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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 10, 1909)
The Despot and Dicta tor of Nicaragua. ICARAGUA was called by its Spanish conquerors Mo hammed's Paradise, writes Thomas R. Dawley In the New York Times. It wns a land whero the native llvodwlthout toll a land of eternal summer, producing much with littlo labor. Neither did tho people go to war, but under tho despotic rule of Joso Santos Zolaya all this was changed. The poor Indian has had to hustlo. And not only has tho poor In dian had to hustlo. but his ladlno mas ter, who nlways exploited him as well, for tho despot Joso Santos Zolaya must have- wealth, and he mado his Bubjects, whether ladlno or Indian, shopkeeper or merchant, hustle to got It, and If for no othor reason .tho peo ple hated him. For 16 years this despot has ruled tho country with a rod of iron. Those who would not submit to his rule, or even demurred, had to die or got out. It is said that 10,000 of his peoplo taavo been driven into exile, but this is undoubtedly an exaggeration, as tho total population of tho entiro coun try does not exceed half a million, and less than a third or tills bolonglng to what is known as tho ladlno or creolo element. Tho rest aro Indians, pure nnd simple They never leavo tho country. Whilo a great deal has been said against Zelaya as a man, thero Is ono thing that cannot bo said against him nnd which his enemies never hnvo at tempted to say against him, and that Is that ho is not a bravo man. It usu ally takes a bravo man to rule any ono of tho turbulent Latin American so-called republic. Diaz of Mexico began his career as n soldier and a revolutionist, nnd so did his compcor, J. liuflno Uarrloa of Guatemala. Castro of Venezuela, wklle not a soldlor, began his career us a fighter and a leador. With a band of poorly armed cow herders from his native mountains ho raided a few bor derlng towns nnd fought his way on to Caracas, whero ho landed himself In tho presidential chair. I3ut Zolaya differed from theso in that ho began his career as tho gentle manly son of a plantor. Ho had littlo else to do than ride over tho vast es tate belonging to his father. Ho was sent to school at tho capital and given all tho education that his masters could supply. Extravagant in his tastes, ho drew on tho old man's purso strings, leaving tho plantation frequently for tho town, whore ho wns tho leador among n gathering of young men of about ills own age and circum stances. For nmusoment thoy parnded the streets of tho town at night, twanging the guitar strings and sing ing lovo songs to tholr sweetheans. Had Zelaya been content with this amusement he might havo succeeded to tho ownership of his fnthors es tate and have passed tho remainder of his days in quiet comfort, for his country was quietly, yet strongly, ruled by tho conservative President Charmora, his party having been In power since the llnal defeat of tho American filibuster Walker, who had landed on the coast with his 5G Immor tals and rought his way to tho presl-1 dency. Zelaya' told his young friends and ! compatriots that ho did not approve I of the conservative rulo. His talks j became speeches; ho grow bolder, and j denounced the government openly, with the result that ho was thrown out. In other words, he was oxllqd. .Ho sought refugo in Guatemala, then LAYA ruled by J. Ruflno Uarrios, tho first of tho stern liberal rulers of tho Portflrio Diaz typo. No country was over moro complete ly organized under a military rulo than was the littlo republic of Guatemala at that time. Harrios had not only re organized a very much dilapidated army, but ho had virtually created a now ono. Ho had stationed garrisons In all tho littlo towns, strung his country with a network of tolegraph wires, ordored his local commandants to report by wire to tho nutlonal capi tal dally at-sundown that all was-wcll, and thus ho had established pcaco in lils country and put an end to revolu tion that wns lasting. In this army of Uarrios, Zelaya, tho exllo from Nicaragua, sought and ob tained service. Commissioned only a lieutenant, for Harrios wns frugal with his commissions, he wns soon given n placo on tho president's staff, whero ho took full advantage of tho opportu nities given him to study tho "old man's" method of governing a would be troublesomo republic. Harrios, tho strong man of Central America, had his llfo's ambition over before him, nnd that was tho unifica tion of tho ilvo Central American re publics. It wnB this ambition that led to his undoing, for ono brigh morning in February, 1885, a proclamation ap peared nailed upon tho door of the capltol, and upon tho doors of tho cablldos, or town halls, throughout tho republic announcing that ho had uni ted tho flvo republics, and for four that some of them or all of them might see fit to disunite ho was at the head or an army of UO.000 woll-dlsclp-lined troops marching to tho first and strongest ono of them, San Salvador. It is said that a slmllur proclamation appeared on that same, morning on the breakfast table or each of the presidents of each of tho other four republics informing them thnt thoy had been united, or annexed, as thoy claimed. However, mnrchlng with Uarrios nt tho head of that army of 30,000, the grandest army Central America had ovor seen, wns tho young lloutonant and exllo, Joso Santos Zelaya. Hut Salvador did not proposo to bo either united or nnnexed, nnd Hnrrlo3, the greatest president undoubtedly whom any of thoso turbulent littlo republics havo ovor known, rodo to his doath. ho fell upon tho plnlns of Chalchuapa, mortally wounded, In tho very act or loading his army to victory. Young Zelaya was not only n stnnch admlror of old Harrios, as ho is affec tionately remembered, hut ho believed In him and his methods of government. As ho rodo by tho side of him to that fatal battlefield of Chaichuapa ho ox pocted to contlnuo with him across Salvador and Honduras into his own count! y, whero ho would seo tho prin ciple for which ho had stood and for which ho had been exiled, thoroughly established. Hut with tho rail of Har rios the army which ho was leading lied. Zolaya returned to Guatemala, whero he received a promotion for bravery on tho Held, and thoro ho con tinued in tho army of Guatemala until tho opportune moment arrived, when ho threw up his commission and dis til pcared. It as in tho early D0s that ho re appeared in his own country leading a band of Insurgents against the gov ernment. Ho met with success from tho very commencement of his cam :i(Jgn. and it was not long before he landed In that ultlmato goal of all successful revolutionary Icadors, tho presidential chair. Thero is nn old flaying In Central America to tho effect that in dealing with your inferiors you must hold out n piece of bread to thorn In ono hand whilo you grasp a club In tho other. This Is very much tho prlnclplo upon which Zelaya has maintained his rulo in Nicaragua. Ho offers his peoplo bread with ono hand, nnd when they aro not satisfied thoy gqt tho club. When ono bccb tho tatterdemalion soldiers of theso Central American armies for tho first tlmo not only is ho inclined to laugh, but ho entertains grnvo doubts of their efficiency ns sol diers, yet It is only with such soldiers ns these that tho sntrnp maintains his despotism. Strnngo to say thnt tho men who make up tho rank nnd file of theso armies nro not warlike. Thoy nro usually harmless, penco ablo follows, If lot alone, nnd tholr greatest dcalro la to bo let alone. But thoy nro not let alone. Thoy nro sim ply picked up, corralled or captured ns tho caso may bo, nnd given to under stand that they havo got to obey, and it is thla understanding that makes them good soldiers. They nro not supposed to know, and do not know, anything about politics, or if called upon to fight, what thoy aro to fight for. Thoy know who their chiefs or ofllcors aro who tho presl dent'ls, and ns long ns this president Is nllvc, and tho officers who command them stay with them, thoy will fight to tho end, and It Is this military strength that keops tho despot In pow er In fnco of all tho hatred and opposi tion which may bo brought against him. Zclayn learned tho power of this stupid military forco ns an olllccr In tho army of Guatemala undor Barrios, and ho has mado good uso of it, al though he has not succeeded In per fecting its use bo thoroughly us .old man Barrios did, for ho has had many revolutions to contend with aud put down during his 1C years of powor. Snmo pay that this is because Zela ya is neither as strong a man or ns clover n man ns Barrios. Barrios be gan his rulo by having n dozen dis turbers of tho public peace nnd se curity taken out In the public plaza and shot. That ended" tho matter. Thoro woro no more disturbers of tho public peaco and security, and thoro wero no more public executions. But Zelaya, it seems, has had to keep up tho execution of his fellow-cltlzcus nil along throughout his 1C years of occu pation of the presidential chair. As to his having converted tho Mo hammed's Paradise into a country of compnrntlvo activity there can bo no doubt. In this respect ho has dono precisely what Barrios did In Guate mala. He has shaken the Indian out of his lethargic stato nnd mndo him work or go into tho army, or both. With his labor ho has strung telegraph lines nil over tho country, herded cattlo and planted coffee, and whenever his army needed strengthening or there was a revolution on hand he has had him brought In ns a volunteer soldier or recruit nnd put in tho army. On tho othor hnnd, tho merchnnts, planters nnd business men of the country have had to Increase their earnings ns bcBt they could and pay him oftimos arbitrary tribute or tax ation. As an example or his methods In this respect, during an invuslon or the country by n largo forco of revolution ists from Costa BIca, ho kept a care ful account or all expenditures in put ting down the revolution, nt tho samo GOVERNMENT PALACE, MANAGUA, time keeping tab on nil tho merchants, capitalists and plnnters who were In sympathy with or aided and abetted tho revolution In any way. Ho thon, after having put down tho rovolutlon, drow upon ouch ono of thoso sympa thizers for a specific amount, accord ing to his capital, to dofray tho ox penso ot putting down tho rovolutlon. It is frequently Btated, rind with n good deal of truth, that thero is nover more than ono political party in Cen tral America, and that is tho party in power. But as a matter of fact, thoro Is and always has been boon two well defined political parties. Thero are tho conservatives on ono sldo and tho liberals on tho othor. Tho reason for Its being stated that thero is only ono political party Is tho fact that which ever party is in power maintains Its despotic sway to such an extent that no opposition does show itself In nny form whatsoever. Sometimes thoro Is a protonso of having an election, but such nn election Is moro than a farce for, should any misguided olomcnt or tho population or soctlon ot tho coun try be beguiled into believing that they were going to bo allowed to voto sure enough nnd put up n cnndldato In opposition to tho government program, tho unfortunate candidate would bo surely taken nut nnd shot Zelaya'a predominating characteris tic Is his courage. Ho is absolutely fearless, and that Is ono renson why ho is more thoroughly hated than any ono or tho other Central American Bntraps. Tho othor reason is, llko that of his preceptor, old Barrios of Guate mala, his ono ambition has been to urtlto tho flvo republics under ono government, with himself, of course, nt Its head. Various have been his Bchemes and projects to accomplish this end. At ono tlmo fomenting n rev olution lu Salvador, ho has fit'Ued In thnt direction. At nnother tlmo ho suc ceeded In plnclng Dnvlln In tho presi dential chair of Honduras with tho understanding that Davlla would unite Honduras to Nicaragua, only to havo Davlla tell him to go to tho devil nUer his scat was safely secured, and Costa Hka lias always been a thorn in his sldo becauso ho couldn't got up nny revolution thoro, lu which something might accrue to his benefit or to his pet scheme. For thoso ronsons Zolnyn has como to ho known as tho mischief maker of Central Amorlcn. Compared with some of tho other rulers who aro or who havo been In tho limelight, ho Is undoubtedly tho boldest nnd bravest of them nil, with tho single exception, perhaps, ot Cns tro of Vonozuola. But ho is a different typo of man from Castro, who was of low origin and us vicious ns ho was low. Zelaya is educated, and ho is very much of n gentleman in Ills mnn nor and personal appearance, whilo Castro was not only Ignorant, but ho was a personlflcntlon of tho bruto in human form. On tho other hand, thoro is tho present rulor or Guatemala, Cabrera, who is a raro exception to thorn all, for ho Is a desplcablo coward main tained In powor by n host of ententes, who cajolo htm nnd (latter him, mak ing him bollevo thnt ho Is tho greatest man on earth, whilo thoy, us a mat ter or fnct, hold tho reins of a despot ism ns arbitrary, cruel, and corrupt ns that or Nero, who ilddled whilo Homo wns burning. AVOIDS DANGER FROM GERMS Theater Doorkeeper Careful Cleanse Fingers While Hand ling Tickets. to "I use n wet spongo nt all times when taking tickets," said a certain thenter doorkeeper of St. Louis, "bo cause of all men In tho world tho ticket taker is most exposed, to con tagious disease. When you stop to flguro on the thousands of tickets 1 hnndlo every year perhaps ono for every person lu St. Louis you can. readily see what a great chauco thoro is of t;enns coming to mo with tho tickets. The Idea of using n spongo after every ticket was brought to my attention by n very prominent physi cian of St. Louis some tlmo ago. Ho stopped on his way Into tho show ono night nnd said: 'Come up to my of fice to-morrow, I want to show you something that you will not regret.' "Wondering whnt in tho world It wns ho had to show mo, 1 cnllod on him, and ho then took u bunch of tickets from ills desk nnd under tho microscope showed mo that I receive hundreds of little germs with overy pleco of carbonrd, nnd that nny of tlicm aro apt to contain germs of u typo to cause consumption, skin trou ble or a half hundred othor tilings. THE CAPITAL OF NICARAGUA. This fixed mo. 1 thuuked him, bought a spongo nnd have used It ralthfully over slnco. Each tlmo that I touch a tlckot I wash oft my linger by rub bing It ucross the wot sponge. It Isn't much bother and It has undoubt edly lessoned my chnnces or dls scaso." "Tho averago porson Is In too much of u hurry to take tho tlmo to secure protection against theso apparent dan gers," said a well-known bacteriologist of St Louis, "but it pays In overy sense of tho word. Tho cashlor should keep a Bmull spongo on hand at all times ovor which slio could draw her Angora every tlmo thoy como In con tact with tho ticket or coin from a patron. It finally comos mechanic ally." The Mean Man. Wlfo (crossly) "Woll, havo your own way, and thon you'll bo satis fied." Husband "I'm not so cortaln about that. I hud my own way whon I married you, but I'm uot 8utieuod." Judge. A Split By MARY (Copyright, l' 8hort "I must deplore" begnn Prof. Wontworth, removing his glasses. "Yon havo no Idea how funny you look without them." Interpolated his companion; whereupon he hastily ro placed them, for nothing could have been farther from his wish nt the moment than to appear funny. How over, ns ho hooked them over his oars he reflected that Miss Sherman prob ably meant odd. Ho hnd noted with disapproval her careless manner of speech. "You begnn (o Bay something, pro fessor; 1 did not Intend to Interrupt," Miss Sherman added nfter n roimldor uhlo pause, as sho shitted her Huffy white parasol from ono shoulder to tho other. "I beg your pardon, I nm very absent-minded I do not recall" ho hesitated, wondering how long It had been slnco he Inst spoke. "I'll excuse you upon ono condition. You must toll mo whnt you wero thinking about; you looked as solemn ns an owl." Tho professor blushed llko a girl under the scrutiny of those mischiev ous hluo eyes, In whoso sight ho folt suro he must npponr a sort of light-nlng-chnngo nrtlst. "It wns your uso of the word funny. I wns reflecting that you perhaps meant odd," ho re plied. "I have noticed that you reflect too much," Bald Miss Shormnu sovoroly. "It mnkes mo feel ns If I wero being dissected." This wns so llko his own sensation tho professor was surprised, "I am far from prosumlng to criticise," ho said; "you romomber you Insisted." Miss Shcrmnn again shifted her bo coming background and gnzed out upon the lake. "How did you llko 'Across tho Storm'?" sho asked, "I bo llevo thnt Is what wo were discuss ing." "I have to conross that n story of that kind Is uot In my line, yet I do not deny Its merits, a certain Bpright- llness, and some not unworthy chnrac torlzntlon but as regards stylo ono must deplore tho colloquialisms, nnd among other things, tho rrequont. ubo or tho split Inflnltlvo." "It may bo truo, but for all that It Is a delightful lovo story. It Is quite clear to mo, Professor, that you hnvo nover been In lovo," sho looked nt him archly over her shoulder. "I must beg to know upon what you found that conclusion," ho unswered, moving nonrer. ' "On this sumo habit or reflection. Now nil you llnd In this Btory Is split Infinitives. At most It is to you nn ungrnmmatlcal romance." "And you? I am to draw tho In foronco " Sho laughed, "No, It Is not neces sary you should draw nny," It would bo unjust to Miss Slier mnn'B penotrntlon to supposo alio did not know what was coming whon Bomo minutes later Prof. Wontworth, In Inngungo as clear and conclso as ho was master of, mado hor an offer or marriage, but bIio was surprised at herself that bIio did not find It moro amusing. Sho upon whoso word n multl-mllllonalro and a novelist of wldo fame, not to mention certnln lessor llghtB, wero nt this moment lmuglng In eager suspense. Tho profossor might bo Btlltcd, hut ho was oarnest nnd mnnly, and sho folt u strnngo roluctnnco to wound him. "It wouldn't do nt all," sho told him. "Wo havo been very good frlonds this summer, and you hnvo perhaps found mo entertaining; but nftor a whilo that would wear off. You would begin to to seo nothing but tho spilt Infinitives. I should shock you in various ways, and you would boro mo, and we'd both bo mlsorablo. I am dreafully sorry, but " Ho accepted her decision quietly, but eho romombored long nrtorwardo how whlto ho looked. Professor Wontworth was deliver ing a' courso of lectures on Philology at tho summer cchool across tho lakf from tho homo of his collogo frfonft Arthur Sherman. Mr. Shorinan'a protty wife and no Icbs attractlvo sis ter mado their cottage tho center of Eoclal life on tho lakeside, and in ac Infinitive F. LEONARD Storlos Co., Ltd.) cepting their cordial invitations tho professor had found himself In an un wonted iitmo8phoro of careless gnycty. Sovornl days aftor the oplsodo by tho lake, Mr. Sherman ono afternoon came upon his Bister ensconced In n lnrgo wicker chair on tho porch, somo snltB In hor hnnd, and n dlsconsolato expression or countenance "By tho way, Carolyn, Wentworth nsked mo to say good-by for him. Ills lectures aro over and ho leaves to night. Ho had intonded to call this afternoon, but I told him Hclon nnd I woro going to Jamestown, and that you woro not well." "That was very tlrcsomo of you whon I wanted particularly to seo him," was tho pettish reply. "I fear Carolyn Is In for nervous prostration," hor brother romnrkod to his wlfo as they drove away. Something did seem to go wrong. Tho millionaire who appeared at this Inopportune momout was dismissed with sennt courtesy, and then, left to herself, Carolyn began to cry Bllcnt ly. It wns thus tho professor found her. "My dear Miss Sherman," ho ex claimed, "I hopo nothing Is tho mat ter." "Oh, nothing; I wns only feeling tired nnd bored," alio replied, hastily drying hor oyes. "I havo a tlrcsomo headache" "Thon I fear I shall not help mat ters, but thoro Is something I'd really like to say to you If It would not boro you too much." "It Is only myflolf that bores me," Carolyn replied, encouragingly. "Well, 1 havo Just discovered that r must ho something or a bore," tho professor spoke, cheerfully; ''I havo boon thinking over whnt you said to mo, nnd I bco I hnvo grown into tho habit or Inylng too much emphasis on corrections or form. As you ex pressed It, whoro othors round a charming Btory I found only somo tho Bin of the specialist, but I want to thank you for opening my oyes. I hopo you will bollevo how I valuo your friendship " "Oh. don't!" cried Carolyn, putting her handkerchief to her oyes ngaln. "Is nnythlng wrong? 1 don't want to distress you" tho profossor felt greatly embarrassed. "It la Impossi ble for mo to to adequately express my" Carolyn sat .suddenly erect. "Do you know what you havo dono?" sho cried. "You hnvo split nn Inflnltlvo!" Ho looked nt her In astonishment, thon said. rccklcBsly, "Woll, I don't caro!" "Hut I caro, for It niters tho caso!" For a second Prof. Wentworth's grammatical mind wns bewildered, hut ho wan not dull, and In thq flushed, tearful, smiling fnco ho rend that which thrilled him ns no mnstorpicco of Inngungo had power to do. Ho bent over her. "My dnrllng, I camo back becauso I couldn't stay away, and now I begin to bollovo you wanted mo," ho said. "1 should never have acknowledged It If you had not. split thnt Inflnltlvo," was her mischievous reply. "That showed mo you rcnlly cared." Grandpas of To-Day. "Thero aro no moro old pooplo," said tho limn who studios typos. "At! least not In Chicago. Of course women1 took tho lend in abandoning ago. It has been generally roqognlzod for a, long tlmo that women were refusing to bo relegated to chimney corners or, steam radiator corners, nnd now I look In vain for old mon. I mean raonj who nro willing to accept ngo nnd in-; flrmlty nnd oven to mnko capital ofi them. The modern man does not con-i sldcr It a desirable thing to ilnunti long whlto whiskers, rhoumntlo Joints,, a benign smllo and tho tltlo of 'gram pa.' Tho modern grandfather would much rnthor bo called 'Dad' or 'Foxy' than 'Hovered Sir.' Tho up-todnto man of maturo yonrs is slim, thor oughly groomed, profors to wear his face smooth, becauso thereby less graynoss shows, knows how to run nn automobllo, challenges his grandson nt golf, sails his own boat, is useful at Bocloty affairs whero his polished dofcroncc Is a pleasing contrast to tho somotlmes cnroless uttontlons or youth gives sound ndvlco on tho stock market nnd enjoys llfo to tho fullest." The Glazed Age. "Why not a whlto ennmol gas rango?" asked a stovo manufacturer of himself somo tlmo ago. This Is an ago of whlto enamel, ho roflcctcd Enameled cooking utensils nro com mon nnd clean nnd savo labor; cnam oled rcfrlgorntors are clean and swool; and appeal to tho oyo; slnku and bnthi tubs aro practically all enameled. Zinc and galvanized Iron aro oxccllonb materials so, tho old gas rango Is n lino thing for ovorworked cooks. Good products and processes, however, givo way to hotter. Tills stovomakcr be gan to oxporimont with white enam elod Iron and Invited housewives to Inspect results. In its advertising pamphlet tho company omphaslzos thq lact that 12 pnrto or tho range aro enameled. Those Includo ovon racks, guldC3, plates, and door, nnd broiler, pan. Bathtub nrd stovomnkor ltivo followed tho tendency of tho gl(ved ngo. Tho woman who first covsri'd. her pine kitchen table with ollctoth showod tho way. Scientific American.