Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-01-01
Rise AND FALL OF CASTRO.


Rise AND FALL OF CASTRO.
How the Son of a Stock Raiser Won
and Lost Power.
Cipriaao Castro Is a man Of humble
, origin. His father was a stock raiser
in the Andes near the Colombian bor-
der. He is swarthy of complexion,
Slight in stature, Of wiry strength and
has a piercing black eye. He shows
his Indian extraction.
Like most Venezuelan presidents,
Castro went into office at the head of
successful revolution. He drove out
President Andrade and entered Cara
cas- October "a, 1895. Much has been
said of President Castro that lacks the
confirmation of unbiased observers.
He has been freely maligned by his
many enemies and there have been few
to take up the cudgels in his behalf
with conviction; consequently he has
been given a reputation worse than he
deserved He has shown remarkable
courage, determination, perseverance
and political skill in conducting Vene-
zuela through nine years of stormy
life. He has had to contend with pow
erful 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 pur-
pose of making Venezuela fulfill its OBJ
legation to the said powers.
Castro's quarrels with the powers
have resulted in the severance Of dip
lomatic relations between Venezuela
and Holland, France, the United States,
Colombia, ETC., and as long as Castro
was in power there was apparently lit
tie hope of reaching any settlement of
these various misunderstanding.
There have been several revolution
airy uprisings against Castro during his
tenure of office. The most notable was
the Mates movement in 1902, backed by
powerful interests outside of Venezue-
la. This Castro succeeded in crushing
by defeating the Matos forces on Oc-
tober 26, 1902, with great slaughter at
La Victoria, not far from Caracas.
President Castros strong and re-
vengeful hand made him probably the
most hated of recent Venezuelan pres
idents, and under his control the busi-
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 out
all competition some of the mcst prof
liable enterprises and industries in the
country He governed hard and for the
benefit Of the clique at Caracas who
were his favorites.
Castro is known to have been Ill for
several years, but just what was the
matter with him never has developed.
It is believed he has some malady OF
the kidneys. He has at times been so
i'll that his life was despaired Of. His
going to Europe for medical treat
ment was absolutely unexpected. He
made the announcement Of his depart
ure twenty-four hours before he left
Caracas. It has been said that the
idea Of medical attention was blind
and that the president realized the way
the wind was blowing in Venezuela
and had determined to get away safe
ly while there was still time.
Upon arriving in France there was q
question as to how the French govern
ment would receive Castro, as diplo-
matte relations between France and
Venezuela were nonexistent. France
finally allowed him to land as a pri-
vate citizen seeking the restoration of
his health. He stayed but a day or
two in Paris, proceeding at once to
Berlin There is no estrangement be-
tween the government of Germany and
tnat cf Venezuela. In Berlin Castro
took accommodations at one Of the
leading hotels and lived extravagantly
until he moved to a private sanitarium,
where he is being treated by a IA
nous Berlin specialist.
The first outbreak Of the populace
against Castro occurred in Caracas
December 49, This was followed by
serious anti Castro rioting on the 14th.
Since this date no news has come
through CT the happenings at Caracas
until yesterday, when dispatch from
Port au Spain, Trinidad, announced the
enforced resignation of the Castro cab
met. This news was followed today by
the stirring and sensational dispatch
sent from Caracas December IS by
steamer to Ponce, Porto Rico, and
thence cabled to New York.