New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1920-06-04

lie Ia, projected himself INTO an era in which
presidents" staying in power from decade to
decade are distinctly unfaShionahle; in which
there Is altogether too much interest among Lat
in-Amrricans in elections and votes and other
strange things prevalent in North America.
Yet. in the very midst of tins era, Manuel rs
,rada Cabrera maintained himself, Swapping his
fingers at all attempts to Dust him. lie holds the
worlds record for escaping assassination.
only two long-distancc nutOcrats OF LAIN
America have ruled more than Cabreras tothi vi
- years-porfirio Diuz of Mexico and Or. Fran
cia. the famous ruler OF Paraguay. The DINER
most famous dictators of Central and South Amer
lea. despite the long terms Of Office, have not sue
ceeded In equaling Cahrera's total of years as
president" of his native land, elected" by the
'votes' OF his fellow countrymen.
Manuel Estrada Cabrera was born November
Il. 1851, at the city of Quezaltenango, In the III
terror of Guatemala. He studied law at the ma
tional capital and was appointed governor of the
pcpartmrnt of Itetnlhuleu and. In 1886, chief JUS
tlce of his native city Of Quezaliennngo. But
these posts were not big enough for his aInbi-
tIons. lie managed to get himself appointed "S"-
rundo Designado," or second vice president. OF
the republic. And then, when President Bnrrios
quite n long-distance ruler hlmself-was assas.
slnated in 1898. Cabrera saw his chance. As sec
ond vice president, he was not the man VINO would
automatically succeed Barrios-thcre was a first
wee DTtSlUtHl III II a hhN 'h"' fh' ''''
bother him. He is said to have walked into n
meeting of the big men of the Barrios govern.
mrnt. laid a revolver down on the table before
them. and remarked:
'GrntIeinen. | am president Of Guatemala!
He was right. And he has been president Of
Guatemala ever since. The term president" as
Inns been limited, Is putting 1t far too mildly. A
ear In the palmiest days OF czarism. a Roman
emperor nj the height of imperial IOme's power.
n 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. chcerfully acting in a way that would have
made a tyrant of antiquity blush for fear that he
was OVERRIDING things.
Ills rule was absolute. His capacity for at
tending to details, for keeping an eye on every
thing that would insure his remaining sole arbiier
Of Guntemalan destinips. was simply marvellous.
The members of the Guatclnalan assembly, though
il is externally a perfectly good legislative body.
modelled on the parliamcnts 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 or for
el,n enters or leaves Guatemala without having
his every move reported to the despot. So terri
bic is this system of espionage. so acute the sus-
piclon aroused by the dictator's methods, so well
tnovn his ruthlessness when once he has decided
to swoop down on somebody. that his name Is
never mentioned in Guatemala except in whispers.
Every man suspects his neighhor.
lie has a large army. which he keeps efficient.
since he realizes quite well that his power rests
on hayonets. The private soldiers are recruited
nv force and get only a few cents a day. The Of
fcers. too. are poorly paid. hut they. like the c-
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 bungiinC essays 10y amateurs; they show
u skill In planning that should place them high
among the classics of their kind. As a result Of