The Critic and record., 1891-04-29
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Paraguay.

The Economist Francois gives the fol-
lowing account Of the present industrial
condition of Paraguay:
The progress accomplished by this re
public has of late years been considerable.
English capitalists have placed nearly a
million pounds (sterling) in this country,
and certain number of European fami-
lies have come to settle there. Congress
has voted considerable sums for the inn
provement of the capital, the streets of
which, which used to be impracticable,
are now accessible to carriages. Two
lines of tramway cross Asuncion and are
open for nearly twelve kilometres.
In the interior about 40 Kilometres of
railway have been opened to commerce
and the southeastern line now reaches
Villa Rica. A line is projected to unite
EnCarnacion, on the Pdrana, with the
capital it corresponds to a line which is
being constructed on the opposite bank of
the river with Montevideo for its termi-
nus. BY means of this railway Paraguay
will be placed in more direct communica-
ton with Europe and the result cannot
fail to lie favorable to its development.
There is also talk of constructing branch
line from Villa Rica to join the system of
Brazilian railways, Santos being the term
mus. Paraguay being thus placed in
communication with its neighbors will be
able to work all those natural resources of
wealth which are wasted at present for
lack of means of transportation.
y IN the open prairies, which are very
numerous, nothing has hitherto been
done except to rear race of Brazilian
cattle, small in size, and not easy to
fatten. But for some time past the
owners have been importing fro!i Europe
the products of pure race, which will
sensibly improve The value of the herds.
Villa Rica is in course of becoming an
important town as the head of the railway
which penetrates toward Brazil. Land
sells there already at upwards of f40 the
majana of fifty square varas. Out of liz
trading-houses 36 are French, with cap
ital valued at 81 100000. In the neighbor-
hood of this town the Anglo -Paraguayan
Company has bought vast landed property
in order to settle an agricultural colony
there.
There can be no question that Para
quay is a great field in the future for
small farms. But, for the moment, the
land has been seized by great companies,
or farmed unless the value can thereby
be greatly increased. AT the present time
a league of good land costs Il 900. The
Government, in order to encourage emf
grafton, offers free passage for the fami-
lies of agriculturists and has in prepara-
ton Il law for the completion of the sys-
tenn of protection and help to be given to
foreign labor.
"The Argentine crisis has affected the
banks and mercantile houses of Paraguay,
and under the influence OF the with
drawals of minted money by the Argen-
tines paper money has suffered certain
depreciation. But, from the general point
of view this crisis is really a benefit to
the country, for the Buenos Ayres spec
ulators had begun to buy, in the hope of
an immediate rise, great quantities of
land, and would certainly have led Para
quay along the same disastrous route in
which they have themselves been ruined.
Evidently the withdrawal of capital
which the crisis in the Argentine has
brought about will for some time check
the development of Paraguay, but the
danger of temporary relaxation of the
rate of progress has nothing in it to alarm
the. friends of this young and vigorous
nation.n