by such
ruler. The revolution will possibly last long.
because the country will lend itself 10 1t. You
are aware that up TO this moment, and after
4 pursuit OF two months, General Castro, who
afirms that peace exists throughout the coun-
try, has not been able TO capture General Lu-
ciano Mendoza, who fed with thirty men, and
the same can be said Of Batalla and others.
Some days ago effected first disem-
osrkation of arms at Cumarebo, near Coro. Gen
aral Rie-a, one Of the men of the highest intelH-
gence, has effected a landing and shortly
expect 70 hear of a successful result. If he can
only clear the limits of Popotal, he Will find
himself at the head of more than a, thousand
men. who will become the backbone of the revo-
luton"
The correspondent endeavored to ascertain
rom General Matos what were his future plans.
but the General asked him not to insist on an
answer 70 the question, adding however. that
he would hoist anchor Immediately for an un-
known destination.