Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-05-21


sional president" for six years. WheI
that time expires he will be eligible fol
n regular election again.
With Castro in power the Venezuelan
congress became as useless as the pow
erless senate of degenerate Rome. Il
met only to sing the praises of Castro
Days were spent In an attempt to find
a title to fit his august person. "Grand
marshal of the armies of Venezuela
1.-The marshal of victory and 'the
founder of peace" We're weighed and
found wanting At last the inspiration
came. Hail him Castro, the restorel
of Venezuela" it was suggested. And
1t was so decreed.
The most eXtravagant laudation was
poured out upon him. He was some
thing sublime something omnipotent,
irresistible, as a sign to the nations,
the bright, refulgent star to which the
world turned in admiration and awe,
to all of which Castro bowed his mod.
est head and replied:
But / ought to declare that / am
hardly more than the agent of some
thing superior that watches over the
fortunes of virtuous people, of nation.
called to fulfill the high destinies of
civilization and of progress"
With his enemies dead, confined in
dungeons. driven into exile or cowed
into submission. Castro had time to de,
vote to "a vigorous foreign policy
There were various outstanding claims
against Venezuela. These claims We're
held in Great Britain, Germany, Italy,
France, Spain, Belgium, Holland. Nor
way. Sweden and the United States.
All of these nations tried to collect
Castro and his predecessors showed
the collectors the door or made prom.
ises that were intended to be broken
Finally Great Britain. Germany and
Italy combined in 1902 in a blockade
of the Venezuelan ports. Then Castro
remembered the Monroe doctrine and
appealed to the United States The
American minister. Herbert w. Bowen.
was given full power by Castro tC
make an agreement with the creditors
who came collecting with warships
Mr. Bowen suggested The Hague tri.
bunal rs n source of arbitration. The
suggestion was accepted. The Hague
decided that Venezuela should pay n
certain per cent of its revenues to its
creditors. Castro agreed Mr. Bowen
returned to Venezuela and found thai
Castro was already cheating his cred.
itors.
Castro has played equally fast and
loose with the United States. The Eu.
ropcan nations were merely creditors
Castro hates the United States. The
United States overshadows Venezuela
Therefore Castro's star is dimmed.
The most solemn promises and pledges
to the United States have been broken
and Castro has sought to gain support
abroad by giving concessions to Euro
peans.
Castro justifies his confscation Of
American concessions by the assertion
that they were secured Illegally. II
would be tax on credulity to believe
that this We're not true But Castro
cannot cover himself with the cloak of
morality. That stolen from the nation
is not restored to the people even if
Castro be the "restorer." 1t goes in.
stead into the pockets of Castro and his
gang. Al visitors to Venezuela agree
that the country is being robbed shame.
lessly. Taxes are confiscatory. Indus
try is stunted. The spoil goes to Cas-
tro and his supporters.
Castro is immensely wealthy. There
are several courses open to him. He
may flee to some other country and
spend the rest of his life in luxury. He
might be able to continue his rule in
definitely. \ revolution may drive him
from power or an assassin may cut
short his career. The future may be
judged by the past in Venezuela as
elsewhere. The safest prophecy is that
Castro's fate is bound up in one of the
last two possibilities.