The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-07-15

the native Indians, who represent two
thirds of the population of the country,
were taken from their aboriginal indus
tries of planting cotton and weaving T
into cloth, sheep herding, pottery MAX
ing, etc, and forced to work In the new
ly established coffee plantations. White
coffee brought a good price the planters
were able to pay them and the Indian
could purchase necessities manufactured
in a foreign market. Now all this Is
changed. The Indian in many instances
has forgotten his native industry; tho
price of coffee has gone down, and the
Indian, when paid at all, is paid in an
almost worthless scrip. In Guatemala
City butter Is worth $50 a pound; the
great staple, corn, brings as much as $40
a bushel, and a pair of shoes costs $iO0
in this paper money.
Cabrera is described by member OF one
of the foreign legations at Washington,
a former secretary of his legation at
Guatemala as a rather ordinary looking
man. without any of the characteristics
of greatness. His general appearance Is
that of a weak. retiring man. who was
afraid of his own shadow.
This same diplomat relates that on one
occasion. at a public reception, he saw
Cabrera walking arm In arm with one
of his army officers. a fat. good natured
general in full uniform, who entertained
and at the banquet offered toasts to the
long and prosperous rule of his chief, the
President Within day or two this very
same general was fugitive, denounced
by Cabrara and accused of heading a
conspiracy for the overthrow of the ex-
listing government.
Brewing for Years.
The present revolution has been brew
Of back
as 1901, when the Pan-Amercan con-
gress convened in the City of Mexico,
lose Leon Castillo was fomenting plans
In that city for the overthrow of Cabrera.
On the last day of the eonvening OF the
congress he managed to have distributed
and laid on the desk of each delegate
in the Hall of Sessions pamphiet en-
titled '"rhe Black Page In the HISTORY
of Guatemala The delegate represent
ing Guatemala Immediately stepped out
Of the room and before any one had
chance 70 secure one of the pamphlets
thew were gather up and taken away.
A warning note from the Mexican gov
eminent and the next day Jose Leon Cas-
+iIo was on his way to Nicaragua, where
no has since been living in exile, waiting
for the opportunity to settle ms score
with the barbarian Cabrera
If II be true that he has ennsted ,he
services of Barrillas as reported ne mas
more than an even chance Oh success.
Cabrera has the army stlli' anu INC taiA
and file of the army has no sympatnies.
,rha soldiers are scarcely more than au-
Sonata They are lined up by their OIL
80 apd when told to shoot they SHOOT.
ehou1d they lose their officers or their
commanding general they are more likely
than not to drop their arms and make LOT
home. o,,,.to, ooo,1d
he started with reasonable degree Oh
s,,ocess nv capturing these same soldiers
a. .oIa+ad attachments. After being cor
ra,led and commanded by the revoiution-
!, ~ General they would line up or deploy
and shoot at the word of command just
as efficiently as they would nave oone Oh
the side of the government. under pres
ent conditions 1t Is dlfncult mater W
cant,,re any of these soldiers In Isolated
Attachments. The country is covered with
a network of telegraph lines, and the
rational troops are concentrated in lars-
or bodies than formerly, and great care
is taken by the president TO insure the
LOYALTY OF their officers. Besides, with
the modern arms and equipment at the
dismissal of these troops. IL requires
great deal more money 10 run reVoiu-
ton that 1t used to.
IAsando Rarrillas. who Is reported 10
have Joined Castillo In the present feVo-
luton. has sufficient money. all other
things being equal. to Insure reasonable
amount of success Besides. he has his
record of having ruled the country mod
erately and wisely during his constitu-
tionaI period as president, after which
he surrendered the reins of government
10 his successor and retired to his coffee
plantations. He was then reputed to be
worth $4,000. COO an amount sufficient to
overturn any Central American govern
ment If judiciously used.