The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1909-04-12
NEW CONCERT OF POWERS.

When the French steamer Guada-
loupe, on the way to several points in
the West Indies, Central America and
South America, reached the French
island of Guadalupe, recently, with
Cipriano Castro aboard, the authorities
forbade him to land, although the
steamer was to remain there ten or
twelve hours. Later he ~as almost
forcibly elected from French territory
at Martinique. He will be shut out of
Colon, in the republic of Panama, when
the steamer reaches that port Eng
lands Island Of Trinidad, at which he
was to reside for a short time, accord
ing to the program published When he
set out on his return to this side of
the Atlantic, has suddenly been
closed to him. BY instructions just
sent out from London, which We're
unknown to Castro, and which prob
ably still are unknown to him, unless
ne learned about them when the
steamer reached Guadalupe, the au-
thorities in Trinidad are directed 20
prevent him from landing at Port of
Spain or anywhere else in Trinidad.
Holland has raised the bars against
him at Willemstad and every other
point in the Island OF Curacao. The
republic of Colombia has closed ner
ports to him.
In this concert among the powers
placing Castro under the ban, the
United States has taken an active part.
1t was the cabled request from Sec
rotary Knox to London which closed
Trinidad to him. England was dis
posed to ignore Castro unless he did
something which would seem like a
menace to the peace of Venezuela, but
out of friendship for the United States
she has refused to let him step ashore
at any of her ports in the West In
dies United States influence is seen
in a direct way in the intefdict raised
against him by our ward, Panama.
Colombia had reason to dislike Castro
while he was at Caracas, and not much
persuasion by us was needed to get
her to close her door against him.
France and Holland have reasons of
their own for distrusting him. His
feud with the French Cable company
caused France, a year or two ago to
Sound" the American government as
to the lengths to which she could go
in disciplining Castro and the under
standing was that everything short of
permanent occupation of Venezuelan
territory would be permitted. But the
sober second thought persuaded
France that. with the Morocco dispute
and other issues near home on her
hands. "a demonstration against Ven
ezuela would be inadvisable. Holland
had established a virtual blockade of
some of Venezuela's ports when Cas-
tro left. a few months ago, on his
visit to Europe. France and Holland
have as good reasons as the United
States for keeping this mischief-maker
out of their territory in the neighbor-
hood of his old realm.
But what if Castro lands at La
Guaira, NeneZuela's leading seaport
Nobody except Venezuela can stop him
from getting off the Guadalupe al
that port. La Guaira is only twenty
miles by railway round the mountains
from Caracas, Venezuela's capital, and
only six miles as the crow flies. Just
before starting on his return to this
side of the Atlantic Castro boosted
that he would go to Venezuela, punish
his "traitorous friends" 'depose the
usurper," President Juan Vicente Co.
mez. and regain his old power. Just af.
ter he left Bordeaux on his trip tt
this side of the water the Venezuelan