The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1906-06-14
VENEZUELA.
It Deserves its Reputation as "A Turbulent
Paradise" There is no Faith to be Put
in Promises, and the Foreigner has no
Security and no Redress.

IL HlOMlSeS, anu INV
Security and no Redress.
Especial CORRESPONDENCE of The Journal.1
SIS "CARAcAs" Sailing Southwark,
May I, 1906. Notwithstanding its blue
skies and balmy airs, this beautiful
country, Venezuela is about the most
thinly populated portion OF South
America. It's area equals one-seventh
that of the United states, with no waste
land to speak of and soil of such Won
derful fertility that two crops a year,
and sometimes three, are produced with.
out fertilization or irrigation. One hun
dred million people could easily find
sustenance here: yet there are little
more than two millions, even reckoning
at liberal guess the Indian tribes of
| Oronoco's boundless forests. Foryears
| past the government has been making
earnest effort to secure immigration by
offering extraordinary inducements to
! settlers on the public lands. In spite of
these benefits and the many natural adj
vantages to be enjoyed, the average
! farmer, mechanic and laborer will do
well to think twice before removing
from the United States or any other
! comparatively tranquil country to this
turbulent paradise. A warning example
of the fate that may await him here is
found in the history Of the celebrated
Tavar Colony. so named in honor of
| the capitalist who furnished the money
which was established here under most
favorable auspices two or three genera
tons ago. The enterprise was engineer
ed by that learned Italian, Agostion
CodozZi. lie took advantage of tenn
porary lull in NeneZueia's eternal civil
conflicts to bring over large company
OF German emigrants, Principally from
the Black Forest, whom he settled on
an elevated plateau about forty miles
from Caracas. 1t was beautiful spot,
and as productive as beautiful. The
government was disposed to do exceed
ingly we'll by the industrious strangers,
and for time all went swimmingly
with Tavar Colony, whose neat houses
resembled Swiss Alpine village.
But the unquenchable spirit of reyo-
luton which upsetS everything Vene-
zuelan, oftener and more dangerously
than all the Audean earthquakes, broke
out afresh when Tavar was less than
thirty years old and paralyzed all COM
mercial enterprises, Then, having re-
duced the thrifty colonists to abject
poverty, Blanco's soldiers happened
along one fine day and laid waste the
settlement by pulling down whole rows
of houses in order to entrench them
selves in their position; and then the
valiant warriors proceeded to ''requisi-
ton every article of value.
vt that time the colony numbered
nearly two thousand men, women and
children. More unfortunate than were
Evangeline's compatriotS when driven
from Arcadia, they were dispersed With
out being allowed to carry away any
household goods and We're sent empty
handed to wander i'll a strange country.
EeneZuela's constitution, like those
of other SpanisA-American countries,
looks exceedingly well on paper and
sounds well in the mouth of an orator.
But for actual, everyday use at least
so far as present practice, goes, 1t Is a
delusion and a snare. The republic is
i lol tata aDI ba
Distrito Federal which contains the
Capital and It's ports Caracas and La
Guayra. Each State has its own Presl-
dent and legislative and judicial adj
ministration, and sends to the National
Congress two Senators and one Deputy
for each 2, 800 inhabitants.
In the executive department, besides
the President there are two vice Presl-
dents and six Ministers; all of them
nominally responsible to the President.
The latter is supposed to be elected by
all the States. by indirect but secret
suffrage, and holds office four years.
if by rare chance he is not ousted by
revoutionists or concludes to declare
himself Dictator and remain in power
indefinitely.
BY the way, the governor of the
Fedora! District, who is an appolntee of
the President. occupies the chapel of an
ancient convent which was long ago
contiscated and turned over to secular
uses. Its narrow hail is memorable,
being the same in which the declaration
of Venezuelan independence was signed.
pom the wall there is picture COM
memerating the event: and close beside
this crude painting OF the decree OF
| liberty appears the rarest and most in
teresting relic in all south America
being nothing less than the banner
which PiZarro himself carried in his
conquest of Peru The flag is about
! four feet square, of faded pink silk, en-
broidered in gold by Queen Isabella,
! its design the combined escu jcheons of
| Arragon and CASTLE, the whole enclosed
in heavy gilt frame. 1t seems pc
culiarly appropriate that this ancient
emblem of ayaricp cruelty and lust