The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1909-01-02

upon the day Castro left, but because of the
fact that the United States had no diplomatic
representation in Castros land no reply was
forthcoming.
throughout the little republic to put the re
storer' back in Office in 1911 when his present
term expires.
Uneasiness on the part of American friends
of Castro was mothered by the recollection of
the flight of President Gozman Blanco who was
alleged to have carried with him to Europe
many millions of Venezuelan gold. Prior to
Blanco's flight he had twice visited Europe
while serving as president.
To the general public. misled by the gibes and
cartoons of the press, President Castro is
greedy obstreperous tyrant. Yet Castro Is not
wholly bad, even measured by Anglo-Saxon
standards and his is Of the most inter-
esting of present day personalities OF hum
BILE origin, he has made himself master of his
country; uneducated in his youth, he has been
for years an earnest, plodding student;
"bluned" by mighty nations, he has called the
bluf and usually made good" plotted against
by dissatisfied politicians of his own land, he
has speedily put down every revolt. That he
is a despot is true, but Venezuela needs des
potic rule almost as much as did Mexico when
Porfirio Diaz became the virtual dictator of
that country. Castro knows, as every student
of Venezuelan affairs knows, that his country
can prosper only when there is reasonable
assurance of lasting peace; and strong hand
is necessary to keep down the schemers whose
oft-recurring conspiracies threaten to cast the
country into the throes Of civil war.
The exploitation of the natural resources
of Venezuela as well the conduct of many
of its industries, is made by law the subject
of concessions granted by the federal govern
ment. Right there comes the severest criti-
cism of Gen. Castro, based on his administra-
ton Of internal affairs. His salary as presi
dent is not nearly adequate to his expenses and
his peculiar brand of patriotism and honesty
will not permit him to steal from the revenues
of the republic Therefore he engages
tensivey in business through friends who nomi
nally act for themselves. In this way he is
partner in various large business houses, which,
presumably through his favor in the matter OF
customs duties and other taxes. are able to
undersell their competitors. When some In
dustry seems especially profitable concession
for it's monopoly is granted by congress to
friend of Castro, for trifing remuneration.
This friend thereupon sells the concession to
foreign capitalists and the price is divided.
One friend Of the president not long ago sold
in Europe concessions for monopoly OF the
manufacture of cigarettes, which Is highly re-
munerative for national bank, which Will
start with the profits and prestige resulting
from handling all public funds, and for the
building and conducting of public and bonded
warehouses.
Arother associate of the chief executive Is
n mariner in a large drug house that offers its
wares at lower prices than can other dealers
in drugs Yet third has the exclusive right
to fmport arms, ammunition and explosives OF
all kinds; he never has imported anything OF
the sort, but merchants who desire to do SO
must pay him we'll for the privilege and his IN
come from this source alone is considerable
Among the later and most Injurious conces-
.,ons granted is that of buying cattle for the
retail meat trade of Caracas. The animals are
brought from the country to place on the
outskirts of the city and there are examined
by agents of the concessionaires. These men
condemn as unfit for food considerable pro-
nortion of the cattle and order their owners
to drive them home over the mountains. Wnen
~. -, cattIemen have fairly started on their