New-York tribune., 1907-07-14
VENEZUELA IN DEBT.
UORK OF CONSPIRATORS.
4drantage Taken Of Castro's Nor
bid Igent Congress- s Ercnse.


Caracas June 81 CspeciaD.-one week after
having surprised everybody by opening Congress
in person and making three improvised speeches
10 that body. President Castro. who once pro-
pheucally said that ne would fight and conquer
nature if the occasion arose. had to lament in
reading his biennial message the unsatisfactory
condition Of NenezueIas finances. due 10 grave
irregularities during the nine months OF his dan
gerous Illness. when he was totally inCapacitated
from administering the affairs Of the nation
General Castro had converted the debt Of
% 600 600 bolivars, which he had found the ma
ton owing To the Bank Of Venezuela in 1900.
into a cash surplus II 1000. 600 boyars last year
when h" stricken down This had now dis
appeared. and there a debt To the bank Of
100000 boljvars instead. An unexplained short
age OF 4o0oo0o bolivars in the accounts of the
Minister of Finance and the refusal " Congress
To accept that officials memorial caused cab
met crisis last week. and President Castro aC-
cepted the resignation of the entire ministry.
Ranking directors Of departments are now acting
ministers pending the appointment Of the new
Cabinet
Ranking the accepted fact. during the first
few months Of the year. that Castro not
going 70 live. high officials and even ministers.
who We're In the plot 10 overthrow the constitu-
uon and Nice-Presideut Gomez by coup d'etat
on General Castros death. are said TO have reck-
lessly squaudcred public funds I'm strengthening
their political position and bank accounts. and
uela would have been In the throes Of civil war
which would have come with the uuConsJitu-
uonal usurpatOn ~ the Presidency. The i'm
provement in his health. and his discovery OF
the plot 10 undo the structure which he had
laboriousiy built. the igual FOR the downfall
q the pIotterS. aud gradually they have been
Weeded out Of the administration and the gov
erumeut has been reo~ganZcd 10y the appoint
ment Of men T>>al To Vice President Gomez and
10 Castro. General Gomez is the closest
man iu the councils OF Castro. and the Continu-
ance Of the four years OF peace is assured.
Lamentns the backward march OF Venezuela
during his Illness and considering il q great
triumph for himself and for Venezuela that dur
ing that period the peace of the nation was
maintained. President Castro said in his mes
sage.
1t is morufyng to me in high degree not TO be
able 10 present To- You an accounting In accordance
with my ideas and plans You know. do the
Venezuelan people that this has In no way de-
pended my viii: on the contrary L has been
mortlfying 10 me that during one year have been
deprived Of the action and efficient service with
which ! am accustomed 10 discharge official
duties We Will respect the designs OF Providence.
which have decrced this
What docs IT mean How must We interpret
this epoch when, Notwithstanding the grave condl-
tiou of ms health. the Venezuelan people main
taiued themselves serene and tranquil without the
political perturoatonS and comnotoas OF other
times, which used produce fratricidal with
out any practical results SO necessary -or the in
ciPleut growth of "a rcpuhhc' In my opinion. aS
patient and austere citizen. consider this fact
a triumph, or rather very important advance,
I'm view OF which losses, II there have been
any, of q purely immaterial and passing char
acter. which with common sense We can remedy in
a short time.
Notwithstanding the recen- demand OF Secre-
tary Root Venezuela for an Immediate settle
ment or arbitration Of five American claims pre-
sented by Minister Russell early in April and
promptly refused by President Castro the latter
spoke these words Of friendship toward the
United States and its representatives:
our relations with the government OF the United
States have continued absolutely cordial and
friendly since the time that was pleased 10 re-
ceivc i'm this capital his excellency William W
Russell in the character Of Envoy Extraordinary
ana Minister PIenluotentiary. In an af.able and a
coucilatory way this distinguished diplomat has
contributing the disappearance OF the harShness.
which. contrary 10 my wishes and demonstrated
sympathy toward the North American nation. had
been caused by the discussion Of some matters
with American citizens
President Castro dlsclajmed all responsibility
in his message for the continuance OF the sew
cred diplomatic relations with France. which
arose from lis quarrel with NJ TaiSny. French
charge d'affaires at Caracas, and resulted in the
Iatter's uncererouious and undignihed depart
ure last year against his viii ON a French packet
boat. He says;
You viii also sec in the memorial Of the Minister
for Foreign Affairs the reason for the continuance
Of the unfortunate interruption I'm the diplomatic
relations with France. without this meaning that
Venezuela has not wished tho renewal of these re-
and consequently n has not been the tduit
OF it's government nor viii 1t ever b" ITS fault that
these relations not good footing, as Is the
case with the other nations.
TIE answer Of Congress to the Presidents
message speaks of the penury Of the treasury
and the notable diminution of the customs re-
ceipts.'
The uainful and long sickness which you have suf-
fered and which brought about the almost complete
paralyzation of official lie during the lhterhinabie
days when vour active intelligence and unTeplace-
ahie direction were lacking the principal rea-
son why We doubtful of the present and without
fajtb II, the future fell into the soTrowful state Of
coumotfon and penury to which you refer: be-
caus4 fun of fear and with confidence,
VarazueIans have lived with attention concen-
trsted on your sickbed, just II the morbid agent
which was attacking your organism would also
undermine our national existence