The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-03-14


New York, Mar. 13.-Amazing re-
ports Of the condition OF affairs in Ven
ezuela come by mail from Willemstad.
According to these stories Castro has
carried his greed to such lengths that
nearly all industries except those in
which the president and his faYOrites
are interested, have been ruined or
driven out Of the country. The peO-
pie in the small towns are starving
and the city people are not much bet
ter of. At a banquet given by an
American in MaracaibO. the second
city Of Venezuela, many Of the guests
who included the. leading men of the
town, stuffed bread in their pockets,
and carried away all the food they
could secrete. Naked people in the
streets Of the small towns are a COM
mon sight They are too poor 10 buy
the slightest covering for their bodies.
How these extraordinary conditions
have been brought about is explained
by an English refugee from La Guayra
who told his story to the Willemstad
correspondent Of the New York Her
aid, which has always been Prest,
CastrO's strongest newspaper friend
in the United States. As reported by
this correspondent, his informant, I'M
til lately a prosperous sugar planter
in Venezuela, said:
The poverty of the country and it's
industrial prOstration are due to the
mOnOpOlization Of all the principal in
dustries of the country to be operated
by the cOterie that sing the presidents
praises, and in which he holds the
controlling interest. In this way, Cas-
trO has amassed in six years a fortune
estimated at $4,000, OOO"
It seems that while the Asphalt and
French Cable Companies have been
the heaviest and most conspicuous
sufferers from CastrO's rapacity, they
have plenty Of companions in misfor-
tune.
The methods Of the band is the
same in all cases. Take my own.
had a small sugar estate on which
had begun to manufacture rum. l
was making a little over ten per cent.
One Of Castro's men offered me $780,
600 for the place. said it was worth
$4,000, but that l did not want to
sell.
series OF AnnoyanceS.
Then began a series Of annoyances.
was finally taxed at the rate of $50
a day. 1 had to shut down my plant.
There was nothing to do but to sell
to Castro, which 1 did for $4,000.
That is the history of every private
enterprise that pays more than ten
per cent, Ask any merchant, small
manufacturer, hotel keeper, or what
not doing a business of a few thous.
and dollars if he could not increase it.
He will tell you yes, many times, but
he prefers not TO, for as soon as he
makes it worth while the gang will
force him to sell, or Castro will give
the monopoly Of that particular bust
ness TO one Of its members and he will
lose even his stock in hand.
Formerly hundreds Of thousands of
cattle were brought in from the coun-
try and sold to various competing buy
ers for export. Now the sole right to.
export cattle is enjoyed by Gomez, the.
First Vice-President, and the cattle
raisers must take his price or none.
Graft Even in Stamps.
They have stopped raising beeves,
and a great industry is dead II was
to Manuel CaraO that the MONOPOLY OF
navigating the OrinocO was given. He
is CastrO's recognized man of affairs
He soon forced Mr.. Olcott, the Amerl-
can, TO abandon his 81 100000 worth
OF steamships, take $4,000 and leave
the country To Carao also has been
given a rake-off on the postal revenues
Of the country. The government sells
the stamps to him at wholesale at n !
discount of twenty-five per cent.
The Second Vice-President. VelIu-I
TIM, has a rake-Off on the water rates
the works stolen from Belgium. toI
the great burden of the people. Mrs. |
Castro, besides the percentage from
the gambling licenses, has more from
the vegetable and fruit stalls in the
markets, which are collected daily, to /
the increased price of food. The gov
errors Of the cities get a percentage
OF all fines for crimes and are ready I
at all times TO dispense justice for
money.
And now the rum, the cigarette |
and the match business have been mo- |
nopolized, 10 the great Joss and suffer
ing Of the people.
Grabbed the Gas Co.
The recent confscatiOn Of the Cara. I
cas- gas works by Castro and his /
friends is a good illustration of the
RestauradOr's methods of getting rich
without stealing public funds. The
company became pushed for money be.
cause the municipality Of Caracas /
would not pay it $4,000 for gas con-
sumed in public lighting. Suit should
be brought against it by all debtors. |
The company was soon declared 1
bankrupt and its 100000 plant order
ed TO be sold.
There was one bidder, one of Cas-
tro's agents, Valerino. He got it for /
$4,000, and as the plant was declared 4
out OF repair the money was ordered 4
expended on alleged improvements, .
The company got nothing, and the new
owners, Castro & Co. got in addition, I
the $4,000 bill against the city, which |