New-York tribune., 1909-01-21
VENEZUELA'SNEW YEAR
plSSING OF DESPOTTSM.
psopEe of Caracas Held Joyous Cele-
tratiors-Reforms Begun.
,sr.o,sl Correspondence Of The Tribune.

= n tbe evening tire people OF Caracas be
= 70 stream into the Plaza Bolivar. ana long
60, midnight the square and the adjacent
-. we're thronged with a joyous crowd. The
-, s,sel< was illuminated with thousands Of
,-.-4c lights Of every Imaginable color. fes-
- gracefully among the trees and across the
- zslks.- From The top Of Bolivar's statue
- -sdlsted in gtterfng stresmers OF light,
-. G., opposite sides OF the square military
-. v5Ad with another IN sending forth the
-r,,.t inspiring martial and operatic music
ore 81 the corner. toward the Capitol. the air
= .hlaze with the glare Of roman candles,
-ss6 fights of bombs ard rockets. fire balloons
:. .vs-T variety OF illumination Beautiful
~..n in she gayest Of summer gowns. lent
.Aer rrsoe and beauty 10 the scene and every
-. and upon ali faces one could witness the
L.-,.ness Of the people at the year of free
- .-o-1 the terrorism of Castro that seemed
s.rnius 50 Ruspiciously- When the great bell
q .he cathedral toIled the FIRST stroke Of twelve
A.. fuu hand struck the notes Of Venezuela's
.torsI anthem. and every head was barred. while
N. peopIe cheeTed the entrance OF the new year:
- tb,n with the unrestrained enthusiasm of
,s.l- rsos threw their arms about one another in
-srturous embraces
:, N. ceutrs OF the plaza stood some fifteen
,-,saosns and EnglishTnea. enjoying the merry
..-a among the number Rear Admiral Arnold.
-.,s.t, Cspertun and several officers of the Maine
and the Dolphin. Of our own navy. which had
s-,uzht the special commissioner. MI Buchanan.
A. Venezuela Amid ali the enthusiasm IL was
t-r-n
srs=- together IN 4 small circle and Joined in e
r,s+,- 4rop-or1ptu of Aud Lang Syne." The de
srhred venezuelans thronged about Us and cheered
,h ,rnrestraine6 enthusiasm throwing their arms
-sr-1--ousy about the singers Altogether, II WAS
night Of happy omen for this much-abused coun-
~ and The people had every right 20 rejoice
The Maine and the North Carolina, bringing the
commissioner arrived Sunday. the 21th. and the
next day Mr. Buchanan came TO Caracas On
V-esnssdsx night following. Sehor Luiz de Lorens
Fe-reirs the Brazilian Minister. who has so ad-
r,,-anv and SO ooUrteoUsly represented the inter
ssrs # Americans here since the withdrawal of
our legation, gave haEquet at his legation for
Nr Buchanan Admiral Arnold and Captain Ca
na--oo AZ -rhch several officers Of the adTnral's
,-zr and number Of the resident Americans were
,-esent together with Sefor Mey-rinck, the cour-
t.oys ard capable secretary Of the legation On
Kew Years Day the Americans attended PRESIDENT
C-ernezs reception at the Capitol, being presented
With the diplomatic corPz-
REFORMS ALREADY IN EFFECT
The foreign diplomats in their brilliant court
Dress and the American officers IN full dress uni
forms ynade z very gallant display Baron Won
seckendarf. the German Minister and dean Of the
corrs led the way. followed Immediately By MI
Bochsnan walking between Senor Lorena and Sir
Vincent Corbett ;he British Minister. The baron
MADE graceful address 70 the President TO which
General Gomez made q felicitous response. After
ward came the consular BODY and then the repre-
sent3ves Of the various governmental departments
and Of ne judiciary. When Sehor Toro came for
vard a rector of the University OF Caracas. to
EhioE Office he appointed fortnight ago upon
release from prison. he was cheered 10 the ecno.
so- ne L ras VINO. OF the eventful Sunday, Decem-
bsr T. stood in front Of the crowd al the yellow
Hnuse~ and made the first speech for the people in
asaunciaton Of Castro's rule, calling upon Gomez
&c free Venezuela
While nothing official has yet been announced as
= fhe progress Of MI BJchanans negotiations. 1t
s-vhispsTed abroad ths: these are progressing
susuaciotsly and it viii not be surprising it, by
fss tine this letter reaches you. announcement
shzH have been made of the signing of a protocol
arranging for the settlement Of the pending DIFF
terences. Indeed, have il from one OF the cher
members Of General Gomez's government that the
one essential condition for success Of this admin
is,ration IS the prompt adjustment Of all the in
isrrstieuaI difficulties in which Venezuela has been
iagolved- Already have had evidence Of this
pnrBese IN the revocation of the decree forbidding
trarssbipmenJ st Cura Gao. which gave Holland her
sous offence. iu the restoration of exequaturs 10
ths Durol7 consuls in Venezuela: in the resumption
o good relations with the neighboring republic Of
CenHha. and in The restoration Of the privilege or
trs-sshipruenrsst Trinidad. step welcomed by the
government Of Great Britain
Il can also be said thai internal benefits have
rcns hand il hand with these external arrange
-zsuts. Castro's last hateful decree imposing 20
psr cent suruax upon print goods and cloths has
bean snHulled. the duty upon -four and grain has
neen reduced. the obnoxious port regulations gov
s-sing enlEarls7 er and debarkaticn Of passengers
hare been satisfactorily modified and the rule re-
curing foreign ships touching At ports Of the re
public 10 Use native labor IN loading and unload
ing instead of their Own employees has been re
srn5e6
II connection T51h the TIleS relating 10 iaTldins
# passengers which Castro enforced an amusing
Incident occurred AZ the time OF his departure
Lsstro haG hear1 rumor that Italian anarchists
Eers coming here after him; wherefore he forbade
ne landing Of any Italians IL Nenezuela- But Il
happened that twenty four Italian lanorers came
froF Colon 70 Ia GuayTa on the GuadeIoupe' li'e
sssAneT Castro take 10 Europe pursuant
70 Cast-os orda~ heretofore made. they were not
sllo7ed 70 land AZ soon however, as the htue
Dictator Boarded the ship and learned that tners
were Italians on board he psnicstr1cken' ana
Immediately reversed his ruling. ordering lNeih 10
oe permitted o land 81 once!
KEW LIFE FOR Journalism
Journalism n Caracas has sprung into VeII-
Rbs .sexzness OF life since the extinction OF Fl
tonsdtucoaai" ana It's journalistic InohoPoi!-
Airesay. there have appeared not less than nNe
7esreAay pspers-ulost Of them only Teappearahces
OF papers formerly published but which castro
5sdi suppressed And the newspapers are allowed
70 PRINT pretty much everything they wish a mover
experience in Journalism here Daily. ar1lcles are
Tesd which six weeks ago would have brought the
immediate suppression Of the paper and ne Az
-faroeT@fion Of its editor in e dungeon
~ The American steamer, which came III Aas'
Monday. arrived a group OF expatrated Neie1ue
ans chief among them Nicolas Rolando- a great
th.ong Of CITIZENS was st the terminus OF La
5Gsyrs railway 20 receive them and they sot an
oFs'ion Fully twenty shouting enthusiast
WARNED upon the carriage in which hoIenoo e~1
eanaoirg or ire box steps. body, every"heTe '-.e'
ecHld fad foathold Behind came PROCESSION
s' Carriages surrounded bv : shouting crowd and
70 they escorted him and his associates tnFo-sN
1he principal streets OF the city 10 his home
everywhere one meets with men who nave 'oS'
esae forth from long years Of Imprisonment ioi 10