The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1903-02-28
PRESIDENTIAL PLUMBER.
How Venezuela's Revenue Is Di.
verted From Venezuelan Uses.

"A representative OF the Daily Tele-
graph had an interview yesterday with
a gentleman who has beer well ac-
quafnted with Venezuela for many
years past, n has been associated
with several important industrial I'M
dertakings in hat country. According
to his view, the one chance of saliva
ton would be the placing of the Gus
toms under European control-an
event, however, which is not very
likely to take place. Venezuela itself
teens with natural Apart
from its mineral wealth. it grows al
most anything, and its coffee and cocoa
are considered to be the best in the
world. The trouble is that the peo-
pie, who, left to themselves, would be
content to till. the land and otherwise
lead an Industrious life, are ruled by
a class of br~oken-down journalists and
lawyers, whose one object is to get
into power for the sake of what they
can make during their term of office.
1T nay seem incredible" said our
informant, but not many years ago,
on the very day before DIR. Palacio was
elected president, he was unable to
get credit for the price of a ham.
Yet in fourteen months he retired to
the more genial, cline of Paris with
$500, 900, n l can guarantee the ac-
curacy of the mount because I as
sisted in counting the boxes of bullion
in which the treasure was sent to Eu-
rope. The fact is, that the n object
of the government is to divide as much
revenue as they can among themselves,
and to spend as little as possible upon
the administration of the country. The
revenue returns that are. supplied are
wholly untrustworthy and few people
except the inner ring know what it
really it. The late President Crespo
used to send down every day, including
saints days and Sundays, to the treas
ury for $3.50, which he said was due
him for his salary as president, sc that
he regarded his position as being worth
at least e13O, 600 a year. The huge for
tune which was made by the now de-
ceased Guzman Blanco is a matter of
history, but it is not so well known
that when he retired from the presi-
dency he went to Paris as V eX-
traordinary with a salary of 925, 900 a
year in addition to expenses. one item
of these expenses on OF occasion being
ga, 900 for a ball.
"Of course, if the government class
live in this extravagant manner and
fail to pay the subordinate officials, the
latter have to earn their living by get
ting backsheesh wherever they "a
Nc one who has not had practical ex-
perience can realize the infinite an
noyances to which foreign industrial
undertakings are subjected unless they
are prepared to pay handsomely for
being left alone. To take only n in
stance, the La Guayra harbor was I'M
dertaken on a government guarantee
of Z per cent, but owing to the con-
slant interference of government Of
ficials, the company was eventually
glad to relinquish the guarantee in con-
sideration of being allowed to carry on
It's business in peace.
1.-THE only thing in favor of Presi-
dent Castro is his pluck, and in my
opinion he would not have taken IN
such an attitude had he not peer I'M
der the impression that the United
States would come to his assistance.
1t is unfortunate that the revolution
was not successful, because what the
country wants is an honest president.
and General Matos, who has been de-
feated. is rich enough to be above
temptation. Moreover, he has lived in
Europe for many years and is more
civilized than the half-breeds who fire.
quently attain to the highest post in
Venezuela. AS regards the railways,
their promoters were not in all cases
free from blame. They traded on the
cupidity of the government, and OBJ
tanned large guarantees which they
knew the lines would never earn. The
Germans especially were at fault. and
the last loan of 1896, raised by the
Disconto- Gesellschaft, was brought out
mainly in order to fund the unpaid
railway guarantees. Still, it all comes
back to this, that Venezuela, with all
its natural resources, will do it
self justice until a stop is put to the
corruption of the ruling class, and 1
do not see how that is to be brought
about unless the country is placed un-
der the tutelage of the European pow
ers or the United States"