The Concordia sentinel. (Vidalia, Concordia Parish, La.) 1882-current, 1920-06-05

He has projected himself into an era in when
presidents staying in power from decade 10
decade 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 Is
trada Cabrera maintained himself, swapping MS
fingers at all attempts to GUST him. He holds the
worlds record for escaping assassination.
Only two long-distance autocrats OF Laun-
America have ruled more than Cabrera's total OF
% years-Portirio Diaz of Mexico and Dr. Fran
cia the famous ruler of Paraguay. The other
most famous dictators 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 Dy the
"votes" of his fellow countrymen
Manuel Estrada Cabrera was born November
81, 1851 at the city of Quezaltenango, In the III
terior of Guatemala. He studied law at the ma
tionaI capital and was appointed governor of the
Department Of Retahuleu and in 1886, chief JUS
tice of his native city of Quezaltenango. But
these posts were not big enough for his amDl-
lions He managed to get himself appointed Sc
gundo Designado," or second vice president, OF
the republic And then, when President barrios
quite long-distance ruler himself-was assas-
sinated in 1893 Cabrera saw his chance AS sec
ond vice president he was not the man who would
automatically succeed Barrios-there was first
vice presideat In the way. But that tribe didn't
bother him He is said to have walked into a
meeting of abe big men of the Barrios govern
ment laid revolver down on the table before
them, and remarked:
"Centlssnen. am president of Guatemala
He wss right And he has been president OF
c.uatemasa ever since. The term president" as
has bee-i limited is putting 1t far too mildly.
car in the palmiest days Of czarism, Roman
empercr at the height of imperial Rome's power,
a bloo.l-thirsty despot of the far east, might Wen
envy Manuel Estrada Cabrera firmly seated on
his Central American throne in this year OF grace
1920. cheerfully acting in a 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 Cuatemalan destiEses, simply marvellous
The members of the Guatemalan assembly, though
IL is externally perfectly good legislative body.
modelled on the parliaments 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
eien enters or leaves Guatemala without having
his every move reported TO the despot. So terri
Bile is this system of espionage. so acute the sus-
picion aroused by the dictator's methods, so well
known 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 neighbor.
He has 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 day. The OF
fcers, too, are poorly paid, but they like the c-
william officials Of Cabrera. 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 bungIing essays by amateurs; they show
skill in planning that should place them nign
among the classics of their kind. AS result OF