Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1920-06-10

these various attempts on his life. Cabrera, it is
said, wears a bullet-proof coat. Another story is
to the effect that, fearing poison, he would take
no food except that specially prepared for him by
his mother, which was served to him in a her.
metically closed steel casket which he opened him
self at table.
There seems small room for doubt that Ca
brera's regime was ruthless and his methods ut
terly despotic, but his defenders insist that, on the
whole, his long reign has brought more good than
evil to Guatemala. He has improved the country's
finances, they say, carried out many important
public works, reformed and liberalized the laws,
fostered agriculture, introduced modern systems
of sanitation. Above all, they declare, he has
shown himself such a jealous believer in educa-
ton that he has installed in Guatemala a really
up-to-date school system based on American mod
els.
During the great war the Guatemalan dicta-
tor, according to report, was instrumental in nip
ping in the bud a German plot for causing revo-
lutionary outbreaks throughout the five Central
American republics and extending them, if posi-
Bile. TO Panama and Colombia. The German min
lister at Guatemala, Herr Lehman, was said to be
the master mind behind this plot. and Herr Eek
hardt. German minister at Mexico, was also named
as one of its instigators. Cabrera, 1t was said,
got wind of it, warned the United States govern
meUl, dLu luun CllSNluuiiyt uioShSu 10 PtN5ASSSM.
Porfirio Diaz ruled over Mexico from 1872 to
1880 and from 1884 to 1911. Francia was abso-
lutte autocrat in Paraguay from 1914 to his death
in 1910. His successor, Lopez J., kept himself In
mower for 90 years and then turned the govern
ment over his son, Lopez ii, Rosas, despot
Of the Argentine, ruled from 1926 to 1912. Blan-
"a, the Venezuelan dictator, ruled for is years,
from 1870.
Antonio Guzman Blanco was a little different
from the rest of these dctators. He came into
mower in 1870 and his novel methods gave him
eighteen years of ascendancy. Unlike Cabrera,
Rosas. Francia, Diaz and the rest, Guzman Blanco
was clever enough to keep the reins Of power in
his hands without sticking close to the job Sew
eral times he went to Paris to have a good time,
leaving spresidents' in his place who admins
tered Venezuela in his absence without for a
moment questioning his authority as the real boss
of the show. But one of these substitutes, DR..
Roias Paul, got tired of being president in name
only and, in 1888, suddenly announced that he
would no longer take orders from Guzman Blancos
then comfortably enjoying himself in Paris. The
dictator threatened all sorts of terrible things as
soon as he got back to his capital, but Rojas Paul
had chosen a psychological moment. Guzman
Blanco never dared to assert his authority again
and. what is more, never dared return to his ma
tive land. Though surrounded In Paris by every
luxury that wealth could buy, yet he died Il broken
hearted exile, yearning to return to Venezuela,
eagerly questioning every Venezuelan visitor for
the latest news from home.
Juan Vicente Gomez Of Venezuela, has heeu
president" for u years.
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