Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-08-28

Crisis in Venezuela.


conflicting groups-but a dearth OF
Castro's strength and weakness; his
strength, in that no combination as
yet possible to oppose and overthrow
him has arisen; his weakness in that
he has not a friend outside of the of.
fcials of his own creation and con.
servation. Yes, a hundred Diogeneses,
each with a latest improved search
light, would be troubled to find a
single man worthy of the name who in
any sense would be available for lead
er and governor of his own people.
And the worst of all is that this has
been the state of the case in Vene-
zuela, with n apparent exception,
from the day of it's independence till
now. Hence the frequent recurrence
their certain recurrence in the fu-
ture, unless some great power inter-
vene to compel these knots of adj
%venturers to keep the peace.
"Kevolutions," occurring at the rate
of 40 within the past so years, have
left every staple product exhausted,
and the richest stock and product of
the nation-its men-have persisted
in these ignoble fights, or have been
driven out of the country. Consequent
ly all guarantees to capital-even that
of foreign enterprises-have van
ished or are seriously endangered,
while all business is either p~aralyzed
or reduced to petty trade in the bare
necessities of life. Prices are in
credibly high, and everything which
MAJ be called a product of civiliza-
tien is hard to procure at the dearest
rate known to any part of the world.
The people themselves declare that
there is no hope of paying the public
debt or the mere interest of the same,
much less is there prospect of re-
organizing old industries, to say moth
ing Of planting new. Mems minds
ara wholly taken up with the struggle
for mere existence, since all name
Of industry, all public works, and even
most of the agriculture, is paralyzed
through the general liability of both
men and products to be carried off to
the var by either party. Rare, in
deed, is the recompense made in
full for these acquisitions of provi-
sions; never for seizure and impress
nent of men, or for the many lives
wantonly sacrificed.
This gives some hint of the poverty
and misery in the rural districts.
There is scarcity even of common
fruits, greater scarcity of raiment, and
real danger to life. This general and
now rapid progress toward anarchy
has already reached the stage o.
brigandage in numerous sections, and
is liable to manifest itself in an
country district. In the cities there
is more open vice than at any previous
time. Drunkenness, once rare is al
ready a monstrous and still growing
evil. Gambling, lotteries and bull
fghts-all licensed by the govern
ment-absorb the available cash of
all classes. True, the bull fights have
recently been suspended, as they de-
mand greater outlay; but even the
theater has been starved out. Mean
time, for four cents a man or woman
may get run enough to still the
pangs of hunger and, as effectually,
drown all sense of shame. The ma
jority of families do not succeed in
getting one fair meal a day-many do
not have that-and yet, not a little
luxury in women's dress is seen on the
streets, for almost everything is sacri-
feed to obtain a new gown and hat,
while hunger gnaws their families az
home.
1t is not strange that the rate of
mortality CT Caracas is very high,
while the level of social life and
morals has fallen lamentably low.
Many of the better class have left
the country for Cuba, Porto Rico and
other less disturbed countries. All
foreign investments are quoted at be-
low par and going lower. True, pa
per money has not been launched upon
! the country, but gold is scarcely to be