Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-07
PEACE WITH CASTRO
GOMEZ AND THE RULER HAVE
BURIED THE RATCHET.

CARACAS, March 6 (via San Juan Porto
Rico, March).-The following authoritative
explanation of the meaning of the recent
conference at Macuto, near La Guayra, be-
tween President Castro and Vice President
Gomez was obtained by the Associated
Press:
The original cause of the enlargement
between the president and the vice presi-
dent of Venezuela was trivial, but President
Castros illness and the injured pride of
Vice President Gomez enabled designing
| ministers to poison President Castro's mind
against Vice President Gomez until the es-
arrangement became complete. Certain min
isterial acts antagonizing the vice president
were made to appear as emanating from
President Castro himself. The presi lent
who was in ignorance of this situation, won-
dered why his former good friend did not
visit him, and he finally concluded that the
stories that Vice President Gomez was in
triguing to seize the presidency were we'll
founded.
Firm in the belief that President Castro
would never recover sufficiently to call them
to account, certain members of the min
istry who desired Gen. Alcantara for dicta-
| tor recently evinced their hostility against
the wrong man. They forbade Gomesindo
Rivas. proprietor of Ell Constitutional, to
print editorial articles bearing on politics.
Senior Rivas is strong character and a
friend of both Vice President Gomez and
Gen. Castro. Deciding to take a step for
the best interests of all concerned, Senior
Rivas at once proceeded down to Macuto in
an endeavor to learn if the order against
his newspaper had the sanction of the
president. He saw Gen. Castro and it
speedily developed that the president was
ignorant of the issuance of this order.
Thereupon Senior Rivas Informed President
Castro fully of the political developments
of the last five months, to the reported
amazement of the president.
Slow Death for Castro.
Within forty-eight hours the people of the
capital were astonished by the news that
President Castro had sent for Vice Presi-
dent Gomez At the end of ten minutes
the differences between the two old friends
had been explained, and both men were
happy in the reconciliation. The talk be-
tween them lasted for two hours, during
which it was agreed that future political
action by President Castro would have as
its basis the combined interests of Gomez
and Castro.
The wounds from the last opera ton per-
formed upon President Castro have healed,
and with the permission of all his doc
tors he sat Up for brief time. Unless
unforeseen complications occur, 1t Is pre-
dicted that the president will return to Ca
racas within a month. This does not mean,
however that he will completely recover,
for it is certain that President Castro never
Will be the same man again. HIS ulSedSt
has reached a stage where death follows
only by the slow destruction OF the tissues,
and every authoritative source unites in
the statement that the immediate danger
is over.
Important administrative changes are
promised when President Castro returns
to Caracas. This means that those minis
tiers, who have acted upon the assumption
that President Castro would die viii be
made after all to give an account OF their
husbandry.
Dodge Charges Forgotten.
Rudolph Dodge, the former consular agent
of the United States at Caracas who re-
Gently filed charges Of corruption against
certain Venezuelan government officials
and then resigned, has been saved from ex-
pulsion from Venezuela. Two weeks ago
the ministers were very angry over Mr..
Dolge's charges and had determined to
send him out of the country. They were
considering the best means to this end
when President Castros condition took
sudden turn for the worse. all the doctors
save one declaring that his death was the
matter of a few days only.
The problems which the death of the pres
ident would have brought to the ministers
occupied their attention to the exclusion
of all other matters. Mr.. Dodge and his
charges were forgotten, and it is not prob
able now that any action Will be taken. In
the. meanwhile the courts have rendered
another important decision upholdinS the
validity of Mr.. Dolges claim against the
intervening interests.
Mr.. Dodge is resident director of the ORR
noco corporation, and his charges We're to
the effect that certain prominent officials
were Implicated in an attempt to rob the
corpora ton of its valuable rights in the
Orinoco delta.