The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-04-15
Justo Ruhno Barrios.
He was not SO Black as His Enemies
Painted Him.
New York Tribune.1

In the death Of Barrios a strong man he's
passed away. So much his enemies admit,
for his works prove H.. But when 1t is In
qnired what manner of man this was apart
from his undeniable force OF character, the
most contradictory statements are encoun-
tered. There are TWO views of him, almost
diametrically opposed. One Is thSt be was
patriot and a reformer, unsehsh, straiehlfor-
ward, severe when severity was needed. but
never cruel, firm friend, an enlightened
statesman, holding advanced views as to che
future Of Central America. The other view
was that he was an utterly unpriucipled,
self-seeking advenlnrer, brutal in his habits,
cruel for the sake of cruelty, exercising Oh
all sides the most odious tyranny and desir-
ous of uniting the Central American States
under one government only that he might
be able to oppress and plumber them all the
more easily. Now with regard 10 this Sec
ond estimate ii may confidently be said that
it is less true than the fist. 1t is not from
the mouths OF his contemporaries that the
most trustworthy account of any public
mans character is to be derived. Preindice
pIcpOcSceSiOu arc tVually IN Lne WaV OF
clear Judgment. But in his own deings in
the measures be supported, in the policies
he conceived, 10 the influence he exerted
over his generation and In the general ten
tency of his actions upon his country and
times, we shall fnd less fallible witnesses.
In the case of Barrios these mute yet elo-
quent witnesses traverse the Indictment Of
his enemies. He found Guatemala choked
with corruption aud fanaticism. An igpc-
ran hfOofad ala tka -,
greedy and unprncipled nobility on the 9TH
er, supported one another in their respective
aggressions upon the liberties OF the masses.
There was no knowledge, no freedom of
opinion, no progress, material or intellectu-
al. The highest text book In the schools was
an old catechism. The people were ground
down with taxes, which went to support
swarms of monks and nuns and prohicate
and aristocratic Office holders. Barrlos led
revolt. against thi state of things. He
swept 1t away. On obtaining sapreme con-
troi he introduced reforms Of all kinds. He
broke the yoke of the priesthood. He es-
tabished public schools. He brought the
railroad and telegraph into the country. He
so legislated as to encourage production,
He opened public roads everywhere. he
organized complete system Of State educa-
ton, from the primary school to the univer-
sity. He rebabiltated the finances, the de-
partment OF justice, and the army. He en-
couraged literature and journalism. He
made the country safe and prosperous and
strong as it had never been before He
protected foreign commerce.; aud lastly he
set on foot that scheme of Central Ameri-
can Federation which will probably be ac-
eomplished eventually to the benefit of all
the States concerned.
OF course he made enemies and bitter ones:
aud OF course he made mistakes and serious
ones. The full truth as to his last acts has
not yet probably appeared; bat as to his
previous acts the most trustworthy evidence,
namely the facts showing what be has done
for Guatemala, conclusively demonstrates
That he was not the monster he has
been painted by bis foes, and that even if
he did not neglect his own interests, bis
rpest energies were devoted to the advance
ment of his country. A man Of softer fibre
perhaps could not have done what he did.
His last enterprise appears, with the light at
command, disatrous mistake; sbut it must
be remembered that none lof the Latin Re-
publics has thus far shown much regard for
personal liberty or the rights sof citizenship,
and that what looks, to us, like an intolera-
BILE usurpatiOn, may possibly have borne q
quite different aspect among Central Ameri-
can politicians.