National Republican., 1888-05-16


u most interesting article on Gen, Barrios
by Gen. William Eleroy Curtis, most of
which is reproduced herewith. Mr.. Curtis
evidently writes from intimate and trust.
worthy knowledge Of Barrios and his sur
roundings. The story lie tells Is of great
value in supplying information that We have
not heretofore had on this subject. The
following is a liberal synopsis Of the
article:
The rapid progress Of Guatemala during
the last twelve years, and its advancement
toward Il modern standard Of civilization,
have both been due to the energy and de.
termination Of one man, the late Jose Rulno
Banios. The prevailing opinion OF Prcsi-
dent Barrios Is that he was q brutal ruilian;
but in estimating his true character the good
he accomplished should be considered as
well as the evil Until the history Of Cen
trail America shall be written years hence
when the mind can reflect calmly and i'm
partially upon the scenes Of this decade,
when public benefits can be accurately
measured with individual errors. and the
strides Of progress in material development
tan be Justly estimated, his true character
will not he understood or appreciated, even
by his own countrymen. Like all vigorous
and progressive men, like all men of strong
character and forclble measures, he had Bit
Ter, vindc;ive enemies. For these there
was nothing too harsh to say Of him, living
or dead, no cruelties too harbarous to accuse
him of, no revenge too severe to visit upon
him or his memory But. ON the other
hand, people who did not cherish q
spirit of revenge, who had no political am
biton and no schemes to he disconnected,
who are interested in the development of
Central America, and are enjoying the
benefits of the progress Guatemala has
made, regard Barrios rs the best friend, the
ahlcst leader the wisest ruler his country
ever mad, aud sincerely wish his life could
have been prolonged and his power eX
tended over the entire continent. They are
willing to cOncede to him not only honor
able motives, but the worthy ambition of
trying to lift his country TO u level with the
most advanced nations Of the earth. While
he did not furnish a government Of the
people, by the people, it was government
for the people. provided and administered
by a man of remarkable ability, indie
pendence. ambition, and extraordinary
pride. While his iron hand crushed all OPP
position and held power that yielded to
nothing, he was, nevertheless, generous to
the poor, lenient to those who would sub
nit to him, and ready to do anything to i'm
prove the condition Of his people or pro-
mote their welfare.
That a man of President Barrios's ances-
Try and early associations should have
brought that republic to the condition in
which he left 1t when he diedisvery remarka-
bic. Without education himself, he enacted
y law requiring the attendance at school of
all children between the ages of S and IL
years, and vigorously enforced 1t. People
who refused to obey this law were compelled
10 pay heavy fine for the privilege. lie
established a university at Guatemala City
lie; he founded hospitals, asylums, and
other institutions Of charity with his own
means, or supported them by appropriations
from the public treasury, and compelled
physicians to be educated properly before
they We're allowed to practice Hepunished
crime so severely that 1t was almost un-
known; he regulated the sale Of liquors, so
that drunken man was never seen upon
the streets; he enforced the observance of
the Sabbath by closing the stores and market
places, which in other Spanish American re-
publics are always open, and was active for
the material rs for the moral welfare OF the
people. During the twelve years he was in
power the country made. greater progress
and the citizens enjoyed greater prosperity
than during any period of all the three cen
iurics and half of its previous history.
After the achievement of independence by
the Central American colonies the priests
ruled the country. Their eXcesses awalS-
ened spirit Of opposition which finally
eliminated in revolution. The famous
Morazan became dictator, and might have
been successful but for decree he issued
abolishing the converts and monasteries,
and coniiscating the entire property OF the
church. This was in 1913. Led by the
priests, the people rose in rebellion, but
Morazan retained his power until an I'M
known man, tall, dark, and bloodthirsty,
came out of the mountains-an Indian with
out name, who could neither read nor
write, whose occupation had been that of u
swine-herd like Pizarro, who had graduated
into the profession of bandit, and led q
gang Of murderous outlaws in the noun
tains. Urged by a greed for plunder, this
remarkable man, Rafael Carcra, came from
his stronghold and Joined the church party
in their war against the government. His
successes as a guerrilla were 50 great that
what had been small, independent baud
became the main army OF the opposition,
and he led horde of disorganiZed plum.
derers toward the capital. The priests called
10 him the dvinely inspired mission of re
storing the church to power The church
men rushed to his standard TO fight
under the command of savage
whose only motive was plundcr
He drove Morazan into Costa Riea, and pro
claimed himself dictator. The church
party were amazed at the arrogance OF the
bandit, but had to submit, and he soon de
yeloped into a full-iedged tyrant, ruling
over Guatemala for period of thirty years
When Carera died there was no man tC
take his place, and the church party begal
to decay. The liberals gathered force and
began revolution. In their ranks was NJ
obscure Young man from the borders o.
Mexico; from valley which produced Jua
re2, the liberator of Mexico, Diaz, the pres
ident of that republic, and other famous
men. This youth, Ruino Barrios, began t.
show military skin and force OF character
and, when the church party was over
Al, I,o1 n,
president, he became the general OF TIN
army. lie soon resigned, however, and re
turned to his coffee plantation on the Dor
ders of Mexico. But the revival of TN
church party shortly after caused him to re
turn TO military life, and on the death of TN
liberal president in 1873 he was chosen hi
successor
From that date until 1855 Barios was tn
one foremost man In Guatemala, lie begal
his career by adopting the policy MOrazal
had failed to enforce. lie expelled til
monks and nuns from the country, con
tiscatcd the church property, robbed tn
priests Of their power, and, Ike JuareN u
Mexico, liberated the people from Il servi
tude under which they had suffered sine
the original settlement of the colonies
Then lie visited the United States an,
Europe to study the science of government
sent men abroad to be educated at govern
meHt expense, and upon their return CAV
them positions under him. lie offered tn
most generous inducements to immigrants
and the country filed up with agriculture
settlers, merchants, and mechanics. As til
population increased the country began +
grow in prosperity with the development o
It's natural resources, and there was
'boomn in Guatemala the like OF which ha
not been known there before. Roadway
were constructed from the sea coast to th
interior, SO that produce could be brougl
10 market; diligence lines were establlshe
at government expense; liberal railroad col
tracts were made, telegraph lines wel
o., 1..