The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-08-21
From the New York Press.


 back from the Venezuelan coast a new man, and brings a scripful of tales about "The General" as that blusterous brigand, Castro, likes to call himself. He did not go ot Caracas, but borrowed the pursers s coat and the doctors uniform cap and took in' La Guayra, which he styles "a suualid little hole.'' The fishing is good there. He tried to persuade the captain to hitch the steam derrick to George Gould's old yacht. which now con- stitutes the navy of Venezuela, hoist her on board and sail off with her, but the captain, being an Englishman, couldn't see the joke and there was nothing do- ing. T am sorry I did not do it on my own account" says Forman, flor l am sure a couple of Yankee schoolboys could capture the Venezuelan navy with bean shooters.
 ''The general cherishes an unquenchable affection for certain brand of English ale. The dock laborers in La Guayra went on strike, ships were unable to discharge cargoes, trade was at a standstill. Castro was apepaled to. He replied: 'I am no despotl I am President of republic or free men, and nothing could induce me to interfere with the God-given right or noble citizens who elected me strike II they see fit" few days passed and the presidential stock of ale was getting low. A Royal Mail steamer was due next day with a consignment for the generals eel lars. and this message was telephoneo from the palace to the port wardens at La Guayra: Have every dock laborer at work by noon; any man who refuses 10 go to work shoot him. The strike was ended and the ale was landed
 .aThe Kaiser sent a warship on tour of noliteness among the Central and South American republics. The admiral was ordered to stop off wherever there was a 2-cent President and offer him Willie's love. All went as merry as marriage bell until the admiral struck Venezuela. Castro was not to be seen- He has a habit of disappearing for days at a time in congenial feminine company tanlSing up. The Kaiser's representative hung around the palace for six hours ana let loose some vigorous German remarks. Finally Castro loomed up. The admirai ventured to express his annoyance 'No-
 
 hodv asked you to come! exclaimed Cas- tro. q don't want to see you anyhow, and I don't give damn for your greet ings. Get! and the admiral got.
 "Capitalists obtained a concession to supply Caracas with electric light, troll leys. telephones, etc., constructed tneir plant, wired the city and got ready TOT business But nobody rode on their troll levs. cobwebs formed on their telephone instruments and the people seemed to pre- fer darkness rather than light. Then the general stepped in. He mildly rebuked the company for letting it's business get into such a mess, pointed out that It hao forfeited it's franchise and offered so take over the plant at price that would inst about cover its value as old junk. The capitalists, seeing no alternative, ac- cepted the offer-and it was personal offer; no municipal ownership! Lo! lm- mediately after the transfer everypody began to take trolley rides, people held long double-rate conversations over the phone, and the electric lights made Ca- racas look like the Great White Way on New Years Eve The original conces- sionaries cast hints about the price to the general. 'Whatr he exclaimed. You did not suppose I was going to pay you that money! Preposterous! took that money and put 1t into the development of the plant in order to save you from lasting disgrace. You should be grateful to me. Don't talk money to me, else shall get peevish Vamos! Now MT. Cas- tro is the electric company of Venezuela.
 Castro controls the rubber industry, the salt trade, the rum business and other commercial interests. I am told that by almost every mail steamer he sends $l0O,- OOo or SO to be placed to his private &C., count in England or France know that I assisted the purser to snift two