Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-01-12
A SOUTHERN aepU Sic.
Bankrupt Financially and Rotten Politically
whore the lncas Once DWslt.

CALLAO, feIu, JIM. illus ASPuo'>
in the midst Of her canvass 70; the presi'
dency, an event that comes round here, as
at home once in four years. The Peruvian
constitution of 1856, amended in 1850, is in
considerable part modelled upon that of the
United States Peru, however, chooses two
vice presidents, and the method of electing
the houses of congress differs from that OF
the United States. When one remembers
that Peru is bankrupt financially and rotten
politically, still weak from her disastrous
conflict with Chilli and at best land OF
only :. 500, 600 to 5000, 600 inhabitants, more
than one-tenth of whom are uncivilized In
dams and most of the remainder ignorant
persons of Indian or mixed blood, her MINI
icry of free institutions would be laughable
were it not pitiful DR.. Nalcarcia and Cen
eral Caceres are the opposing candidates for
the presidency, and the canvass is hot. II
the names could be changed, the whole can
yass might be transferred to the United
States. There are the same party cries, the
same professions of fidelity to country and
principles. the same appeals to patriotism
and public spirit. The newspapers are full
of it all. and everybody is demanding with
shrieks free ballot and a fair count.
One interesting feature of the canvass is
the seemingly endless succession Of break
fasts, dinners and receptions to the candi-
dates. These give an opportunity for speech
making. handshaking and much political
manipulation. A breakfast in Lima, as in
most considerable South American cities,
is an affair of moment-a thing for which
business is suspended perhaps for hours at
midday. 1t is Il peculiarly suitable feast
for the purposes of the politician.
One sees here and there in Peru hint of
what the country might be with an indus
trious population living under II settled and
well ordered government. The land is poor
beyond belief, but wherever water is sup
piled there the earth bursts into millions Of
flowers The abundance of brilliant bios
SONS in the irrigated districts is marvel
Gus. They grow rs do wheat, corn and po-
tatoes on well managed farm in the United
States. They fairly carpet the ground
Without Irrigation the land is n desert
Remember, it has not rained here in gen.
Grafton No native talks about the weather,
because it is unchanged the year round
the same cloudless blue sky, the same even,
moderate temperature. With proper sys-
tenn of irrigation the whole 100000 square
miles of Peru, save so much as lies upon
the mountain tops and perhaps an area OF
true desert on the coast, could be a garden
instead of the drcary waste it for the most
part now is In the days of the Incas, Peru
bloomed clear to the snow line of her great
mountains The industrious Peruvians I'M
der that paternal socialism terraced and
cultivated the mountain sides to the height
of 10000 feet. So steep We're some of the
cultivated slopes that the terraces could be
only three or four feet wide. Now sloth and
indifference have left the land to it's natural
condition of drought, and for miles one
travels through seeming desert. Here and
there a smiling garden shows what all
might be.
Cur;ously enough, several European coun-
tries, notably Great Britain and France,
think it worth while to maintain here
trained diplomatic representatives. Great
Britain has a baronet. who is also II X. e.
NJ. e., while France has an old diplomat
who has seen service in several European
countries and at Washington. His secre-
tary of legation is man of a dozen years
experience in diplomacy. The contrast be-
tween the trained diplomats that represen:
Europe in Spanish-American countries and
the inexperienced ministers commonly sent
out by the United States is thing that
astonisl;es travelling Americans.
EDWARD HARRIS.