The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-03-22
SEVERAL KINDS OF rooI.

s
 SEVERAL KINDS OF FOOL.
 Most people are rather disposed to admire the superlative in the way of gall. however much they may laugh at or ridicule 1t. That was what made P. T. Barnum so popular and success full as a snowman. He never allowed any such small matters as reasonable ness or possibility to interfere with the exploitation of any new attraction. It Is much the same with the Falstaffs and Furiosos who are always boasting of their prowess and of what they are about to do.
 There's our friend Castro of vene- zuela for example. The brief enjoy ment of the title of ruler over the mixed and mongrei population of a tin republic has played havoc with his brains-if he has ever possessed such an addition to the human outfit. He seems to imagine himself and his re- public real power to be reckoned with. and Is doing his best to re-enact the old fable of the frog and the OK. He Is mad now at Uncle Sam, and perhaps he has good cause. Our gov- ernment seems to have a habit here of late of rubbing small countries the wrong way. We don't admit that 1t is in all cases creditable to us, and some- times we think our President, for want mals just to hear them growl
 
 However that may be, it appears certain that Castro's dander is up against us and he has been letting off steam at a fearful rate. It may be only the ebullitions of the fiery Cas- tilian temperament, or the man may really be so puffed up with vanity and conceit that he has lost what little sense he started out with. At any rate, he declares he will have satisfac- tion. and the first thing he proposes to do Is to march an army of 30.oo0 sol- diers to New Orleans and capture the city. We don't know where he is go- ing to get the soldiers. but possibly he thinks he can borrow them.
 Isn't 1t fearful prospect? If he H'e~0 e% SSAShe <<hHfyb hO"b oh SNCh lWo or three good battleships. he might slip up to New Orleans and injure something. True, 1t would be the end of him. and probably of his govern ment. but what of 1t? He'd go out in a blaze of glory. and that would repay him for all losses. But he has no thought of that method. What he pro- poses to do is to come by land. He will have to march through Colombia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua. Honduras, Qua tamala. Mexico and Texas before reaching New Orleans. but he evident ly thinks that would be a trifing job Perhaps he expec,s the people of the little South and Central American countries to hand out sandwiches to his soldiers and speed them on their way. He expects Mexico to remain neutral. but we don't know what he expects of Texas. Maybe he thinks the Texans are still in rebellion and will be glad to join him in thrashing some- body.
 We don't know when we have read ~Ns NA@eAS SS SAAatSAtSAy aS LnlS threat of Castros Is. and we are really at loss to know whether he Is in earnest or whether he is just indulging in a little extra mouth exercise. It doesn't seem possible that any man. even the ruler of a mongrel republic in South America. could seriously con- template such an enterprise, and we have been amused at some sarcastic comments made. by The Monterey (Mex News, as follows:
 Unless the United States government backs down and ceases to worry him about ths Bermudez asphalt claim and the debts he owes to other nations. there Is possibility of a serious war. The United States is not very well pre- pared Tor an attack on it's southern tro strikes quickly he may be able to do some serious damage. If sufficient time were allowed. the United States rsHna, nou1d bring 5.d to it's aid England. Ger are far away and it would require much time for these nations to assem- pie sufficient force to humble the proud ruler of Venezuela. It is be- lieved, however that the Washineton government is fully alive to the immi- nent danger of losing New Orleans. anu IS haklhg such hurried prepara- tons as 1t can to defend the city against foreign invasion. The police force of the city has been strength ened and 1t Is believed that when Gas tro's army gets there 1t will be run in.
 Now. if The News really wants to help us out 1t might prevail on its government to set a rabbit trap and catch Castro and his army on their tourney across Mexico and send them back in crates. but maybe Mexico will not want to interfere. In that case ws can depend on the Texas Rangers to save the New orle9ns police a dirty tob' The Rangers wouldn't ask for pleasanter or briefer picnic
 But isn't Castro several kinds of fool?