The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-04-13

JOSE r. BAkRiOs.
and intelligence Of her people. She has ad-
vancci while the others have stood STILL ana
one sees through the republic signs and Incl
dents OF our latest Nineteenth century civili-
cation. The country is an illustration Of the
fact that good can como out Of evil, for al
that Guatemala is today she owes % the des-
potisn. the tyranny the cruelty Of Barrios.
Indeed, there are not lacking indications Of
retroQres.ion since he was slain. The land and
the people seem 90 need his strong character
70 direct and govern them, AMI until another
Barrios shall arise Guatemala particularly,
and Central America generally, will not I'VE
up 20 their possibilities
Barri6s found Guatemala rs Rchelieu
found France. a weak and lettering fabric
and in brief time be rcgenerated her. lbs
methods were decisive, perhaps inhumnn' put
the results he achieved almost justify the
agencies employed. lie saw about him SUI
pers;itious dcnsely ignorant and slavish peo-
Die. barren Of hope OF ambition, little re-
moved from the animal and wallowing IN the
darkness Almost "A majority Of the common
poople acted as beasts of burden by means
Of straps or thongs fastened % their heads
they carried all the stores and products OF
the country 90 and from the cOaAs. rack
mules were scarcely known, for the Indians
and half breeds did all The carrying IN city,
town or hamlet. Like the crab the country
was going back ward, and the dark days OK
the Spanish conquest continued. Barrios at
once changed all this. He became dictator,
absolute ruler, despotic chief, whose will was
law. whose word no man dare g0insay.
Il will not rule over animals, but human
lainr,s 90 he declared. and straightway ordered
that tho people cease from making Of them
selvc, beasts Of burden. IL was a great hard
shio In their dense ignorance they knew OF
no other mode Of gaining an existence and
looked ulon the importation Of mules from
Honduras and Nicaragua as their absolute
ruin BarIios then pointed 10 the rich viz
Gin land and commanded that each man TIL
"a small section Of soil. plant so many coffee,
rubber and banana trees and make Ouate-
mala largely productive. His order was alb
soluto and they sullenly obeyed. 10 was re-
quired that they report their labor at the end
of each season. Those who had disobeyed his
commands were brought in and f0gged.
At the end Of the second year, if they still
disobeyoi his directions, they were brought
before him Then, IN that dramatic way
which this famous son Of CASTLE affected, he
i'm the ink,tand, and. walking 70 the culprit,
would solemniy make the sign Of the cross ON
his forehead and order him put 20 immediate
death In this way he struck terror TO the
hearts OF the delnquents, and Guatemala be-
gan tohourish like well kept garden. There
was no tcmporizng, no pardonlng, no judge
or jury, but cold and pitiless and ine0oraole
as fate he carried out his Will, and heaven
alone knows how many hundreds Of men
have been done % death in the great prison
at Guatemala City.
Not only in the matter Of planting, but IN
all other walks OF life, did Barrios push his
methods and force Improvements. lie COM
manded the separation Of church and state,
established schools made education compul-
sorry, while even the suspicion Of disioyaity
10 him or the state was tine cause for prompt
execution. Ills strong will permeated the en-
tire social and political fabric. AT first hated
and feared, be began % be respected. The
masterful mind and strong character, the
physical bravery and brilliant theatric dis
play, quite won at last this really emotional
people, and the passion of Late slowly turned
10 the sentiment Of admiration.
They saw their country blossom IKE the
rose under the heroic and terrible treatment
ndoptei. They saw rich coffee iincas, large
rubber groves, extensive sugar plantations
take the place Of the arid wastes, and slavish
sloihfuluess supplanted by busy intelligence.
Tnerevolution was slow. Hundrcds-yes thou
sands-had % die and remorsaless cruelty nc
practiced before IL would bo acknowledged,
but tue maierialist will admit looking az the
Guatemala Barrios found and the Guatemala
he left. that tho end justified the means.
Gradually bis country rose from the least
prominent TO the most progressive of Spanish
American states aud when he finally reach
al a position which he deemed impregnaoio
less than five years osol, be suddenly de
clhred himself military dictator and prcst
dent commanding of Central America.