The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-02-01

cisRiANo c4sTRo's
STORMY CAREER
born state 81 Taehira yenezuela,
1860 Mother o neetoi atheg ~ -.
diana Venezuelan patriarch Of Dc.
eide h Aofnoh tendencies lind
over children, lIlegitimate for
most leExdiplomat q Public
Opinion Nay 6, 1869 KEPT smei
store Id cared for fathers cattle
Personal seharac teristics: small siRt;
ire; dress extfayagant- affects a gray
frock coat in imitation Of Napoleon:
Conspicuous at social affairs for his
fantastic capers. Courage illhslatsd
when during earthquake Of 1900 he
Abandoned his vie in palace and
jumped twenty.nine fec 70 the
groundf sys . --,e :
Pennfess when he usurpeds presi'
dency 9 years ago; annual salary s12s
900: now has millions. Owns finest
ranches in Venezuela, houses with,
out number including two palaces.
Also steamers Of the former orinoco
Company and Of Lake Maracaibo,
Taehira Railway, Puerto cabello
wharf bonds, two.thirds of Dutch dip
lonatic debt, 100000 of venezue.
lanlan debt, and millions on deposit
in English and French banks" tPrest.
Guzman Blanco established custom Of
Accomplishing large sums in Paris
against day when he should fee the
country; often suggested that Castro
is following same plan.)
Political Career.
1892 Castro took part in unsueeess-
full revolution OF Palaclo; upon fail.
ure fed to CoIou.hia Emerged Unto
public life 1899. asia deputy from Tao.
hira under President Anlrada:raa
May 90 1899, disappointed with
treatment by Andrade, Castro raised
revolt. Aided by Hernandez, Men
loza. Matos and other leaders, Cas-
tro jeEeafeI government and entered
Caracas, October, 1893, and ImmetH.
6teiy proclaimed himself president.
March, 1901, elected president, af-
ter putting down the reyolts of vari'
GUS leaders WHO, deserted him when
he ,isurpel presidency. Most serious
of these reyolts continued until octo'
Der 13, 1902, when Castro defeated
forces Of General Manuel A. Matos.
/, 1905, Castro elected for second
term of six years. st being well
l,nownt fact that nobody dared cast
his vote against the country's master
the officials were SO well aware Of the
result that everything was prepared
beforehand" North American Re
view, September, 1861
Treatmentoof Foreign Capital.
AS president, began Immediately
policy Of depressing foreign capita
and monopoIfzfng home Industry
'aHeGeed stpr htnfFFs and hig, friend;
nonopolies in the sepbtetQhi n cat
tie. fresh beef trade, alcohol; tobacco
matches. hides and leather, milk char
coat and control of:naMigaaon oflLake
Maracdiboi ahd, :ofinoc0 oGBy means
Of these dn5ustiaabIe7 monopOlies he
has ruined thousands of farmers, man
ufacturers, and workmen." t'Ex-Dip
lomat@ III. Public Opinion, May 6
19O69 aat aac
Fate of foreign capital under Cas-
tro,s regime exemDlified in ruin @
the Caro- Railway, the Gallo and lima
TAXA mines, the Manoa Co.. severa
irrigation ami steamship companies
Example; oFinoco Steamship, Co.!
concession for the navigation Of TIT
river annulled by degree and award
ed at once to Castro's friends.
July 1904, seized asphalt lake own
ed BY New York and Bermudaz Co.
refusing request of, United States io1
suspension of proceedings pending IN
vestigation. Property sequestered II
hands of representatives of Castre
who has since sold and retained pro
ceeds Of asphalt mined.
With exception of asphalt ant
French cable companies, which arc
still fighting for life, industries hays
tdwIndled away, and. disappeared ruin Tpinr
cd outright, or driven from country
by adverse: judicial decisions ap thf
extortlon, d ,g2..n flas-. ,.sn
NJ Foreisna Entapslements,, b,
as result. otrpolicy Of 5despoIl
Ing foreign industry, Great Britain
Germany and France Joined by 9th
or powers, ,blockadsd yepszleeulan ports
December, to enforce claims pf citt
gems. Puerto Csbellos bomharded De
cembero1s. SAM cstles bqmbsrdlssyd
lJanuaryi17g 'Oa. Castro, extricated from
this difficulty abY .insts;enees Of us
Unitel States that disputes be aF6bi
t+ataJ ,protocols signed February IL