Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-19
Under the Palm Trees.

to work. Eighteen cadets were shot IN
the prison yard. The occasion was fur
Their made the pretext for the execution
of thirty citizens who had been imprs-
onad at the time Of the previous disturb
ance, and new arrests were made to take
the places in the bastile they had made
vacant
Because of the hatred that the people
bear to the president and those oft-re-
peated attempts to take his life he Is
virtual prisoner in his palace. He dare
not leave its confines. and 1t is with APP
prehension that he shows his face at a
window. His guards are objects OF sus-
picion. and he will trust no creature to
prepare his food save the old Indian
mother. who watches constantly over him.
He has the power Of the despot, hut no
more freedom than the citizens In his
dungeons. He has untold wealth. yet
he may not go abroad for a pleasure
jaunt. nor could he realize on his pos
sessions and retire to Europe any more
than one of his wealthy subjects could
sell his property and leave the country.
And in these latter facts lies one Of the
most novel peculiarities arising from tho
particular form of government that has
here been built up and the financial sys-
tation owner, for instance. may dispose
of his property without the consent of
the government
A transfer of property is not valid un-
less the government issues clearance of
tax dues, and this will not be issued ex-
cept where 1t is to the advantage Of the
president. The result is that the present
owners. VINO have been developed into
remarkable revenue producers for the
president, are kept In possession of the
property. which otherwise they might sell
10 some foreigner whose country would
not allow him to be treated as the ma
tive owners are continually treated
Salvador Harara recently executed. was
the mead or the native property owners
VINO paid constant tribute to the presi-
dent. For example. when that dignitary
wanted million dollars he sent word to
twenty wealthy men that they should de-
liver to him 500 each within two
days. III there was a failure to meet
the demand there was the alternative of
the dungeon. These men, though wealthy.
could not dispose OF their property and
go else" here to live Some one among
them is now and again being offered as a
sacrifice to his inability or indtsposition
TO meet the demands Of the president
A similar condition strange to saw
applies to the president. He Is very
wealthy but ne may not retire. He
cannot escape the awful dangers that
daily surround him. He is the keystone
: In the military oligarchy that holds the
country in subsection. His presence is
necessary to its existence and the men
who are with him in it's administration
would not allow him to retire Further
than this. there would be no place Oh
earth where he would be safe. for the
relatives of men he has murdered would
seek him out and kill him. He is the
victim of the system he has built up and
can do nothing but wait the coming of
the time of his taking off.
Cabrera Is Gentleman.
Despite all this, President Cabrera il
the mildest hammered of men. The men
who know him personally pronounce him
the most agreeable of companions ele-
CANT and courtly in his manner, master
of the fine art of diplomacy, cultured and
elegant He was a lawyer in an
adjoining state before going into
politics. His father was of Spanish
ancestry and his mother was an Indian
woman OF lowly station. He compares
favorably with the high class Europeans
In culture and refinement, as for that
matter. do the general run of the better
class Guatemalans His tyranny is
probably that of weakness rather than
of strength, for the greatest tyrants of
history have been weak rulers.
A traveller among the people finds al
most universal discomfort with the ex-
listing government Nine men out of
ten who can be induced to, conscientious
1y. express an opinion will decry 1t and
clamor for anything in exchange IL
you are an American and become init
mate with a native he will demonstrate
with you because your government does
not interfere. He will protest against
the fact that We have gone to the
Philippines and Cuba and have not come
to Central America The cry is for the
United States to take them over AS a mat
allow Mexico to do so. This latter
Mexico would probably have done long
ago but for the protestation of this
country
Present All the Time.
The traveller finds no trouble in enter
ing Guatemala. While there however.
he is secretly warned by friends IL he
chances to have any who know, that he
should be careful of his utterances. On
all sides spies. In his hotel. for
instance, all the servants are spies in the
service of the government. 1t is one of
the Motel mans secrets that he may not
discharge or employ servant. If one
leaves or falls ill he must apply to the
police who will furnish another. These
watch carefully every traveller. All pas
sengers leaving the city Of Guatemala
must give their names to the police at the
station. At the first and second and
third stations out a list of the passengers
is again taken by the secret service men.
Where there is shade of political sus-
picion the passenger is not allowed to
depart.
Yet the scene of all this tragedy is
fair land ard full of latent possibilities.
It's area is greater than that OF New
England and its population approaches
oCOOOOO souls. Its capital Is one OF
four in the world that has been made to
order. Antigua. the old one. having been
destroyed by earthquake $50 years ago.
and Guatemala City. 5000 feet above the
sea in the mountains. having been
specially laid out to replace It. 1t is
city of beauty with 100000 people, and
every modern Improvement. save the
horse car. of which New York can boast.
Yet the things that exist governmentally
about them that the world may not
know