Newspaper Page Text
im mm storm
JohQ Week in a Busy
World
HE death of Former
President Ben Jamln
Harrison removes a
man who has won the
admiration of the
American people by
pure statesmanship and
who gained the esteem
of his opponents by the
honesty with which he
practiced his policy.
His career as a soldier
and a statesman was
remarkable and the
story of his life Is one
of interest. His mar
riage late in life caused
an estrangement with,
his children, and his son. Major Russell
B. Harrison had not spoken to his father
since the wedding.
Former President Benjamin Harrison
was the twenty.third chief executive of
the United States, and was born at North
Bend. O., August 20, 1833. and was in the
sixty-eighth year of his life at the
time of his death. He was the
son of John Scott Harrison and the
grandson of President William Henry
Harrison, who was the third son of Ben
jamin Harrison, a signer of the declara
tion of independence.
He was brought up on his father’s farm,
spent two years at Farmer's College, near
Cincinnati, graduated at Miami Univer
sity In 1852. was admitted to the bar and
settled in Indianapolis to practice in 1834.
In 1800 he was elected reporter of the
Indiana supreme court, and while holding
the office assisted In raising the Seven
tieth regiment of Infantry volunteers, of
which he was appointed colonel by Gov
ernor Morton In 1862.
His gallantry induced General Hooker
to recommend to the secretary of war his
promotion to brigadier general. In Sep-
lember-November, 1864. he was on recruit
ing service in Indiana; during the winter
of 1864-5, in Tennessee, he was with Gen
eral Thomas; in the spring of 1865 he re
sumed command of his brigade, and June
8th was mustered out of service with the
rank of brevet brigadier general.
In 1876 he was defeated by the demo
cratic candidate for governor of Indiana.
He was appointed a member of the Mis
sissippi river commission in 1879, was
chairman of the Indiana delegation In the
national republican convention of 1880, de
clined a cabinet appointment tendered by
President Garfield and was elected United
States senator for the term March 4. 1881,
to March 3. 188f.
In 1884 he was delegate, at large from
Indiana to the republican national con
vention, and in the convention of 1888
he received the presidential nomination
on the eighth ballet. In the ensuing elec
tion ho received a popular vote of 5,441,-
923 and an electoral vote of 233, against a
popular vote for Cleveland of 6,536,923 and
electoral 168. In, June, 1892, he was re
nominated bv Ids pal-ty by a vote of
53514 to 183 1-6 for James G. Blaine, 179
for William McKinley and four for
Thomaj^'V Reed.
Ejjfnd i*/ 1 F en t Harrison was defeated for
r.A by Mr. Cleveland in 1892. Since.
th’ 8 ^ 8 ^ busied himself with the prac-
RecenfTjjhe was appointed a member
of the International arbitration commis
sion by President McKinley. He went to
Washington about a month ago as a
member of the Presbyterian eommlttpj
which had under consideration the pro* j-
sition for a revision of the creed. -
*
The discovery In Berlin of a nrjw ele
ment or ray has caused almost as, great a
stir In the scientific world the dis
covery of the Roentgen ray. /By the use
of the newly discovered ray all trans
parent substances can be Shade to slilne
in the dark and with itstf' aid it is pos
sible to distinguish between genuine and
artificial diamonds in jfhe dark.
The official report qft the ne.tr discovery
follows: f
"A new technical journal, Kirchloff’s
Technische Blae#ter, to be issued within
a few days, trifil contain an Interesting
article conceding the latest rays.
"In 1895 a/French chemist discovered
A s ’ emanating from the element ura-
Wjii|ch possessed properties similar
.. the Roentgen rays. They were called
Becquerel rays, after their discoverer.
But while the discovery of Roentgen
aroused great interest in the whole civil
ized world and led to radical changes in
medical diagnosis, the Becquerel rays
were employed only In a minor way Vi
physical laboratories, and an assertion by
the French scientist, Demarcays, that
they were not emitted from uranium, but
from a new element, made no Impression.
“Recent experiments by the. Berlin
High School of Technology have proven
this assertion—that a new element is re
sponsible for the Becquerel rays—and the
interesting fact has been observed that
these rays render almost every transpa
rent substance luminous in the. darkness.
"These rays make it possible to tell
genuine diamonds from artificial ones in
the dark. This will prove of great prac
tical Importance in testing. The experi
ments have also resulted in obtaining for
the first time larger quantities of the
new element, which has demonstrated
that rays emanating from a larger quan
tity make the air such a conductor of
electricity that it is hoped this property
can be utilized in wireless telegraphy.
"Experiments for this purpose are be
ing made in the Berlin institution, but
the deepest secrecy is maintained con
cerning them. It is stated that the re
sults will soon be laid before the em
peror. which seems to indicate that the
discovery is regarded as one of great
importance.” .
From the seat of England’s long-drawn-
out struggle in South Africa comes the
announcement that General Botha, one
of the Boer commanders, is (Considering
the advisability of surrender. A week's
armistice has been granted, during which
General Botha; it is said, will confer with
General Dewet and Mr. Steyn, suggesting
that they take advantage of the terms
the British will offer, and also surrender.
Dispatches declare that Botha will sur
render even should Dewet and Steyn de
cline to do so.
Dewet's admirers—and he has them in
all parts of the world, even in England—
do not believe he can be induced to sur
render, and he is looked to as the only
hope of the cause of the Boers. Dewet’s
career In the South African war has
has been a remarkable one, and he has
teen the author of a series of surprises
that brought glgdness to Boer sympathiz
ers and disappointment to the British.
The English troops have .chased him mile
mile, and just when he seemed about
become a prisoner he would escape In
unexpected manner and appear in
ers a
The 1
after
1C
fighting trim in some quarter where ho
was entirely unlooked for. A dozen times
his capture has seemed certain to over
confident British commanders, but by
forced marches and ingenious tactics he
has succeeded in eluding them, until now
it is announced that he is marching north
ward free and unmolested.
*
Mrs. Nation has come to the fore in a
new role, that of newspaper owner anl
editor. Her paper is known as The
Smasher's Mail, and is an interesting
sheet. It is a four-column sixteen-page
paper, of neat appearance, and the first
copy contained several half-tone Illus
trations of scenes during a recent smash
ing expedition. Oddly enough, the pub
lisher of the paper is Nick Chiles, a negro
publisher. In her salutatory Mrs. Nation
says;
"I have no apologies to make in having
Nick Chiles for the publisher of Tho
Smasher’s Mail. Our Savior ate with
publicans and sinners to do them good...
The servant is not above his lord. This
paper shall be as Its name. The Smasher’s
Mall. I shall put into the columns the
letters I get from all over, even those I
get from across the water. Those wishing
to say anything through the columns of
The Smasher's Mail must put it In the
form of a letter, and must use brevity,
the soul of wit."
The departments under which the let
ters are published in The Smasher’s Mail
are: ’’Letters from Hell," "Letters from
Hcnest People,” "Appeals for Help,"
“Some Poetry,” "Notes and Comments,”
"Snapshots” and “Answers to Corres
pondents.”
*
United States Minister Conger, who has
been oqe, of the prominent figures in the
eastern complications, left Pekin last
Monday for the United States. It la ex
pected that his personal report on the
events of the past year in China will
throw considerable light on the situation
and may have a strong bearing on <he
future policy of the United States in that
land. Russia's attitude in Manchuria, and
Japan's rush orders for warships has
again caused China to become the center
of public interest and has made it neces
sary for the diplomats of the powers to
work overtime.
The latest clash in the east is between
England and Russia, and arose over the
claim of Russia and of an English rail
road of a small strip of land near Tien
Tsin. The manager of the road had be
gun work on a new siding, but was stop
ped by the Russian authorities. He ap
pealed to the British authorities and
was given permission to proceed ttith
the word, whereupon the Russians de
clared the thing would not have been
don© if the Russians had had as many
troops ns the British. Vie has appealed
to the Russian minister at Pekin. Thus
the matter stands.
*
The fight for the George F. Gilman
millions has attracted considerable at
tention thrr/ughout the south, owing to
the part -.'taken by Frazier Gilman, of
Georgia-, a half-brother to the deceased
millionaire.
TJie claim of Frazier Gilman is ba^ed
op! events of years ago and his statements
reflect little credit on the millionaire.
He declares George Gilman took charge
of $5,000,000 left by their father and would
not let his half-brothers share in the
fortune. Frazier Gilman says he starved
and walked the streets, while George
Gilman lived like a prince. What he now
wants, he says, is Justice.
Mrs. Blakely Hall, to whom Gilman
left his millions, declares her claim is
unassailable and does not seem at all
uneasy about the claims of the legal
heirs to the property. What promised
to be a bitter legal battle has been set
tled. each claimant to shate equally in
the estate.
*
Instead of the modest $800,000 a year re
ported as his remuneration for presiding
over the affairs of the United -States Steel
Corporation, Charles M. Schwab will
draw a salary of $1,000,000.
When the matter was under discussion
on February 24th, at the Waldorf-Astoria,
an objecting voice was answered by an
officer of the National Tube Company, in
which J. P. Morgan was largely inter
ested.
“Mr. Schwab will earn every cent of it
for the corporation,” said Morgan. “The
amount sounds large, and is large, but
the price paid for anything is but rela
tive, and if you can buy several millions
for one million you are getting them
cheap."
Mr. Schwab’s contract Is for live years.
*
Andrew Carnegie, the endower of public
libraries, has made offers to five cities
during the past week, and the Indications
are that the name of Carnegie will pass
down to posterity on five more public
buildings. To the city of Montgomery,
Ala., he has offered $50,000 if the city will
guarantee an appropriation of $5,000 per
year for the maintenance of the institu
tion. To Janesville, Wis., he has offered
$30,000; to Ashtabula, O., he has offered
$15,000; to St. Joseph. Mo., $25,000, and to
Lawrence, Kas., $25,000; and to Atlanta he
donated this week, in addition to the sum
of $125,000 given some months ago, $20,000
to furnish the new building.
The excommunication of Count Leo
Tolstoi by the orthodox church has been
a matter of considerable discussion in lit
erary and ecclesiastical circles. It is de
clared in the. announcement of the formal
•excommunication that Count Tolstoi, “to
the grief and horror of the whole ortho
dox world, has. by spqpch and writing,
unceasingly striven to separate himself
from all communion with the orthodox
church, and this not only clandestinely,
hut openly, and in the knowledge of all
persons. All attempts to dissuade him
from his conduct have proved without
avail. Consequently the orthodox church
no longer considers him to be one of its
members."
i?
All Europe was excited last week over
the attempt on the life of Emperor Wil
liam. It was believed at first that the
blow had been struck by an assassin, but
investigation proved that the guilty man
was an unfortunate epileptic who could
give only confused answers as to his rea
sons for striking the kaiser. Emperor
William was slightly wounded on the
cheek, but the injury was not of suffi
cient severity to interrupt the Journey of
the emperor. It has not yet been an
nounced whether or not the wound will
in any manner mar the Imperial beauty.
Since the accession of King Edward to
the throne of England four warships have
been added to the Tjlnglish navy, the
vessels having been launched during the
past two weeks. They are the Montaug,
first-class battleship of 14.000 tons; the
Albermafle, first-class battleship of
14,000 tons; the Drake, armored cruiser of
9,400 tons; the Kent, armored cruiser of
9,800 tons. The ship building plans of the
British government for 1901 and 1902 shows
an increase of $2,000,000.
*
A strange phenemenon was witnessed
In southern Italy last Sunday. A heavy
cloud, deep red In color, extended over
the country. The rain that fell resembled
drops of coagulated blood. The phe
nomenon. which was called “the bloody
rain,” is attributed to dust from the Afri
can deserts, transported by a heavy
wind.
*
Li Hung Chang, who has probably been
the most conspicuous of Chinese officials
during the varying stages of the troubles
through which his country has passed, is
now declared to be at the point of death.
His advanced age is said to cause his
illness to be of a serious nature and there
seems to be considerable doubt as to his
recovery.
Congressman Lon Livingston, of Geor
gia, senior member of the house appro
priation committee, in a report to the
fifty-sixth congress on its expenditures,
declares that the Spanish and Filipino
wars have cost the United States $400,000,-
000. This was the total Increase over the
appropriations of the fifty-fourth con
gress, which was the last one before the
war.
*
In the Philippines the United States
government through General MacArthur
is offering one Filipino prisoner for every
rifle surrendered, provided there is no
particular reason why the prisoner should
be held. An insurgent who surrenders his
gun will be permitted to name the pris
oner he desires to be released.
Benjamin J Scooille: Gamin,
Actor, Sailor, Preacher
BY
A C HaeselbartH
MONG the men who do
missionary work in our
cities, there are many
who have led strange
lives. Men who have
been gamblers. card
sharpers, prize fighters,
thugs, corner loafers,
and even professional
criminals, as well as the
reclaimed wrecks of
many honorable trades
and professions may be
found doing the work of
the missions. In the
whole list, however,
there will hardly be one
whose life story is
stranger than that of Ben J. Scovllle,
who is now preparing at the Christian
Alliance School in Nyack, N. Y., for spe-
boy out. There was an altercation and
loud oaths and the boy was struck. As
he shrieked with pain Captain Hughes
lifted him from the deck, carried him to
the rail and hurled him into the sea.
There was one piercing setream and then
all was still.
Een and his fellow witness of the crime
said nothing, but when they reached Lon
don. Ben promptly informed the murdered
lad's guardians. Hughes and the mate
were arrested, tried, convicted upon Ben’s
testimony, and were * sentenced to be
hanged. On the night before his execu
tion in Newgate prison Hughes confessed
that he had acted as principal or acces
sory in the murder of more than thirty
bc-ys in the same way. Most of them were
feeble minded and generally the guard
ians paid £100 for having them taken to
sea.
Once more Ben returned to the ocean.
He endured many hardships and on his
last voyage as a sailer was shipwrecked.
He drifted ten days in an open boat, sub
sisting on a biscuit and a gill of water a
day. After his rescue he underwent a
BEN J SCOVILLE
cial missionary work among stage folk.
Scoville Eas been in his thirty years of
life street gamin, cabin boy, ship's cook,
tramp, chore boy, actor, reciter, teacher
of elocution, and at one time assistant
stage manager for Sir Henry Irving. In
his experience on the seas he was a chief
witness for the conviction of Hughes, one
of the most brutal murderers in the his
tory of crime.
Scoville was born in London, England,
thirty years ago. His father, an officer
in the British army, was killed in the
Zulu war. leaving a widow and two chil
dren, Ben and baby sister. The mother,
through elocutionary and'musical talent,
supported the children in comparative
comfort until she suddenly died. On the
day of her burial, while a salute of honor
was being fired over her grave, the chil
dren were deserted by their guardian, who
left them penniless and friendless in Lon
don. They drifted into the White Chapel
district and managed during warm
weather to eke out a precarious living,
Ben earning a few pennies a day as a
newsboy, street sweeper and Bootblack.
At night they slept in alleys, under wag
ons, or wEerever shelter offered.
Then came the winter days and on the
night of the first snow storm of the sea
son the homeless waifs crawled into a
hogshead, which stood in the shadow of
the Nelson monument, in Trafalgar
Square. Ben wrapped his sister with his
thin coat to keep her warm. The snow
drifted in upon them and the next morn-
iLg -when Ben, benumbed, awoke, his lit
tle companion was dead. The next day
■-he was buried in the public burial field,
Tout newsboys acting as bearers, and Ben
made the first great resolution of h-is
life, that he would earn enough some day
to have the body exhumed and laid to
rest beside their mother.
The sea had an attraction for him. He
visited the wharves until he secured a
place as cabin boy with Captain Hoyle,
on the ship Vanguard. On this vessel he
remained several years and was promoted
to be cook’s assistant. The captain's
daughter, Mary, helped him with his
Studies, and he grew very fond of her.
One day. while she was playing ball on
the deck, a sudden lurch of the ship tnrew
her overboard. Ben plunged after her
and with considerable difficulty kept her
afloat until both were hauled on board.
For this bravery, on his retuA to London,
be was presented with five pounds by the
Royal Humane Society. He had saved
two pounds out of his wages and at once
proceeded to gratify his long cherished
de-tire He had his sister's body removed
from the public burial field and buried
bv her mother. He then returned to the
«ea, this time as steward’s assistant on
the steamer Priscilla, Captain William
Hughest, from Rio de Janeiro to Lopdon.
On the Priscilla was a feeble-minded
bey whom Hughes had taken to sea in
return for £100 paid by the lad's guard
ians. This boy. from the time he left
London, was subjected to gross indigni
ties and cruelties inflicted by the captain
and his mate. On Christmas day the out
rages approached the climax. The boy
was brought to mes3 and given only the
bones which tho ship's dog had gnawed.
Wl-en the little fellow reached out his
hand for some plum duff the mate struck
him a blow with a carving knife, cutting
a deep gash in his hand. The blood spurt
ed on Ben. who tore up his only white
shirt to stanch the flow and make ban
dages. On New Year’s eve, as Ben and
a companion were on deck, they saw
C'v ntain Hushes and the mate bring the
long illness in the Marine hospital, Lon
don. ,
On being discharged from the hospital
he worked his way on a cattle steamer
to this country and struck out for Buffa
lo, thinking from the name of that city
that the biggest cattle ranges must be
there. He learned differently, but sub
sisted awhile by doing odd jobs and by
dancing hornpipes in saloons. He then
went to Cleveland, O., where he engaged
with a doctor to do chores for $1 a week
and his board, with the great added priv
ilege of attending school. Ben cared for
two horses, waited on the doctor’s wife
and daughters, and did a lot of other
menial work; but he stuck it out until
he graduated from the Cleveland High
school. Then he went to Birmingham,
Ala., and paid his way for a year In
Howard college by ringing the college
bell, acting as agent for a laundry and
doing chores. From Alabama to went
to Colorado and secured, work in Strat
ton’s great Independence mine, in Crip
ple Creek, earning enough to enable him
to progress in his studies in* Colorado
college, Colorado Springs. Then came a
miner’s strike and he lost his job.
Scoville went next to Chicago, where he
failed to find employment and sold his
watch to pay his railroad fare to Cleve
land. From Cleveland he walked to Ba
tavia. N. Y., where he earned enough by
washing the windows of the Young Men's
Christian Association building to carry
him to Lyons. At Lyons the Rev. Mr. Os
trander became interested in him and se
cured him a church collection. Similar
assistance was given him in Port Byron,
and from there he went to Boston.
Full of hope, Ben then applied to Man
ager Frank W. Hale, of the New England
Conservatory, and begged admission as
a student in elocution and oratory. An
arangement was made whereby he could
earn his tuition fees and expenses by
working six to ten hours a day in the
model machine shops and printing depart
ment. He applied himself closely and
was graduated with honors in December,
1896.
He then began his professional career.
For a time he supported himself in Syra
cuse as a reciter, then traveled about
the country until he met the "Sign of the
Cross’’ company, at Peoria, and joined it.
Wilson Barrett took him to England
with his English company, and Scoville
had a wide stage experience on the other
side, playing such diverse parts as Tubal,
in "The Merchant of Venice;” Duncan,
in "Macbeth;” Jacques, In "As You Like
It;” Nero,. in "The Sign of the Cross;”
Sir Joseph Porter.in "Pinafore;” Queen of
Fairies, in "Jack aid the Beanstalk.”
He was for a time assistant stage man
ager for "Robespiere,” with Henry Irv
ing’s company. In Manchester, Scoville
met and fell in love with a girl, whom he
married at the termination of his engage
ment with Irving’3 company. They came
to this country and he got a position as
professor of elocution in the high school
at Galveston, Tex. On the day of the
flood he was in the high school building
and with others was penned there by the
water. All the next day he searched for
his wife and in the evening he found her
body in the ruins.
Grief stunned and without ambition,
Scoville came to New York and wandered
aimlessly about the city. By chance he
went into a missionary meeting, where
a former opera singer was holding spe
cial meetings, and decided to Join the
missionary work. He is now taking the
regular course and Intends to work not
only among stage folk. But among those
who have failed to establish themselves
on the stage and are drifting or haw
drifted into dissolute ways of life. Of
New York, the mecca of the stage struck,
he recently wrote to a friend:
"New York is full of poor, ambitious
young men and women, who think it
great sport to go upon the stage. These
become sadly ‘left,’ and stroll about the
city streets, going from bad to worse. It
would not be so bad if this host were only
from New York, but they are from ad
parts of Canada and the United States.
If a man Is tall he stands some little
show, providing he has a degree of tal
ent. A woman must be a 'good-looker,
have an attractive shape, and if she has
money, or a ‘friend’ who has plenty of
dust—happy woman. Otherwise she Is
•N G ’ A woman is subjected to all the
slander and abuse the managers and
state managers see fit to bestow upon
her. This is drawing it mild. ’Alf-and-
•alf, don’t you know. You may draw it
as you like.
“I believe that a great work can be
done among actors and actresses, espe
cially among those that have been disap
pointed In the life of the stage and want
to make something of themselves and get
into a respectable way of living before
they graduate down on the Bowery and
Water street. I hope that God will open
up the way for me to stajt this neglected
good work. And now. If you know any
young men or women who are starting in
on the stage, tell them to stay out of
New York city, for it Is overrun; but If
they must seek the metropolis, let them
be sure and secure a return ticket and
take good care of it.”
STORY OF OUR TROUBLES WITH
VENEZUELA
GENERAL VIEW of CARACAS
HE recent trouble be
tween the United States
and Venezuela seems to
be about to reach an
unexpected climax.
The latest dispatches
from Caracas, Venezu
ela, are of such a na
ture as to cause fear of
diplomatic trouble of a
serious nature between
the United States and
the little South Ameri
can republic.
It appears that in
Caracas a campaign Is
going on against the
United States In the
press, and Mr. Loomis Is charged by the
opposition press with sending out ex
aggerated reports about the fight between
the sailors of the Lancaster and the po
lice -at La Guayra. Mr- Loomis, acting
apparently on instructions from Wash
ington, has declined to be drawn into a
newspaper controversy and makes no de
nial. no ihatter how much the abuse.
It is believed that, after having worked
up bitter feeling against the United
States, the government will give Minister
Loomis his passports. In times gone by
both a French and an American minister
have been given their passports, and
France has never reopened diplomatic
relations with Venezuela.
Threats of expelling foreign newspaper
correspondents at Caracas -are gaining in
strength. Commander Sargent; of the
Scorpion, has reecntly made an impor
tant report to Minister Loomis, in which
it is shown that hostile feeling toward
Americans is evident in many places and
that the dislike of foreigners is general.
Threats to burn the general offices of
the Oronoco company at Santa Catalina
have been frequent.
Beginning of the Trouble
The present trouble with Venezuela
grew out of a controversy over asphalt
concessions granted six or eight years
ago to the Oronoco company, Manoa
company and the Bermudez company,
all lying in eastern Venezuela and in
what was then the state of Bermudez.
The comprehensive grant of the old Oro
noco company, in a strict legal construc
tion, embodied literally an empire, includ
ing not only asphalt, but mahogany and
other valuable privileges, both north and
south of the Oronoco river. Under the
acftninistration of General Grespo, the
Manoa company was formed and accord
ed a concession, which led to an imme
diate legal controversy with the Oronoco
company. In the meantime the Bermu
dez Lake Asphalt Company had com
menced work, developing their conces
sion at Guanaco, deepening the river,
building railways, wharves and tramways
and had taken out considerable asphalt-
ntn. Their work, however, suddenly
stopped, and for several years all their
operations were apparently stopped, lead
ing to the rumor that they had consoli
dated with some more powerful competi
tor. General Grespo, lending some cre
dence to this report, while anxious to
encourago the development of the in
dustry, granted another concession to
several capitalists in Caracas composed
of Henrique Alamo and Emile J. Mauri
and other associates to 600 hectares
around Padernales, on the shore of thq
gulf of Paria. where the boring process
for the liquid bitumen was first inau
gurated. After spending a large sum
of money and practically demonstrating
that paying quantities could be taken out
in this way, this work was also sud
denly stopped and the large plant was
allowed to fall into decay—supposedly
from sinister influences which did not
appear on the surface. At any rate,
the brilliant prospects for taking out
large quantities of Venezuelan asphalt,
which had for a time threatened to
eclipse, if not to materially injure the
great enterprise of Trinidad, had come
to a complete halt and very little was
done to revive it until within the past
two years. The Manoa and the old Oro
noco companies in the meantime evident
ly came to an amicable understanding,
as the former corporation was apparently
merged into the latter and this result
was accomplished by President Grespo
shortly before his term of office expired
in 1898. The Bermudez company had evi
dently gone quietly ahead and acquired
a large additional tract in the Colorado
region about Lake Felicidad, which had
many advantages in the way of trans
portation over their old concession. The
revolution of 1898 demoralized for a time
ali public enterprise, and it was not until
the success of General Castro that the
legacy of asphalt controversies were re
opened with the facts now known to
the general public. As a rule, every new
president in Venezuela enters office with
a prejudice or an invidious demeanor to
ward any important concessions that
may have been granted by predecessors.
The reasonsdfor this is manifest to every
one familiar with the politics of that
unfortunate country, where the legisla
tive body and the judiciary are wholly
subordinate to the executive. If the
prerogatives of the president are limited
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Cipriane Castro, President
Francis B Loomis, V S Minister
by the constitution, his powers are su
preme and absolute, nevertheless, often
overriding the most unquestioned rights.
Merits of the Controversy
The merits of the present controversy
should of course be properly defined bv
judicial investigation, and though full
justice under the existing regime may
be problematical, it is the only resort
of the controvertialists. Certain legal
phases of these rival concessionaires
were adjudicated by Judge Joaquin Ma
chado, at Ciudad Bolivar, and conse
quently affirmed by the high federal court
at Caracas. There is no doubt an abun
dance of able talent in Caracas, whose
familiarity with international law would
The existence of these beds of mineral
tar in different parts of Venezuela have
been known since the visit of Humboldt,
one century ago. but no practical effort
was made to develop it until within the
past decade. In fact, the Bermudez com
pany was the first to take out and market
the product, which was within the past
six or seven years. One disadvantage has
always offered an impediment to the de
velopment of the asphalt industry in
Venezuela, and that Is the location of the
lakes remote from tide water or easy
facilities of transportation. At the west
ern line of the G-ulf of Paria, near which
most of the discoveries have been made,
the -water is very shallow and the rivers
emptying into it are equally so. making It
almost impossible for vessels of deep
draught to enter and load. The principal
deposits In the state of Bermudez are In
•the Interior about midway between Ma-
turin and Cumajja, thirty or forty miles
from the coast. The principal one Is near
Guanaco, another near Buen Pastor, an
other at Eurzera and the one of Lake
Felicidad. besides numerous naphtha and
aspbailtum springs of minor consequence
in the region of the Rio Garapiche and
west of Maturin. Discoveries of large
deposits of aspholtum and petroleum
(which is always present) have been
made in the Maracaibo region of the
same republic. 800 miles west of Bermu
dez. One of these, near the source of the
Rio Limon, is said to contain a greater
percentage of pure asphaltum than the
springs of Bermudez. This lake is the
property of Dr. Caezar Urdeneta, of Ca
racas, who, with Mr. Pedro Guzman, own
other large miperal properties in this
region. The great insalubrity of the sur
rounding hot and feverish swamps in the
Maracaibo district will long remain a bar
rier to the proper development of the
western deposits.
Scene of tae Trouble
The scene of the present trouble in
Venezuela is in the extreme eastern prov
ince. formerly Bermudez, now the state
of Sucre, with the capital at Cumana, on
the north coast. It is one of the most
interesting sections of the new world and
enjoys the distinction of being the first
landing place of Columbus, the seat of
the ancient Oarib empire contains the first
city built in the western world (Cumana),
has the largest limestotje cavern in the
world (Cuevo del Guacharo), manufac
tures a rum celebrated throughout Europe
Caracas, the Capitol of Venezuela, Could Readily be Bombarded
from the Sea
enable them to easily suggest a means
to President Castro whereby complica
tions with this country could be avoided.
There are men like Lucio Pulido, Bruzual
Serra, Dr. Rojas, Judges Periera and
Bustamente and many others who are
thoroughly competent to peacefully and
equitably adjust all differences without
humiliation to that country. Even ambi
tious political leaders, but worthy and
(Carupano), has the only pearl fishery on
the west coast of the continent (Marga
rita), the oldest Franciscan mission (Ca-
ripe). besides an incomparable richness
in asphaltum, naphtha and petroleum, as
well as vast, unexplored beds of bitumi
nous coal, alum, salt and various other
minerals. To the botanist and geologist
also it offers a wide and interesting field
of virgin research and to the general
VVlep, otewy^
ly, thm CutvM V* *
gifted men like Munoz Tebar, General
Hernandez, Henrique Perez, Ramon Guer
ra and Carlos Pumar, as representative
men of the republic, would bury their
differences to bring about peaceful con
ditions for Venezuela. But the actual
condition rests with President Cipriano
Castro, whose imprudence in the past
may lead again to serious difficulties.
traveler it unfolds a picture of luxuri
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