Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-23
New Regime Replaces
Castro Government.
CONTINUED from Page One.)

doing l saved more tnan my peTSoHdi
existence; l maintained the manly
prestige Of the chief magistracy or
the republic and it is my ambition to
convert it into a fountain Of good for
all VeneZuelans.
Il have constituted a cabinet repro
senting the public opinion OF Venezuela
and with the collaboration OF my
ministers l intend to enforce the con-
stitutional guarantee. to respect the
autonomy of the various states OF
| the Venezuelan republic. to protect To-
| cal industries against odious manlpula-
tions, to find a decOrous and paclflc So
luton of our international disputes, TO
! live at peace and with harmony at
home and abroad and to permit the law
alone to hold undisputed sovereignty
| throughout the land
| The composition of the new cablnet
| is regarded as representative and as
holding good promise for successful adj
ministration. NuonZ Tebar, the ni1nls-
| ter of finance, is a noted engineer ana
| in 1889 he was a candidate for the
Presidency. Gen. Regulo Olivares. the
new minister of war, is regarded as one
| of the best military men in Venezuela
tOudV, SGlOE NldiOoi iSo, SiC AAS" -'---
| lister of public institutions, is another
| OF considerable note and has galneu
high reputation as an ocullst. oeIlor
Alcantara, the minister of the interior,
was for many years President OF the
state of Aragua. He is considered as
likely candidate for the Presidency.
Rafael Carabano, the new minister OF
development, (Fomento) is young
military leader of much prestige.
Gonzales Guinaud, the new minister
Of foreign affairs, was prominent In
affairs of state during the epoch OF
Guzman Bianco, and he enjoys great
influence throughout the entire repub-
lie. The minister of public works, Rob-
erto Vargas, is a general OF note, a
brave fighter, and a man considered TO
have a brilliant future.
It is generally admitted that the new
cabinet is a strong one and especially
well qualified to handle any possible
contingencies.
Acting President Gomez has given
orders that all the political prisoners
in Venezuela be set at liberty.
CiprianO Castro is man OF humble
origin. His father was a stock raiser
i'll the Andes near the Colombian bor-
der. He is swarthy of complexion,
slight in stature, of wiry strength. and
has piercing black eye. He shows his
Indian extraction.
Like most Venezuelan Presidents
Castro went into Office at the head OF
d successful rebellion. He drove out
President Andrade and entered Cara
cas- Oct. "a, 1899. Much has been said
of President Castro that lacks the con-
firmation of unbiased observers. He has
been freely maligned by his many enc
mics and there have been few to take
up the cudgels in his behalf with con-
viction, consequently he has been given
a reputation worse than he deserved.
tte has shown remarkable courage, de-
termination, perseverance and political
skill in conducting Venezuela through
nine years of stormy life. He has had to
contend with powerful revolutionary
movements at home, and at times with
The combined action against him by
sea, of Germany, Great Britain, France
and Italy. This occurred in 1902 and
was for the purpose of making Nen-
ezuela fulfill it's obligations to those
powers Castro's Quarrels with the
powers have resulted in the severance
Of diplomatic relations between Ven
ezuela and Holland, France, the Unit
ed States, Colombia, etc, and as long
as Castro was in power there was, ap-
parently, little hope of reaching any
settlement of these various misunder-
standings.
| There have been several revolution
ary uprisings against Castro during
| his tenure of office. The most notable
was the Mattos movement IN 1902
| backed by powerful interests outside OF
Venezuela. This Castro succeeded In
crushing by defeating the Mattos
forces on Oct. 2e. 1902, with grea,
slaughter at a place called La Vic
| toria. not far from Caracas.
President Castro's strong and re.
| vengeful hand made him probably the
most hated of recent Venezuelan Pres.
| dents and under his control the busl-
ness and commerce Of Venezuela have
suffered incalculably. 1t is said of him
that he did not loot the government
treasury, as has been the custom with
his predecessors. but that he acquired
the wealth which he is said to have
sent to Europe before him by taking
into his own hands and shutting ou
all competition some of the mos
| profitable enterprises and industries
in the country. He governed hard, ant
for the benefit Of the clique at Caracas
who were his favorites.
| Castro is known to have been i'll fol
| several years, but just what was the
! matter with him never developed. 1t /:
believed he has some malady of ths
kidneys. He has, at times, been so il
that his life was despaired of. His go
ing to Europe for medical treatment
was absolutely unexpected. He mad'
the announcement of his departure Q
hours before he left Caracas.
1t has been said that the idea 0
medical attention was blind and tina
the President realized the way th
wind was blowing In Venezuela ant
Rad determined to get safely ava.
while there was still time. Upon arriv
ing in France there was a question a
to how the French government woult
receive Castro. inasmuch as diplomats
relations between France and Ven
ezuela were non-existent France final