The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-12-08
ZeIaya,

oy EIeuoicA ea"Si tH @"o >s~es~
 To Jose santos zeiaya belongs the blue .ribon. Az . tyrant. mischief maker. and q financier he is more ac- complained than Castro. Cabrera. or any rival.
 For fourteen years he has ruled Nicaragua from his palace in the dirty little town of Managua. on the hot shores of Lake Managua. Once when he chose himself d his own succes- sor he went through ths form of an election by putting two opposition candiddtes in the heid., One was senor Jose and the other Seuor Santos. All three candidates senor santos Zelaya we're elected. For he enjoys his sport and has q sense of sardonic humor in conducting affeirs of state. as q certain Peruvian business man learn- ed.
 Instsnce of oppfession.
 One day this Peruvian received word that he must depart by the next steamer from Corinto
 Your exceliency," he protested. when he gained admission to the dtcta- tor. .what have I done7 have tried not to meddle in politics and to mind fy own business"
 "It dees not matter what you have done" returned zelaya. "1 want you to 70. and you will go"
 owing to me. I have many affairs that cannot be settled on such short notice without great sacrifice. VIII you not give, me thirty days?
 Not another day after the next steamer. I'll appoint an agent to look after your busipess"--and of course zelaya would get most of the spells from the agent.
 Rtdicules other Governments.
 Then, your excellency. as citi- zen of Peru. I must appeal to my government" said the Peruvian.
 "Appeai!" said zelaya. Appeal. by all means! When I ridicule the United States. laugh at Germany. and spit on Engiand. what do you suppose I care for your beEgarly little Peru'"
 He opens the dispatches Of our state department; he has not hesitated to search an American ship with it's flag flying In time of peace. His defiance of foreigners is more gladsofne and cunning than Castro's only he has no asphalt and has thus escaped the limelight, while his military methods are the same as those of all the brand.
 A dead enemy is the least trouble some. he has found by experience. When his arsenal was destroyed by an explosion. most likely due to spontaneous combustion. he condemn ed the colonel of the army In charge without public trial and had him shot on the site of the ruins and his body burned. as lesson to all other con- spiratorE
 Greed for Money Grswa
 Tn later years he has been less cruel. If more money loving. For ex- ample. he has given up the use of q species of chilli peppers and alcohol as an enemy in troturing suspects and now depends only on the lash. All the strength being beaten out of his soo.0oo subjects. he keeps his seat ani enjoys the emoii,ments of the most complete system of extortion that any dictator has yet devisced
 There is not a bank in the country. He is banker. treasurer. and farmer in innumerable concessions and rnono- polies. His pointed question on all occasions Is. How much do I get nut of ft?" He has palace in Belgium and fortune invested abroad await ing him when he is sure that he can escape the eye of hts dependents. to whom his departure would mean the loss of their places.
 Monepely in Native whisikey.
 The most profitable monopoly ia that of the native whiskey (aguardi- ante,) made from sugar. A company in which he is.s% of course the most heavily interested party has the sole concession for It's manufacture at a price which would relatively make a drink of bourbon over our bars cost a quarter. The profits are 10 per cent a month or 120 per cent year on thIs capital invested and the business has ben Increased with real individual enter prise in developing a market. With almost no growth in population. the number of drinking places has been auadrupled since the granting of the concession. have never. seen so many drunken men in any tropical country as in Nicaragua. Dipsomania spreads In a climate where Intoxicating liquors are so poisonous to mind ana body that the moderate drinker in the tenn perate zone is quick to defend and practice to abstinence.
 Grip AlRo on Tobaees.
 The tobacco monopoly does not do so well. It pays only a paitry eight per cent a month. Recently an oil monopoly was granted to Joaquin Passes. the presidents son-in-law. ''See Josquin if you want anything done." Is one of the commonpiaces or Ntcaraguan business and political Hfe.) He was allowed to bring in h0.000 cases A year at the old rate of duty. while any other importer had to pay so exorbitant a rate that he could not compete: or. if he could. the smashing of few of his cases on landing would put an end to the com petition. The price to the consumer has risen from $24 to $34.
 Every other staple is a monopoly. Even medicines are so. practically. pr. Luis H. Deboyie, the presidents physician. has e concession to import medicines free for his hospital. which makes him the boss of the wholesale drug business in Nicaragua. Among the medicines he recently brought in free were a hundred cases af coal oil.
 ExtOrti0n fin Ice Trade.
 The Central American Trading company. a New Orleans concern has the ice concession and regulates the market to the output in @ businesslike way. without regard to extortion. It also owns the pier at Corinto. Even though passenger or freight Is landed by boat. pier charges must be paid to the company.
 A system of surtaxes administered unevenly leaves the importer ever in doubt as to the cost of his goods in the end. Of course there are export duties on coffee. dye woods. rubber. AtAz. wnIA x.thInh tho lnnA