The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-06-29
THE REPUBLIC OF PARAGUAY.
An Interesting Country But Little Known
to Americans.

An Interesting Country But Little Known
to Americans.
TIL republic of Paraguay has hitherto
been one of the least known of the South
American states, write Theodore Child in
Harpsr's. Situated in the heart of the con-
tinent, and communicating with the sea
only by the intermediary of the Parana
river, it has remained q fsr-away country,
forgotten, unvisited, UNEMPLOYED. And yet
in the old days its territory was the center
of all the operations of the Europeans on
the Atlantic coast of America. During the
early period of the Spanish occupation the
settlers found hospitality in Paraguay
sooner than on the more accessible banks
of the river Plata, while its fertility, eli
mate and geographical position recon-
mended it to the Jesuits for the establish
ment OF their reductions" and for the es-
say of asystem of communism which gave
admirable results from the point of view of
collective felicity. During two hundred
years the settlements of the Jesuits pros
pered. In 1764 the order was expelled; when
the architects left it, the communicate edi-
fee, within whose pleasant precincts the
native Guarani population had learnt the
elements of a simple and almost ldyllic
civilization, foil into ruins and the whole
country and the people quickly declined.
In the beginning of the present century.
Wueu Guo inexperienced movement QGprlVeu
the crown of Spain of its American colo
mics, Paraguay did not join in the gener-
GUS and cooperative work of liberty, but
shut itself up within its frontiers, trusting
to its wealth, and wishing to owe nothing
to it's %neighbors. This policy was
that of the dictator Francia and Of
his successors. Lopez J.. and Lopez H..
whose despotic rule from the beginning of
the century up to 1870 was virtually u
continuation of the Jesuit system of state
communism, minus the religious and recre-
alive elements. Critis who persist in con-
siderine universal suffrage to be the last
word of political science have severely CON
demnsd these despots. The fact, however,
remains that under their rulo Paraguay
reached a high degree of wealth and mate
rial we'll being. and Threatened to assume
supremacy which alarmed it's %nelghbors.
The result OF this uneasineaS and jealousy
was the war of the triple alliance of Brazil,
Uruguay, and the Argentine against Para
quay, which began 1864 and lasted five
years, ending in the ruin of the latter coun-
try, and the almost complete annihilation
OF the young and adult male population,
and leaving in the land none but women
and aged mon. OF the riches and
no veatiRes; the army and fleet were
destroyed; ruin and misery were on all sides;
the conquerors had only to divide the spoils
after Lopez died, with arms in his hands, at
Cerro Cora, on March l, 1870. The Para
Ruayans fought like heroes, and whom, from
want of men they could fight no longer. a
handful of patriots met ut Asuncion,
formed a triumvirate, resisted the pressure
of the allies in the spore of diplomacy,
signed a treaty of peace, and on August 10,
1870, opened a constituent assembly, whic h
established the new constitutional chart.
From the country. from the city.
Come t te schonima ms young and pretty.
Going 10 the great convention, the convention
at Toronto;