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

He has projected himself into an era in which
presidents" staying in power from decade TO
decade are distinctly questionable; in when
there is altogether too much interest among Lat
in-Amerfcans in elections and votes and other
strange things prevalent in North America.
Yet, in the very midst of this era, Manuel Es-
trada Cabrera maintained himself, Swapping his
fingers at all attempts to GUST him. He holds the
worlds record for escaping assassination.
Only two long-distance autocrats Of Latin
America have ruled more than Cabrera's total OF
% years-Porfirio Diaz of Mexico and DIR. Fran
cha, the famous ruler of Paraguay. Inc other
most famous dictators of Central and South Amer
lea, despite the long terms of Office, have not sue
ceeded in equaling Cabrera's total of years as
president" of his native land, elected" by the
Votes of his fellow countrymen.
Manuel Estrada Cabrera was born November
q, 1857, at the city of Quezaltenango, in the in
terror of Guatemala. He studied law at the ma
tional capital and was appointed governor of the
DEPARTMENT of Retalhuleu and, in 1886, chief JUS
flee of his native city of Quezaltenango. But
these posts were not big enough for his ambi-
tons. He managed to get himself appointed Sc
gundo Designado," or second vice president, OF
the republic. And then, when President Barrlos
quite a long-distance ruler hinlself-was assas-
sinated in 1898, Cabrera saw his chance. AS Sec
ond vice president, he was not the man who would
automatically succeed Barrios-there was a first
vice president in the way. But that trifie didn't
bother him. He is said to have walked into a
meeting of the big men of the Bargios govern
ment. laid a revolver down on the table before
them, and remarked:
Gentlemen. | am president of Guatemala
He was right. And he has been president of
Guatemala ever since. The term president" as
has been limited, is putting it far too mildly. A
car in the palmiest days of czarism, a Roman
emperor at the height of imperial Rome's power,
az blo6d-thirsty despot of the far east, might well
envy Manuel Estrada Cabrera, firmly seated on
his Central American throne in this year of gract9;
1920. cheerfully acting in a way that would have
made q tyrant of antiquity blush for fear that he
was OVERRIDING things.
His rule was absolute. His capacity for at
tending to details. for keeping an eye on every
thing that worM insure his remaining sole arbiter
of Guatemalan destinies, was simply marvellous.
The members of the Guatemalan assembly, though
it Is externally a perfectly good legislative body,
modelled on the parliaiments of really democratic
lands, are simply his creatures-or so his enemies
saw. His cabinet ministers are slaves. Every
where Cabrera has spies. Nobody, native or for
eign. enters or leaves Guatemala without having
his every move reported to. the despot. So terri
HE Is this system of espionage, so acute the sus-
nicion aroused by the ~dictators methods, SO well
known his ruthlessness when once he has decided
70 swoop down on somebody, that his name is
never mentioned in Guatemala except in whispers.
Every man suspects his %neighbor-
He has a large army, which he keeps efficient,
since he realizes quite well that his power rests
On bayonets~ The private soldiers are recruited
by force and get only a few cents a day. The Of
hcers, too. are poorly paid, but they, like the ci-
william officials of Cabrera, are not, according to
common belief, deprived Of means of improving
their ~stipends.
Cabrera has escaped assassination In miracu-
lous ways. The attempts to kill him have been
far from bungling essays BY amateurs; they show
a skill In planning that should place them high
among the classics Of their kind. Asa result Of