Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-08
NEW LIFE IN NICARAGUA.
What 10 Done In That Republic 10 Encoar.
age 1mmigration.

What 10 Done In That Republic to Encour.
age Immigratios.
THE COST OF LASD-cuLTrArIoS OF corTrr-
THE EXTENSIVE CATTLE BUSINESS OF raK
PLAIss-wHr NoSoroLIEs ARE ExoocRAasp-
COST OF TRAVELLING
Correspondence Of The Evening Star
! MASAGUA, NICARAGUA, July. 1854.
IINHE NEWSPAPERS OF NICARAGUA
have discussed in a lively manner the ad-
visibility OF encouraging immigration as .
means OF developing the country. 1t is seen
that all the prosperous countries on this con-
unent have encouraged immigration and il 10
argued that while this republic has popula-
ton OF but 100000 it should support at least
2,ooO,00O Asiatics have been excluded once
and for all the future. and besides restricting
their entrance by the ordinary methods, every
concession granted for the execution OF works
within the bounds Of the republic contains a
clause providing that no laborers from the
celestial empire be brought into the country.
Inc effort being made is to secure immigration
OF the best character.
INDUCEMENTS TO rMMroRANrsL
The government offers inducements to imrhi-
grants, special laws pertaining to them having
been enacted from time to time ever since the
republic became an independent power in 1921.
Some of the features of the immigration Laws
are that foreigners can marry and acquire real
property IN the republic. but with the condi-
ton that they renounce, in such acquisition,
all the privileges they enjoy as resident for
efgners. and that the property acquired is sub
Ject to all burdens to which property of natives
| Is subject. In mercantile questions foreigners
can refer to the consul of their nation; in re-
gard to civil and criminal matters they are re-
ferred to the courts of the country. in which
| they are judged in accordance with the consti-
| tuition and the treaties in force.
The republic offers to each family of immi-
grants that arrives in the country with the in
| tention Of being naturalized 100 mansanas "a
mansana is nearly two acres )of land and 60 man
sanas to bachelor. offering besides the same
| rights that natives enjoy, but being excluded
| from military obligations, except in case the
| independent sovereignty of the country is en-
dangered. In order to sell such land the i'm
| migrant should at least have cultivated half Of
| it and have become naturalized.
| The same concessions are offered those who
become foreign residents. except that they can
| then become only super fcal proprietors. unless
they are citizens of a country with which the
| contrary is stipulated; the same applying TO
| those who have declared their intention to be-
come naturalized, but have not complied with
| the requirements. This superficial right does
| not extend more than ten years, during which
time the property can be transferred only by
inheritance, excepting that half OF the Land be
| cultivated.
When a marriage has been contracted be-
| tween a foreigner and a native all the real
| property that is included in the dover Of the
| woman il subject to the same burdens that
put upon property OF natives. The widow is
always considered native Of the country while
| she resides in it.
| CHANCE FOR CAPITAL.
Undoubtedly Nicaragua offers the best ad-
vantages to immigrants who come here with
capital, for unskilled and even skilled labor is
cheap. though a wide-awake. pushing man who
knows something of the language or is apt in
picking it up, and who is able to manage affairs,
| would be sure TO be successful in some capacity.
The need felt for skilled labor is shown by
contract the government has just made with
one Dolores Morales, 10y which the latter is to
bring to this country within one year twelve
French persons who are efficient as tailors. bar
bers and ironers. 1t is stipulated that the men
| are to be from eighteen to forty years Of age
and the women from sixteen to thirty, and all
| to bear good regulations.
PRICE OF LAND.
An immigrant with small capital will find
land cheap. but. as everywhere else. there is
need of good judgment on the part of the i'm
migrant In order to come out on the right side
of the bargain. In securing land that is to be
purchased there is a wide choice between
unbroken ground for 81 a mansana owned
by the government, and thirty or more
dollars per mansana. An element that
must be borne in mind in purchasing
throughout the country here is the fact
that there is the greatest fluctuations in
prices; II an owner wants to sell the pur-
chaser can almost name the price himself, but
il the contrary be the case, il takes a very
good inducement to secure what is wanted.
| The government sella unbroken agricultural
land at 81: coffee land at q. so, and grazing
land at lower figure; these prices being in
| silver, which is worth about IS cents American
gold.
CULTIVATION OF COFFEE.
The industry Of Nicaragua which is now at
tracing the most attention Is the cultivation
of coffee, the price of that article having in
creased from 80 to s25 per hundred pounds
about five years ago, when the coffee industry
Of Brazil was crippled for want of labor. the
liberated slaves not continuing to work. As it
costs but 80 hundred pounds to raise coffee
the profit is large. Nicaraguan coffee is graded
in the market from Costa Rica, as is all of the
$4,000 tons of that product raised in Mexico and
Central America, which countries produce one
eleventh Of the entire coffee crop of the world.
| 1t is high-priced brand, bringing a return
equal to the Java brand. The chief coffee sec
ton of this country is back of Managua, the
capital, although regular American boom
is now at its height over the land of the noun
former place. that is said to contain coffee land
Of the best character. Government land can
be taken up there at Sl.50 mansana, and in
addition the government has standing offer to
pay five cents for each coffee tree planted. two
cents to be paid at the end of two years and the
balance when the tree has three years growth
Great numbers Of the best business men in the
country have gone to Matagalpa and have
planted many hundreds Of thousands of trees.
1t takes three years for the tree to begin bear
ing and a full crop of fruit is not secured until
it is five years old. The greatest drawback I'M
der which Matagalpa suffers is the lack Of
means Of transportation for the coffee when
grown. But there is project for q railroad,
which will some time be realized, TO run into
this region.
| THE CATTLE BUSINESS
is one Of the greatest industries of Nicaragua
Every year about 10000 head Of cattle are
driven into Costa RIGA alone, the latter country
being but an Indifferent grazing place. Mica
raguans have always been known as the "peo-
pie of the plains, and the broad area of the
country is well suited for cattle mis-
ing. The government encourages the
importation Of blooded stock for breed
ing purposes, and not only is there
no duty on such importations, but the govern