The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1920-07-03


presidents" staying in power from decade to
decade distinctly questionable; in which
there Is altogether too much interest among Lat
in-Americans 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 DR.. Fran
cha, the famous ruler Of Paraguay. The other
most famous dctatOrs of Central and South Amer
lea, despite the long terms of office have not sue
ceeded in equaling Cabreras total Of years as
president" of his native land, elected by the
"votes' Of his fellow countrymen.
Manuel Estrada Cabrera was born November
p, 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 Retalhueu and, in 1856, chief JUS
tice of his native city of Quezaltenango But
these posts were not big enough for his ambl-
tons. He managed to get himself appointed 'Se-
gundo Designado" or second vice president of
the republic. And then, when President Barrios
quite ong-distance ruler himself-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 first
vice president in the way But that trfe didn't
meeting of the big men of the Barrios 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 palmest days Of czarism, Roman
emperor at the height Of imperial Rome's power,
a blood-thrsty despot Of the far east, might well
envy Manuel Estrada Cabrera firmly seated on
his Central American throne in this year of grace
1920 cheerfully acting in way that would have
made 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 would insure his remaining sole arbiter
of Guatemalan destinies was simply marvellous.
The members of the Guatemalan assembly, though
it is externally perfectly good legislative body,
modelled on the parliahents of really democratic
lands. are simply his creatures-or so his enemies
say His cabinet ministers are slaves. Every
where Cabrera has spies. Nobody native for
eign enters or leaves Guatemala without having
his every move reported to the despot SO terri
Bile is this system of espionage, acute the sus-
picon aroused by the dictator's methods. well
known his ruthlessness when once he has decided
to swoop down on somebody, that his is
never mentioned in Guatemala except in whispers.
Every man suspects his neighbor
He has large army Whlcn lie Keeps efhclent,
since he realizes quite well that his power rests
ON bayonets. The private soldiers recruited
by force and get only few cents day. The Of
fcers, too are poorly paid but they, like the ci-
Villain officials of Cabrera are not, according to
common BELIEF deprived Of means Of improving
heir stpends.
Cabrera has escaped assassination in miracu-
Gus ways. The attempts to kill him have been
ar from bungng essays by amateurs; they show
skill in planning that should place them high
mong the classics of their kind. As result OF