The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-06-23
Graduation Exercises
HOneSdale High School
CONTINUED from Page 1.)

gresham on his first visit to
Caracas, then he became the
Governor of a small state, and
finally when Crespo was defeat
ed by his revolutionary success
sor Andrade, Castro refused to
recognize the revolutionists
and was forced fugitive over
the border into Colombia. Cas-
tro collected a force of sixty
men and started for Caracas.
On the way his army was
greatly increased and he march,
ed into the capitol assuming
control of the government. In
person he is slight. below med
ium height, with wiry, rest
less, surpassed energy. He
is sensitive about his slight
size, and the few portraits of
him have been carefully re-
touched to suggest heavy,
thickset, square-shoul d + G d
man, with a massive jaw and
a coarse, thick, black beard.
From the earliest day of his
ascendency he bent his ener-
gies to the building up of a
serviceable army. The Vene-
zuelan army is a blind instru-
ment, built so by Castro, and
, one that no longer wavers
from one revolutionary leader
to another. During these years
Castro's one aim was to make
the Government secure and
stable. He improved his army,
and built two strong forts, La
Guayra and Puerto to protect
himself from foreign foes. At
this time he commenced his
most important work for the
Venezuelan future. This was
the making of Puerto Cabello,
real port of entry which was
very necessary as Venezuela
had no proper harbor. Among
the numerous other things
which he started was: Building
new roads throughout the
country, establishing schools,
extending lines of communica-
tion in all directions, repaving
of Caracas, and erecting many
public buildings.
The first menace to Castro's
government and administration
was quarrel with Holland, the
latter county claiming that
Castro had boycotted Curacao.
For few years all was success
but finally came the Nlatos rev.
olution. This Matos came to
New York and obtained $780,
coo from the Asphalt Trust for
financing the revolution. which
ne was to lead. Then followed
enc of the bloodiest civil wars
in history. At first Castro ap-
peared to be vanQuished but
with his determination he fl
nally became victor. The next
trouble was with the French
Cable Company whom he charg-
ed to have aided Matos with
military information. These
disputes spread Castro before
the world as an absurd, buster
ing creature, without ability
or intelligence, whose only
characteristic was an insatiate
and reckless greed. But Cas-
trO's continuous successes be-
gan to have their usual effect.
He came to believe in his
Star of Destiny, that to disagree
with him was to dispute the
greatest intelligence and ability
in the country; backed by the
divine will of Providence. Cas-
tro now commenced to nation
aliZe many industries among
winch was the cigarette indus
try which hurt Castro much
and was in fact, the real foun-
dation for the widespread dis
content and hatred of the last
Two years that existed in
Venezuela.
A short time ago the strain
upon Castro became too severe
and he decided to go to Ger
any for treatment. His end
il it is the end fails in a some
what melancholy way to con-
tinue one of the most cherish
ed Caribbean traditions.
When Castro left for Europe,
apparently to consult physicians,
the many who knew the inside
of Latin-American politics
quietly winked the other eye.
But, as a matter of fact, he
was i'll, and, contrary to ro-
mantle tradition, he had the
strange taste to attempt to re-
turn to his own country. The
little Venezuelan was very real
persona great one in a way.
He came out of the western
mountains, mere nothing at
all, and made himself king, as
it were, and it is not at all easy
to say that he ruled badly.
RECENT GEOGRAPHICAL DIS
COVERIES,
By Abigail NJ. Baird.
We can scarcely believe af-