The Washington herald., 1921-06-12

that there had been foul play verdict
of suicide was returned. By that time
the young employe had saved mp some
money and he bought the business, Ae-
cording to q story published In one OF tns
Havana papers the other day, Lopez Ho-
riguez about this time became intimate WIN
q beggar woman who was reputed 70 nave
accumulated By her extraordinary skin IN
mendicancy no less than four thousand doi-
lars, and he extended to her the Hospitality
of his miserable quarters, permitting her to
share with him the floor Of the bookstore ON
which he slept.
One morning the woman was found dead
on her pallet Of rags, but the savings were
missing and Lopez Rodriguez was jailed on
suspicion, but released for lack Of evidence.
It has not been possible for the writer 10
verify this story. The events related,
must be borne in mind, occurred some forty
years ago, and though now referred to oy
the Havana papers as matters OF eommsn
notoriety probably did not attract overmuch
attention at the time.
The business Of the bookstore In the
hands of Lopez Rodriguez, who gave n the
name il now bears, ''Lo Moderna Poesia,"
soon began to show the effects of the energy
and intelligence which later was to make
its owner q multimillionaire. Living upon
almost nothing and working tirelessly, he
steadily increased his trade and piled one
dollar on another until with the pass.se o.
the years his fortune grew to respectable
dimensions.
When, after the wealth Of Cubans had
been drained by three years Of revolution
and embargo, the American feet blockaded
Havana in 1898. Pote-for by that time be
had come universally to be known BY his
sobriquet-was able to acquire for cash large
properties for q tithe Of their value, and
when the Cuban Republic was set up he
was a rich man among men who had been
ruined. The latter were compelled to 90
to him for cash which he alone was able to
loan. And so it came to pass that many OF
those to whom the Government Of the young
republic was entrusted were his debtors-
which he never allowed them to forget.
WITH Cabinet officers, Senators and Con-
w gressmen in his debt and depending on
him for further favors, Pote was In q posi-
ton to dictate in many matters to his own
advantage, and he was not the man to
neglect his opportunities. Many measures
were introduced in the Congress at his be-
hest and passed; many contracts and CON
cessions were awarded him. 1t went hard
with any of his debtors daring to oppose
his will, and they soon learned the superior
advantages Of obedience. Thus, In the
formative stage of the republican state a
system Of graft, bribery and corruption was
developed to take the place Of the vicious
Spanish rule from which Cuba had just been
liberated, and the teachings Of General Wood
and the honorable men who had labored
with him so earnestly during the frst inter
vention in the Establishment Of honest sd-
ministration were nullifed, to the woefnl
detriment Of public morality.
Perhaps the most important coup achieved
BY Pote in the first years Of the republic
was the monopolistic contract obtained BY
him for the printing Of textbooks to be
used in the schools, for 1t enabled him at
once vastly to enlarge his printing and pub