Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-05-28

to
in Venezuela his return
sfAsR voyage. Gomez had the help OF.
the powers and although Cas-
tro attempted to land on al
most every important island In
the West Indies, none of them
would give him asylum. He went back to the Ca
nares, and then lost to sight almost as II u1e
earth had opened and swallowed him up The whole
diplomatic world until recently has been ThsinS
with the question: where is castroG
Some insisted that the .Restorer" as he termed
himself, had found haven in the Andean region OF
Colombia. and that he was only waiting an opporitu
nifty to surround himself with an army with Whtcn
to march to Caracas he had marched at me pc
ginning of his career as dictator" the
government was anxious and 1t sent an - Any
about thousand soldiers to the COLOMBIAN
national boundary line. Meanwhile Venezuelan secret
agents also going through Europe trying 70
find the mysterious exile
The United also interested in Castro
and government officials to ascertain MS
whereabouts One naval officer declared aItef Pro, Pro
longed trip through the sneighborhood OF the Cooi
bian frontier that he had located his man. and could
put his finger him any day. Others located MN
with equal positiveness elsewhere and Castro mao
ascertained definitely that Castro had remained IN
SPAIN and that the constitutional disease from wncn
he suffers has left him in such shattered health that
Venezuela has little to fear from him. :,o
Meanwhile it seems that General Gomez is going
to establish record that will constitute, him. IA.
man in Venezuela history 1t appears At THIS
down the onice of president, when term expires
and retire private life without the slightest eff
to this present intention--and those know him
best believe that he will not allow himself to he
the few Venezuela rulers who have not resorted to
force to maintain themselves in power
There are plenty of candidates to succeed him.
One of these General Alcantra the prime minister
but little while conclude that he is man of ab
ity loyal to the ideals nculcated in the stud
eral Matos the Minister foreign affairs under the
present administration and the leader of the revou
and diplomatic, leader, excellent poHtf-
can and very wealthy man. He planned the re-
they were here the last of March, and If he over
looked anything in making that reception glorious
accompanied Secretary Knox have recorded the fact
1t was celebration wherein the hospitality was as
cordial it strenuous, and there was something
doing sixteen hours day for four days
There are other candidates, but most observers
think the fight between Alcantra Matos. Both
of them friendly to the United States and either
equipment Which would be creditable to the country
SO far is known President Gomez is not supporting
any candidate.
General Gomez is not an educated man, yet
received the advantages of foreign travel lie
is soldier who grew up from the ranks and is pos
sessed small amount of native ability and force
of character. AS he came into supreme power
he gathered around him the representatives OF all
factions, members of the former revolutionary party
the leaders against them. The result has been
in venezuela since Guzman Blanco made Caracas
to fame as Little Paris"
Under the Gomez administration many improve
ments been made in Caracas and in many other
parts of the country. believes that
a political millennium has dawned in Venezuela.
General Gomez would break all rules in
can politics if he did not have his favorites around
him to receive patronagssi various FORMS and if
he did not get little more out OF the PRESIDENCY
chief executive of his country.
Yet the main he has done far better than any
expected Castro NeneZue-
the industries of the country had been suffering
from political blight for years the people mad
been exploited by Castro until they in ptiable
state Where monuments galore filled public pazas
and opera houses existed, starvaon stared the
in the face and comparatively few had enough
food to eat L.s
Today Venezuela largely has recovered from the
afflicon Castroisrn The republic is at peace, in
well in name, with all the world It's for.
eign credit is good obligations being met with
such cock-like regularity as to win words of
culturists are enabled to sow reap in peace.
Exports have recovered the ground lost under
tro and are setting new record
While President Gomez may appeal pop
fidence Of the people. He goes freely among
people, and is perhaps the most democratic of all
the rulers between the Rio GFande and the EQUATOR
Gomez wealthy man when he came to the presi-
dency has added something to his private FOR
tune since then. He has a hacienda which is about
forty miles square The big house on this great
large that he frequently entertains week
end house parties of three hundred guests and no
body crowded. He has private steamer thS
adjacent lake which he to visit his various cattle
ranges
Venezuela today is far ahead of the republics of
Central America. While 1t is exception to the
rule of Latin America that the property is in 'he
hands of few, yet withal the condition of the
masses does appear hopeless as in of
the other countries Along the German railroad from
Caracas Valencia, than a hundred miles,
haps twenty all the land on both sides. The
major portion of the country is cut of from outside
by big mountains which constitute the
foothills of the Andes that civilization is slow in
spreading the country.
There peculiar conditions in Venezuela.
The supports the church, and through its
the right to approve disapprove
any orders from the Holy See at Rome 1t also re-
serves the right the church officials at
least to approve the nominations of the Holy See.
Another interesting thing is that the constitution
practically puts the seal Of approval OF revolu-
lions by providing that the property revolutoniss
shall not be liable confiscaton