The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-04-21

NEW YORK, April 21-HaS Presl-
dent Castro abdicated? Few South
American despots die In harness ana
none resign-if he can help 1t! Cas-
tro's resignation" therefore. looks 70
those who are thoroughly familiar
with he situation in Vereznela. like.
graceful attempt TO side-step the
storm that his policies have brought
upon his head. II local. and interna-
tioaal complications quiet down. Cas-
tro will probably attempt to return
TO power Otherwise, the world has
seen the last of one of the most adept
trouble-makers that ever appeared on
the International stage
With three revolutionary move
ments on foot against him. with the
larger part OF his people curs1nS him
for the suffering he has brought upon
them. and with one foreign power
ready TO exact satisfaction for wrongs
suffered at his hands, there is no cause
TO wonder why Castro has gone into
at least a temporary retirement
A Land of Graft
Under Castro's rule Venezuela has
become veritable land of graft Half
the population is in dire want, many
starving and hundreds naked; indus
try Is paralyzed, and all this IS tho
result of the deliberate attempt OF
Castro to monopolize for himself and
his friends all the profitable business
and natural resources of the country
There is nothing from matches to
steamship companies that Castro has
not worked for his own pocket all the
time GueSSeS as to the amount OF
wealth he has accumulated run all the
way up to $4,000, 900. a substantial
part Of which is on deposit in New
York. Paris and London banks This
ing the footsteps of all lar-siShted
IS an old story, and in providing for
a stormy future Castro is only follow
South American potenrates- 1t is in
the extent of the ruin his rapacity
has worked that Castro stands out
head and shoulders above the ranks
of republic wreckers.
Naked Besgars Not Unusual.
-. In Maracaibo, FeneZuela'S second
city, naked women and children beg
cling in the streets are not an unusual
sight. Impoverished. people of the bet
ter class keep to their homes,and many
a tragedy of want goes on behind
the drawn blinds of the city houses.
The poems of the country districts Is
also destitute, but he gets along bet
ter than the poor of the city. The
greatest and most abject suffering is
seen among the poor of Caracas, where
Saunt, pinched faces tell the story OF
widespread want
There is little demand for labor.
while at the same time food prices
are abnormally high Salt fish. for
instance, which forms a big item in
the menu Of the poor. narmetaoinrdl
the menu of the poor, normally sells
for FIVE cents pound. Now salt hSh
cost 16 cents a pound because Cas-
tro salt monopoly has more than
doubled the price of that article.
The cattle industry has gone to ruin
because monopoly Of the export trade
is in the hands of vice-President Go
mez. Castro's temporary successor.
Cattle raiSerS are compelled to take
any price he may offer. and as this
price is usually so low as to leave no
profit whatever for the cattle raiser.
most Of them have abandoned the bus
mess altogether. This has impover-
ished large localities that formerly
prospered on the cattle trade.
No careoes for Steamers.
This sort Of grating has been over
done: il has been carried so far as
TO kill the goose that laid the golden
eggs. There is no use in having an
export IQCuOQolS UI4eSS. v SNS[0SAd -
so dead that the Hamburg-American
line has wired its La Guayra agent
that its sailings in April and May
viii not touch at Venezuelan ports. be-
cause there are not sufficient carSoes
to warrant a landing.
Another harbinger OF trouble is the
disappearance of gold coin and the de-
cline in the value Of the silver with
which the government is flooding the
country '.Printing-press money" was
porphesied as Casuo's next move IN
less he was successful in raising a
loan in the United States Germany.
Italy. England and France have re-
fused to loan him money. but he clings
to the idea that some power will help
him out.
Real estate values have greatly de-
creased everywhere in Venezuela. and
the population of Caracas has dwin-
died from $4,000 to $4,000. In the face
of these facts and the diminished
trade OF the country nobody but Cas-
tro expects that loan could be float
ed. and two of his underlinSS declined
the task of raising money abroad.
"Monopolized- Everything in Sight
If the graft derived from the Orinoco
steamship company, the Caracas gas
works. the match, rum, cigarette, cat
Tie. salt. postage-stamp- gambling
house and other uaonopolies had gone
into the Venezuelan treasury. Castro
would not have been looking for for
eign loan. All these monopolies have
hoo, Immensely nroftab1e hut tf,e