Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-04-29
SOMETHING ABOUT BOLIVIA.

JosE p. MAcuBcA, the alleged head
Of tho Malta, aud one Of the men
lynched In Now Orleans, was, II IL
said, Mt the time Of his death the rccog-
nlxed consul Of Bolivia. Ills name 80
stands on the records OF the State De-
partmcnt. lie was wealthy mcr-
chant, and head Of the iirm Of Mcchcca
Brothers.
Bolivia has no diplomatic representa-.
tive In the United States. Its most
prominent agent Ia Consui-Gcncral
Obarrio Of New York. lilo has not,
however, taken any interest In the
fate OF his brother-consul. II was cx.
pectcd that Bolivia would make some
movement In the matter, but 20 far
nothing has been said.
This little incident brings into notice
one Of the most interesting, and
perhaps, remarkable OF tho South
American republics. II derives It's
name from Simon Bolivar, the
famous libcrator Of the LATINA merl-
cas-. Formerly II was known M Upper
Peru, but In honor OF the statesman
and soldier II was changed to Bolivia.
IL proclaimed it, Independence OF
Spain In 1925, and established q rcpub-
lie somewhat modelled after that Of the
United States. The executive power
IL vested In the President, who Ia elect
cd quadriennally by universal suffrage.
Two vicc-Prcsidcnts are elected with
him. He Is assisted by Council Of
Ministers representing Foreign Affairs,
Colonization, Finance, War, Justlcc
aud tho Interior. Congress has two
chambers, the Senate and House Of
Representatives, also elected by uni.
versai suffrage. II Is stated, however,
that the Constitution l. not adhered ~
In the form OF elections. There Ia u
good deal Of irregularity, and the party
In power always sees defects In the
Constitution OF Bolivia.
In the matter OF education the
country boasts OF four universities,
though II Is said that not more than
six per cent Of the children attend
elementary schools. There Ia one good
feature about It, and that Is, In re-
ligIous liberation II Is tho most liberal
OF all tho South American countries.
The Roman Catholic religion IL that
mostly observed by the masses, but
tho prerogatlves OF tho church are well
defined. Jesnits are not permitted
TO live In tho country. They were all
expelled yearsago.
Bolivia has an area OF ab out 700, 900
square miles, and It's population IL
nearly 100000. There are ESQ, 900 Of
absolutely wild aboriginAls In tho
country. About 5000 Of the people
are Quichua Indians, descendants Of
the Incas. The Aymara indians mum.
Der about 200, 900, and tho remainder
are composed Of whites, half-breeds
and light Mestlzos. The Indians are
industrious and In many respects pro.
gresslvo. The women perform most Of
the labor OF the country.
The highest mountains on the
American continent are In the western
part OF Bolivia. The Sorata peal is
2ksOO feet high, and the Illlmani p, ak
In the same chain Is q 1900 feet. The
altitude OF the snow line In the high
lands varies from 10000 TO is, 900 feet.
Volcanoes are frequent In the Andes
and coast ranges, aud Ave OF them are
constantly smoking.
The elevated plains or basins OF th @
plateau enclose a continental water
system, from which there Is no outlet
to the ocean, tho rivers empty
Ing Into lakes or into vast
dried up salt fields. There Is
ono basin, that OF Lake riticaca, Ia, 900
ieet above sea level, which Ia the most
elevated table land In the world except
that Of rhibet. The latter, however, Is
only 1T for sheep and goat pastures,
but the Bolivia table land support.
owns and populous cities, and aiiordp
food for Immense herds OF cattle, llamas,
guanacos aud sheep, aud Is covered
with harvest' OF cereals at an oleva.
ton which has nothing 10 equal Il la
the world. A stranger, on first reach.
ing these high plains, finds difficulty
In breathing, and suffers from dyson.
terry, but these troubles soon disappear.
This basin is 500 to 900 miles In
length and from 20 to 1850 In width. On