Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-05-21
VENEZUELA, GAME
COCK OF NATIONS,
Latin Republic That May Feel
the big Sticks" Weight.
ITS RULER AN AUTOCRAT.

Years and Violated All Rules of Di-
piomacy-A Farmer Boy Who Is
Now immensely Wealthy.
The noisy little bantam that makes
sharp discord in the barnyard of ma.
tions-that is Venezuela. Changing the
metaphor, Venezuela is the tormenting
aggravating small boy who escapes the
chastisement he so richly deserves be.
cause the big boys he posters are afraid
of being called bullies if they strike SO
small an antagonist.
But there is always some one who
eventually takes the clamoring infant
terrible over his knee and administers
the right remedy in the proper place,
and events appear to be pointing that
duty to the United States, the self ap-
pointed and unthanked guardian of the
Latin republics, says the Kansas City
Star Several European nations have
had the noisy pest in the proper atti
tude and the slipper poised to apply the
smart, but the United States has al
ways felt in duty bound to regretfully
Nterpose the Monroe doctrine to stay
the Christening hand. Now Europe may
have the pleasure of seeing us put our
obstreperous ward in the closet until he
promises to be good, as plans are be
ing elaborated in detail for the mobili-
zation of n joint military and naval
force In Venezuelan waters as soon as
possible after President Roosevelt OBJ
tains congressional sanction to resort
to force against Castro. 1t may not be
deemed necessary by the administration
to make this martial demonstration. but
the war and navy departments are both
mapping out tentative military move
ment.
There is only one explanation of Ven
ezuelas insufferable insolence. The
'1and of stand still" believes 1t is the
peer, if not the superior, of any power
on the globe and able to hold its own
with the warrior nations of the earth.
One man more than any other is re-
sponsible for this exalted national ego
tism. That man is Cipriano Castro.
One almost falls into the old language
Of royalty and adds "by the grace of
God" president of Venezuela, for Cas-
tro the ignorant, Castro the relentless,
rules as if by divine right just as des-
politically by grace of the farcical suf-
frage of the Venezuelans as does Mich
olas In Russia or Abdul Hamid in Tur
key
Ignorant Cipriano Castro may be, but
ne is not unintelligent. If history both
ers with him at all it must do him the
Justice of admitting that he is states.
man subtle enough to have sailed the
stormy seas of International diplomocy
for nine years and escaped the punish
ment richly earned by playing one ma
tion's cuptdity against the anger of an
other TO the end that Venezuela has al
ways managed to slip away and leave
the bag in the other fellows hand.
Something about this extraordinary
man is necessary to a correct under
standing of a situation that has ex-
hausted the patience of President Roose.
velt and caused Secretary Root to say
that diplomacy could do nothing more.
1t may explain a little of his character
to tell that there IS Indian blood in his
veins. He was born In an obscure vii
lage in the mountains, and the fact that
he is an "Andlno" (born in the Andes
is one of his greatest blemishes in the
eyes of the aristocrats of the nation.
That he has risen in spite of that great
drawback is only one more proof of the
mans natural ability.
First farmer boy, Castro later
worked in his fathers store, where
liquor and groceries were sold. Among
the lads of the village he was a leader,
and he early established n reputation
as a rider and fighter. Some writers
have called Castro coward. He is
not. He fights, and he fights we'll
No enemy has ever found him a lag
gard in war. The sword raised him to
power That he is ready. if need be, to
quit the palace for the field makes his
sway secure.
Castro, the boy, got what education
the inadequate village school afforded
lie supplemented this with reading
and it is certain that he can speak
and write fluently He is densely ig-
norant writer's assert, of the power
and extent OF the nations outside of
Venezuela. He has been heard to de-
clare that he did not believe there was
finer city in the world than Caracas.
One of those revolutions which are
so common in that part of the world
came when Castro was n young man.
He supported the government and led
the forces of his state against the rev.
olutionists Victory rested with him
so persistently that, in the extravagant
Spanish-American style. he was hailed
as the "cOnqueror never conquered"
But Castro's valor did not avail. The
revolution triumphed. Castro fled into
exile. For six years he remained on
a ranch in Columbia.
Among Castro's literary acquisitions
was a life of Napoleon The noun
taineer saw in himself Il counternart
of the Corsican Castro took unto him
self star and became n man of des-
tiny. The spirit of revolution stirred
within him. A handful Of his noun.
taineers rallied under the banner of
revolt which he raised
That feat which Castro now attempt
ed was no task for coward. 1t was SEQ
miles over the toughest trails to the
capital, where death would be the poF-
tlon or defeat Perhaps In an earlier
age or more historic cline that
march might be compared to Hanni