The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1905-05-24
CASTRO VENEzUELkS
IMAM OF DESTINY"
A CURIOUS LITTLE MAN WHO
p,TEs WITH AN IRON GRIP.

,.,.;dant of South American Repub-
,.or,orrnerIy a MuIeteer. Has Got
,,e Better of Worlds Diplomats.
They told me in La Guayra, the port
.4roracas. that this now notorious
.,-oerar was originally muleteer
and cattle smuggler down in the state
Ia. Andes, saws a writer in the Lon
dan Times. But he suddenly appears
IN the Caracas Hall of congress in
.a+anr leather boots which so amused
,anor Castro himself they wore no
boots where he came from that he was
o51iged to take them off and put them
nm the desk in front of him.
On NV way to see the president l
noticed an ascent on that tOrtuOus
Journey of nearly 1900 feet Caracas
has an almost perfect climate and a
nonuIation of about 10000. l was
amused to see in all the big Office
,uiIdings the notice displayed, "Poli-
tics are not allowed to be talked IN
here
Castro is paramount now, and mas
been for years. All his enemies are
killed or imprisoned in the dungeons
under MaracaibO's old fort, or else
eyiIed in Bogota, Paris, New York or
London. How Castro started with an
army of twenty-three muleteers and
smugglers: how his force grew ana
grew: how he directed battles from
q horse litter, where he was confined
with broken legs-these and other cpl
sodes are but incidents in this wonder
full mans career.
Everybody in the town speaks OF MN
with bated breath-sOme OF them pref
ty boldly, for he was away in his little
mountain resort of La Victoria, where
he utterly disregarded cablegrams OF
International blockades and such-llke
ooreSom6 things, on the principle that
they will arrange themselves II they
are let alone" Indeed, the president
will often disappear altogether, leaV-
ingno address at the American Iega-
ton.
Castro is always popular with his
people, for he gives them no end OF
concerts, dances and bull fights. he
frequently retires to bed at D O'Clock
IN the morning and receives visitors at
midday in his night-dress. He is
thick set, keen eyed man, much below
middle height, and with his Indian
blood showing most plainly. l do not
think he is an inch over five feet, and
be is STOPPING at that
And vet here is the man who mas
conquered the country with handful
OF mule drivers and has given sleep
less nights to the diplomats of the
world He asks all his visitors many
questions about the navy and army OF
their country, tand fully believes
mat the one warship he has seen IN
MS iife-the presidents Sarmiento, OF
the Argentine Republics the most
powerful battleship in the world.
President Castro did not conceal his
contempt for England and Germany
and I afterward heard he was unaware
OF the very existence of India and
australia
SO you see there is no "side" about
'enezuela's autocrat. Any one may
approach him. He does, however, car
Ey a revolver in the outside breast
pocket Of his frock coat. An assassin
Ired to shoot him once, but the presl-
dent lG.ned the man with a we'll aimed
shot.
Often he will invite casual passers-
oy INTO the palace and give imprOmp-
lo balls, in which the stranger is
amazed to see poor Indians in canvas
clothes, little better than rags and
rough sandals side by side with bril-
1ant uniforms, gold and lace. At
such functions the president dances
With short women and girls, for he is
very sensitive about his diminutive
stature.