Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-15

curtain has scarcely fallen upon the Mo-
roccan conference when the attention OF
the world Is again directed to Venezuela b.
the theatrical coup which places Castro In
the Hmeiight OF the public gaze. for which
he. has q weakness. The cable dispatches
from Caracas on the 18th instant reported
that President Castro resigned the presi-
dency OF venezuela in favor Of Gen. Juan
Vicente Gomez. Gen. Castro" says the
dispatch urged all venezuelans to support
the government presided over by Gen. Co
meg. and that should his temporary separa-
ton bring harmony and good Will to the
country he would willingly make his retire
ment permanent II necessary"
Inc moment appears opportune to recall
as clearly as possible the different phases
ct the Franco-venezuelan conflict. in which
England. Germany and the United States
have alike been involved It is not possible
at this moment to ascribe political policy
to the acts of President Castro which APP
pear to every one as impolitic and inco-
herent. but they may be attributed to the
violence and INSTRUMENTATION which seem
the fatal inheritance of a people whose
blood Is mixed with such dissimilar ele-
menfs. In the South American mestizos,
indeed-the Spaniard, Indian and negro
may be read the story of the colonial deca-
dence of Spain.
X
1t is just to remark that government In
Venezuela has not been entirely bad Guz-
man Blanco, man of firm
Castro's ness and patriotism, gave
Venezuela twenty years of
oseu~ undisturhed prosperity. At
ter Blanco Venezuela returned to Its
ideals. and has since been the theater
Of accustomed insurrection and coup
detats. From 1897 to 1902 seven revo-
lutions succeeded. without counting the
attempts that failed. Crespo came to
to retain his Office Illegally. and Crespo, the
champion of liberty. the avenger of law
inaugurated period of odious abuses and
violence. which terminated only by his
being killed. From the depths of the Andes
In 1880 there arose Cipriano Castro
Castro was mule merchant and lived a
rude life among class of cattle raisers and
cowboys. Half shepherd, half brigand. he
in the so-called Battle of Capacho." in
1856. In 1892 he attacked Crespo. but with
small success. He recruited a band Ia
Venezuelan army Is never numerous) of
and achieved the devtslve victory of Tocu-
gito and on the Esd of October 1899, he
was master of the capital.
Thick set. dark skinned. very ugly face,
with low forehead. bloodshot bilious eyes
and thick lips. Castro shows his mixed
origin. Needless to add, he is possessed of
violent temper. of which we have heard
much. His reign, 1t Is said. was inaugu-
rated by orgies The victors treated Cara
cas- a conquered city. Indescribable
saturnalias led by the president spread
sandal and terror throughout the city.
Merchants and housewares were arrested,
ransomed and pilaged and bank directors
who attempted to resist the enforced loans
were thrown into prison. former minis
ter of finance, known to be very rich. was
fncarcerated, ransomed, released, rearrest-
rr11 rnta ncnd 10 HnI frnrf1 fFaY.s
cas- and Europe.
Meanwhile Mates equips a small armed
vessel and returns to organize the revolt.
He has with him the producers, financiers:
the dictator counts only upon some faithful
bands. The interest rate goes up when the
insurgents are victorious, and down when
the Castro party wins. In July, 1862, 1T is
at % to 100 of its nominal value on the
news of victory for Matos. The capture
of Campano by the insurgents frightens
Castro who obtains from congress a sus
pension of constitutional guarantees In
October, 1902 he gives battle and wins.
Cipriano Castro throws his country into
all sorts of trouble He raises difficulties
with his ceighbors, with the United States.
with Europe; he parafyzes the economical
prosperity Of his fertile domain; he gives it
up like a conquered country to the avidity
OF a band of br;gands; he stirs up scandal
after scandal and reduces his adversaries
to choose between silence and the prison.
France possesses considerable interests In
Venezuela. In the first place. there are
there $500 of her citizens;
French some of them rich proprie
Tn+arac+s tors of plantations and COM
merciaI houses.
The French Cable Company. with cap
ital of 24.oO0.OG0 francs. possesses the
monopoly of submarine teIegraphy between
Venezuela and the United States, and
thence with the rest of the world. Its
first contract, signed in 1895, raised a num-
Der OF difficulties. which 1t was only able
to overcome by effectiHg an arrangement
signed July 8. 1900, and approved by the
national assembly March g. 1901. The
company agreed by this contract to estab-
lish Geographic communication between La
Guayra and America via Curacao and
santo Domingo, and to lay a coast cable
to connect the principal coast towns from
Campano to Maracaibo.
In 1885 the French government re-estab-
lished diplomatic relations with Venezuela.
interrupted since 1881. The treaty of
November 26 stipulated the immediate pay
ment of the rest of the debts due since
1867. and finally the Institution of COM
mission for the fixing of the indennities
claimed since 1868 A dangerous article
(No 81 was Introduced in the treaty:
In order to avoid In the future all which
may trouble their amieable relations, the
high contracting parties agree that their
diplomatic representatives shall not inter
fere on the subject of claims or complaints
of citizens concerning affairs which prop
.erly belong to civil or criminal justice gov
erned by local laws, unless 1t should be a
question of denials of justice or delays
contrary to usage to the law, the nom
execution of final Judgment or finally in
case where notwithstanding the use of all
legal means there Is evident violation of the
treaties or of the rules of the laws of ma