The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1920-06-11

He has projected himself into in which
presidents" staying in power from decade to
decaoe are 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 Els
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 Cabreras total OF
% years-Porfrio Diaz OF Mexico and DR.. Fran
ella, the famous ruler OF Paraguay. The other
most famous dictators OF Central and South Amer
ica 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
tiona capital and was appointed governor OF the
Department of Retalhueu and, in 1886, chief JUS
tice Of his native city of Quezaltenango But
these posts were not big enough for his ambi-
tions. He managed to get himself appointed "Se-
gundo Designado," second vice president, OF
the republic And then, when President Barrios
quite long -distance ruler h1mself-Was assas-
snated 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 trihe didn't
bother him. He is said to have walked into
meeting of the big of the Barros govern
ment laid revolver down on the table before
them, and remarked:
"Gentemen. / am president of Guatemala"
He was right And he has been president of
Guatemala ever since The term president" as
has been hinted is putting 1t far too mildly. A
car In the pamiest days of czarsm, Roman
emperor at the height Of imperial Rome's power,
a blood-thirsty despot Of the far east, might well
envy Manuel Estrada Cabrera, firmly seated on
his Central American throne in this year OF grace
1920 eheerfully acting in way that would have
made a 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 Guatemaan destinies. was simply marvellous.
The members Of the Guatemalan assembly, though
1T Is externally a perfectly good legislative body,
modelled on the parlianents 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
ejgn 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 so well
known his ruhessness when once he has decided
To svoop down on somebody that his name Is
mover mentioned In Guatemala except In whispers.
Every man suspects his neighbor.
He has large army, which he keeps efficient,
since he realizes quite well that his power rests
on bayonets The private soldiers recruited
nv force and get only few cents day. The Of
fcers, too, poorly paid but they, like the CT
william officials of Cabrera are not, according to
common belief deprived of means Of improving
their stpends.
Cabrera has escaped assassination in mracu-
Ious ways The attempts to kill him have been
far from bungTing essays by amateurs; they show
a skill In planning that should place them high
among the classics of their kind AS a result OF