Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-09-24
VENEZUELA.
Interesting Description of the Country
By Hon, Jehu Baker.


Hon. Jehu Baker Of Belleville, who for
the past seven wears has been Minister to
Venezuela, returned home on Saturday
Mr.. Bakers long residence in Venezuela
has given Kim thorough knowledge OF
the country. its people and its institu-
tlons, and his views on these subjects VIII
be found decidedly interesting. Mir. and
Mrs. Baker are stopping at the National
house in Belleyille, and are the recipients
daily OF Numerous calls from their old
friends and acQuaintances, all bent upon
giving them d hearty welcome home.
RrDu5Hcdu reporter called at the hotel
Yesterday and was at once received by
Mr. Baker
YES. REACHED Belleyille on Saturday"
said he. in answer to question, Sin
excellent health. Mrs. Baker lie also
feeling well, and ] must say that FeHo.
zuela has agreed with both Of US"
"Did YOU come home direct from Vene-
zuela !"
..Weu. not exactly. From Caracas we
went TO New York, where we remained
some time; thence to Washington, and so
home.o
s.You have been Minister Resident at
nOtgr
.Yes. lust about. was appointed by
President Hayes in MAY, 1875 but was at
home about eight months in the meantime,
so that | was in Venezuela between SIX
and seven years. Nj. Charles l.. scott,
OF Alabama, a very gentlemanly man,
with whom | was much pleased, Is my
successor"
''What is your impression Of Vene-
zuelaV
''Wen, sir, ii is
A GREAT COUNTRY,
and one that can be made capable Of sus-
tanning population Of 30,000,000 to 3d.
600, 600 people. Politically, 1t has been
for a considerable period Of time hereto
fore disturbed bv revolutions and attempts
at revolutions; but my belief Is that Ven
ezuela is passing through this transitional
revolutionary period, and has already
reached or viii soon reach a period Of
much greater stability; and when it has
reached that period il viii much more
rapidly develop IN all respects"
''SOcially. what can you say of the peO-
pleg"
Il ind points there which are exceed
inglv admirable. The people are very
polite IN their manners and very obsery-
ant of decorum and propriety. There Is
very little crime or violence, and in Cara
surprisingly small
"Who is at the head Of the Venezuelan
government nOwW
joaquin CrespO IS President, his term
expiring February, 1886"
"NOminally, It's q republic; what is il
really?"
"Oh. it's a constitutional republic
founded upon our government as a model.
The President holds Office for two years
ana cannot succeed himself; he can, how
ever, be elected a second time after an
other administration has interviewed He
has a federal council, or Cabinet, and
there is a Congress, and, Of course, jul
dietary"
How large a population has vene-
EuelAp'
.Only little over 100000. according
TO the last census in 1881. But my i'm
preston is, as / have stated, that the
country is competent to sustain 100000.
The Inhabitants belong to the Latin type,
of course. The natives are
OF MIXED DESCENT,
and the classes may be said to be as fol-
lows: Pure white. relatively small: pure
ImdiAn. relatively small pure negro, rela-
lively small; mixtures OF these. relatively
large. A very small part Of the popula-
ton is foreien-a much less proportion
than the United States. Tne German.
French. Spanish and Dutch elements pre-
dominate in the foreign population with
few English and fewer Americans. The
reason Of the distinctively-sma Ameri-
can element is obvious lnasmuch as the
United states rs the greatest country in
the world 70 immIgrate 70 it Is, therefore,
necessarily the poorest country in the
world % emigrate frOmv
Has Venezuela anything like a rail-
road sys emp
''Well, railroad building has received a
fair start and promises b extend largely.
They have arOad running from some point
IN the northern coast 10 Aroa- q place in
the interior. II is about seventy miles
long, and is used in bringing copper ore
and other products Of the country TO the
coast. That railway was constructed
aud Is owned by An English company.
Another road runs from Caracas, the
capital OF the republic, To the port La
Guayra. 1t is about twenty-three miles
long, and winds around the sides OF pre-
cipitOus mountains, tracing here and
there the edges of many deep abyss, and
revealing glimpses at the same time Of
mountain and sea. 1t is justly regarded
rs one OF the bOldest pieces OF railway
construction on the globe. This road was
also built by an English company at a
cost of about 81 ,60O,000 for twentv-three
miles and is owned and operated by them
BY the way, II was constructed under the
direction OF FORMER 81. LOuisan, Will
liam a. Pile. The road was finished In
1888 and my understanding is that it has
been
REASONABLY SUCCESSFUL.
1t is well operated by English employees.
believe that the Venezuelan govern nent
has considerable interest in IT, There
are, in addition 10 these. a road from Car
scas 10 III Vale, about three miles long,
and another road along the coast, from
near La Guayra TO MaCouto, a beautiful
watering place, the Newport Of Venezu.
ella. This road is four miles long.
"Ihen a road or a system of roads is
under cOntempl alton" continued Mr.. Ba-
ker Through the so-called agricultural
zone, and upon a much greater scale than
those mentioned. In the course Of no
great time think it reasonable to believe
that this additional railway system viii
be constructed, and there Is every appear
ance that 1t Will give much impulse to
the material development Of the country.
Venezuela has, relatively, quite
AN EXTENSIVE TELEGRAPHtC SYSTEM.
and IL, also, is being extended. Besides
this, the telephone has been introduced
into Caracas. II is quite generally used
IN Caracas and "a line extends 10 Ia
Guayra, so that there is rapid telephone
communication between the capital and
the neighb0riug seaport"
CIV hat afNi he fur.nffa q Tho r,rorsfo gt8