The midland journal., 1905-03-24
CASTRO PLANS INVASION.
An Adherent Advises This In a Bonn
bastic Pamphlet.

Willemstad, Island of Curacao, (By
Cable).-According to trustworthy ad-
vices received here the relations between
President Castro and the different lega-
tions at Caracas are little more strain
ed.
Castro has now ceased to talk with the
European representatives concerning the
Venezuelan indebtedness, and the recent
recall of Gen. Antoni Velutini, Second
Vice-President of Venezuela, who has
been in Europe for some time trying to-
arrange for settlement with the British
and German bondholders, is regarded as
an indication that the negotiations have
failed. The members of the diplomatic
corps are chahng under the present state
of affairs 1t is said that none of the
diplomats has been able to have an inter-
view with Castro concerning disputed
international questions for months.
President Castro maintains his bellig-
erent attitude and continues to make mil
itary preparations. He apparently re-,
CARDS an attack on Porto Cabello and
La Guaira as probable, and has mounted
his new French 6-inch guns and a num-
Der of small guns on the heights over
looking these ports, and has available
three small coast defense vessels.
1t is said that the Majority of the
Venezuelans look upon the possibility of
foreign intervention either with indiffer
at1Nn or faxr nr1h h1ty caf1f 1f1fa n
conditions are causing much unrest. Ex-
cessive taxation, heavy expenditures. the
political preferment of incapable men and
the resulting chaotic business conditions
are turning from Castro much of the
best element in Venezuela.
Brazilian newspapers are openly advo-
eating settlement of affairs in Vene-
zuela by the United States, and the
South American press generally is less
caustic in its criticisms of American in
reference in the affairs of Southern re-
publics.
Castro's attitude is reflected in PAM
phlet just issued through one of his ad-
visers, Col Juan Bautistia Lamcdic, in
which plans for sending 10000 Venezue-
lans against New Orleans are disclosed.
The pamphlet urges the public to avenge
the insults offered to Venezuela by the
Americans and declares that the inva-
sion of the Mississippi Valley would be
the most effective means of curbing the
power of the United States.
Following is an extract from the pam
phlet:
Perhaps 10000 Venezuelans, bearing
the glorious national banner-that very
banner whose floating iris illuminated
the waters of La Plata with the splen-
dor of the Venezuelan fatherland to the
echoes of the clarions of Carabobo, of
Bombona, and of Ayacucho-would to-
day be sufficient to wash away the in
suit which our glorious flag has received
from North America, in the very waters
of the Mississippi Cunduncurca is not
more distant from Venezuela than the
hostile land, and the territories which
we have to cross in order to arrive there
are almost all of the same fatherland
Columbia, the first of these, will readily
open its frontiers to give passage to the
sons of Bolivar, as we'll as Costa Rica,
Nicaragua and Mexico, the fatherland
of Juarez, the feared by France and
by Europe for his formidable and ter
rible patriotism There can be no doubt
that our Latin brothers would willingly
open the way for the army of Venezuela
in order that the sons of Washington
should not be allowed to believe them
selves more valiant and warlike than the
sons of Bolivar This may seem to many
Utopian vision, but when we reflect
that the North American squadrons can
not operate in the forests and that trad
ers will always be traders. inept and
cowardly in feats of heroism, our hearts
swell within us and we are willing to
take our stand in the vanguard, among
the distinguished heroes of the new
world who are called once more to
prove that Venezuela is immortal and is
the first to take up the glove which is
thrown down today to the whole OF
Spanish America"
There is a constant movement OF
troops, and it is impossible TO ascertain
how Castro's forces are distributed or
how many soldiers he has Practically
all his, army is made tip of men from
the Andes. Most of them are part In
dian They wear rough straw hats,
coarse khaki uniforms and sandals. AS
they march through the streets carrying
their old-fashioned rifles their appear
ance is not unlike that of Chinese
organization. Few white men
a. re in the ranks and the negroes and
Indians have had little training. Their
weapons are old-fashoned Mausers,
which kick so badly that the men do not
hold them to their shoulders when they
fire, but let the rifle butts slide under
their arms and shoot without taking aim.