Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-08-11
In Defense of President Castro

ment he represents, the act receives
no official criticism.
In 1883 President Cleveland forced
the retirement of the British ambaS-
sador at Washington, Lord Sackyii!e-
West. for an offense directly parallel
to thai OF Mr.. De Reuss-writinG an
offensive letter that gained publica-
ton. The American people unani-
mously upheld Mr.. Cleveland in that
instance, and no international com
plication followed Americans are
now inhibited from criticism of Pres
ident Castro for acting ON similar
lines in precisely similar case.
For the sake of illustration. sup
pose that Mr.. Bryce. the present es-
, teemed ambassador of Great Britain
at Washington. should write or state
for publication opinions designed to
affect the result Of the approaching
Presidential election. Can we doubt
that his warm personal friend, Pr"si-
dent Roosevelt. would send him pack
ing in short-metre time?
There is no apparent reason to be-
lieve that Castro'S action in the case
Of the minister of Holland has any
more International Significance than
would that of MIR. Roosevelt in the
suppositiCus case
Ill
There has been disseminated wide
ly in the press Of the United States,
rec emily, translation of what pnr-
ported to be an interview given by
n
of lie Matin. an influential paper IN
Paris. In this publication Castro Is
credited with saying many things OF
a boastful and irritating nature. HE
is reputed to have ended the inter
view thus:
Il have no fear OF Europe. All the
powers may form coalition, but
Venezuela will remain unconquerabie
as long as am living"
This whole interview has been eX-
plicitly denied and repudiatcd by
President Castro. through his official
organ. FL Constitutional, of Caracas,
in these words:
What right has lie Matin to invent
an interview? Either lie Matin lies
CT the so-callcd Venezuelan cores
pendent lies. 1t would be praise
worthy if the French government
would investigate and expose the
truth"
There is familiar sound in this
vigorous denial and to the open
minded reader it carries conviction.
An editorial in the Evening News.
- printaH Vulv 90
shows pCintcdIy the reaction that is
taking place in this country against
the campaign of falsehood OF which
President Castro has Eeen the sub
ject. The writer says:
1T is entirely possible that Castro
Is much more Of statesman than
he has been accredited with being;
that the Venezuelans find in his firm
and, up to the present moment. trl-
umphant administration of state al
fairs a greater satisfaction than Is
generally believed. 1t is also possible
that he is less INSCRIPTIONS in HIS
dealings than his detactors Will al
low. In fact, there are those who
know him personally and who have
been intimately associated with him,
who insist that this Is the case. II
is evident. at any rate. that II the
claims urged against his government
were uncloaded he would have been
brought to hook long ago. and the
fact that these claims have not been
urged. even to the point Of war. is
clear indication that they constitute
NO ca:sus belli. :" II not even
Holland has a legitimate excuse for
giving him a drubbing. it will be time
to reconstruct our opinions OF the
man, and to inquire whether there IS
not a strong and able ruler to the
south Of us instead Of an object OF
contempt and abuse"