The Cordova daily times., 1920-05-08
CABRERA VAS STRONG RULER
 0F GUATEMALA


 posed president of Guatemala, who fled to Cuba following, a revolution which began last February, had the distinc- ton of governing the Central Ameri- can republic for twenty-two years.
 Growth of the Unionist party in Guatemala, which favored an amalga- nation of all the Central American republics under one government, was Opposed by Cabrera on the ground that it was "reactionary." Upon his reinauguration as president in 1917 he issued a decree severing relations between Guatemala and Germany. During the three succeeding years tCabrera's administration had been marked by internal dissensions and difficulties with Honduras and other countries close to the Guatema1an bor- der. Numerous uprisings occurred during his regime, and many attempts were made on his life. In 1907 he eaused the arrest of 160 men on a charge of conspiriing to assassinate him. Nineteen of these who were tried and sentenced to death were executed.
 Many other attempts had been made to kill him On one occasion bomb was thrown under his carriage. Ca dets from the Guatemalan military academy, who acted as his escort, at- tempted to shoot him on April 21, 1908, when he entered the national ,oalace to receive the American min ister. William Heimke. He suffered g bayonet wound in the hand and escaped death only by his bravery.
 Carlos Herra, a finafieief, was cho- sen provisional president 6n April l2, upon the busting of Cabrera, who aban- s3oned Guatemala City the next day and announced that he and a number of troops who had remained loyal would cut off the capitals water supply and food shipments until "the rebels begged for terms"
 Cabrera concentrated his quarters at E.a Palma, Matamoras and San Jose, and dominating Guatemala City, be- gan to shell the capital, killing many civilians, it was reported. Meanwhile the revolt against Cabrera spread over the entire country. Cabrera's govern ment was in many respects like that of porfrio Diaz, who ruled Mexico for years with an iron hand He was 7porn in Quezaltenang0 on November :21, 1857, and received his preparatory education in the schools of that dis 4rict. the second most important ln Guatemala. Later he attended a law school in Guatemala City, from when he was graduated in 1883.
 General Justo Rufno Barrios, then dictator" named him as chief jus rice of the department of Retalhulen' where he remained until 1886, when ne was appointed to the post of chief jus lice of the department of Quezalte- mango. his native district. In l080 ne WAR made a justice of the court ot sapnealg. and later he became mem Der of the national assembly.
 Cabrera soon became a leader or the assembly. When he had achieved this place Barrios was assasslnateo in the streets of Guatemala City in February. 1898, an election was called' and Cabrera was chosen as Barrlos successor. He assumed the presl- aency the following October.
 It was then that the real develop ment of Guatemala began. Cabrera built one of the most magnificent cap- itals in Central America. He was the first ruler on the Americati continent, 5 it is said, to adopt aviation for his army. He organized the West Point of Guatemala. He erected a score Of modern hospitals and manay schools. He opened up the country to railroad builders and restored the national treasury. He promulgated a decree of unconditional amnesty when he be- came president, thus bringing together all factions, and yet he proved strong enough to hold them in check when s his enemies plotted to overthrow him, until the issue of Central American unionism arose.