The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-12-21
The Land In Dispute.

zuela, which Great Britain coolly pro-
poses to appropriate, is one of the rich
est sections in the world. 1t could be
safely assumed that 1t is a very valu-
able tract of territory. for England
would not be after 1t IL 1t wasn't. 1t
takes in two hundred miles of coast
line, being nearly as large as the delta
Of the Nile. 1t is capable of support
ing a great population. The Orinoco is
big and splendid river. one of the
finest In the world. 1t passes through
a country of most marvellous fertility.
and, more than that, within a radius
of one hundred miles from it's mouth
are rich deposits of gold and copper
ore. phosphates and COAL While the
annual yield of gold has been only
about s5.00o.O00 1t should be remem-
bered that the frontier disputes be-
tween Venezuela and Great Britain
have interfered with the investment of
capital In this section. With this
trouble removed the development of
the gold fields and of the extremely
rich agricultural resources of the delta
would be very rapid.
That there is much gold in the re-
gion has been known since very early
times. At about the time of the Span
ish conquest, nearly three and a half
centuries ago, expeditions of gold
hunters explored sections of the coun-
try. They discovered the mines of
Buria and San Pedro. However. the
workings were destroyed by an earth
quake and abandoned. In 1860 the
mines of Los Teques were located, and
efforts were made to develop them, but
they were given up on account of the
hostilities of the Indians, who killed
the miners and destroyed their plants.
Gold is found in all parts of Venezuela.
but the deposits of greatest extent and
value are in the Yururay district, the
land that England is claiming.
Venezuela also has valuable mines of
silver. lead, and particularly copper.
Much of the copper is exported to
Europe. being a very high grade. On
the island of Pedernales is a vast de-
posit Of asphalt, which is more liquid
and more free from earthly matter
than that of the celebrated pitch lake
of Trinidad. There are enormous de-
posits of rock salt. which is mined
with small labor and expense.
Venezuela was the first part of the
American mainland sighted by Column
bus. who during his third voyage IN
1898 sailed along the coast of the delta
OF the Orinoco. The name Venezue IN
means little Venice" The territory
remained under Spanish rule until 1911
when independence was proclaimed. A
war followed and II was not until
March 80. 1s45. that the independence
of the republic was recognized by Spain
in the treaty of Madrid. Since 1886 the
country has been the scene of almost
innumerable revolutions and civil
wars. The form of government is a re-
public. and the constitution is modelled
to some extent on that of the United
States. The president is assisted by
eight ministers and a federal council,
a body elected by the congress and con-
sisting of one senator and one deputy
for each of the political divisions of
the republic. The congress consists of
a senate OF twenty-four members, and
a chamber of deputies of fifty-two.
The population of Venezuela is esti-
mated at two and one-half millions,
only q very small proportion of whom
are pure whites. The remainder are
negroes. Indians and mixed races.
Formerly the negroes were all slaves,
but slavery is not now permitted. The
Indians are among the nakedest peo-
pie on earth. They dwell I'm huts built
Of palm leaves. They are steadily re-
firing towards the head waters Of the
Orinoco. because OF the harsh and dis
honest treatment to which they are
subjected by the whites. Each family
has it's little garden patch. which is de-
voted chiefly to raising the roots from
which cassava is made. They depend
upon this root almost entirely for food,
apart from what they get by hunting
and fishing. They gorge themselves
with food sometimes to an extent that
almost passes belief.
The Indians are of small stature The
women are fairly good-looking and
have excellent figures. but their come
illness is nearly always spoiled by de-
cayed teeth. Lapses of virtue among
them are rare. Matrimonial methods
are extremely simple When a young
man and a young woman wish to
marry they go to housekeeping to-