Mexico weekly ledger., 1897-05-13

little amount. Her system of tele-
graphic communication is, however,
somewhat better. Several thousand
miles of telegraph, with cables to
several foreign ports, render COM
munication in this respect all that Is at
present to be desired.
Politically, Honduras is divided into
thirteen departments, very similar in
their organization to our States, each
with its capital, its political, military,
economic and judicial authority.
These in turn are again subdivided
into smaller political divisions. The
Bay Islands, just off the northern
coast are also within its jurisdiction.
1t contains % cities, 1888 towns, and
1900 villages and hamlets. Tegucigalpa,
the capital, is also the largest city.
The principal ports on the Atlantic
coast are Puerto Cortez, Truxillo and
Seiba, while on the Pacific there is
but one, Amapola.
Its form of government Is demo-
cratic, representative and alterna-
tive, recognizing that public power
emanates from the people. Its con-
stitution is wonderfully liberal, being
in very large measure, modelled
after that of the United States. In
corporated within 1T is found bill of
rights, which guarantee to the inhabi-
tants inviolability of life, individual
liberty, security and rights of prop
erty. No privileges of caste are
granted, all men being equal before
the law; the privilege of elf-defense
is inviolable; guarantee of habeas
corpus is recognized, while. absolute
freedom of conscience is reserved
to all. Foreigners enjoy the same
civil rights as do natives. They
may, consequently, buy, sell and hold
all kinds of property in accordance
with the law. They cannot be de-
prived of their property without due
process of law. They may indulge in
all industr1ee, practice their profess
ion, enter and leave the country
freely, and navigate its seas and rivers.
Compulsory naturalization is illegal.
Any land not already possessed-and
there is little that is-may be derived
directly and freely from the govern
ment by concession. The constitu-
tion recognizes no religious creed or
faith, yet reserves the right of in
spection and control of all regarding
external ceremonies.
Slavery is forbidden; military SER
vice is obligatory between the age of
1s and 35 years; police regulation Is
exercised solely by the civil authori-
ties. There is no censorship of
the press; public institutions are pro-
noted; primary education is compul-
sorry and entirely secular, no priest of
any denomination whatever being al
lowed to preside over a school sup
ported by the government. For
higher education universities and
normal schools have boon eetabliehed
in some parts of the country, notably
the Central University at Tegucigalpa,
with departments of law, medicine,
art and science.
The prevailing religion is Roman
Catholic, the whole country forming
a Roman Catholic diocese. Protest.
ant churches, however, have been es-
tablished in several of the cities.
The central government is divided
into three branches-executive, legis-
lative and judicial. All elections are
directly by the people. The Presi-
dent, as chief executive of the nation,
has charge of the general administra-
tive department of the government. |
He appoints his own cabinet, COVER
nors of the various departments of
states, and many minor officers. His |
term of Office Is four years. The |
Legislative branch or Congress is |
composed of one House of Deputies,
holding Office for four years. Their |
sessions of sixty days duration are
held every two years. Extra sessions
may be called at any time. It's duties,
with few additional ones, are those
of any ordinary legislative body. The
judiciary is in its organizations similar
in many respects to that of the United
States. 1t consists of a Supreme
Court, four Courts of Appeals and
many minor tribunals, justices of the
peace, ETC., having, however, a some
what different jurisdiction from those
in our country.
The laws of the country are in a
codified form. There exists no statute
of limitations. The money of Hon
duras is gold and silver coined into
various denominations. Much Span
ish coin is also used in circulation.
Gold is little seen, while no paper
money exists. Only one mint has
been established, which is located at
the capital.
The revenue of Honduras is derived
by indirect taxation from the customs
duties and monopoIies on q few arti-
cles, as liquors, etc. No tax exists on
real estate and only small municipal
tax on personally. Only one bank is
recognized by the government, which,
strange to say, has power to issue bills
as legal tender for all customs, taxes
and governmental debts. The COM
merce which, unfortunately, is not 30
large to-day as some five or six years
ago-which decline may be said to
have been due to internal disturban-
ces-is quite small. Her chief trader
is the United States. Several lines OF
steamers, carrying principally fruit
from that country, ply between her
ports and those of the United States.
This small amount of commerce Is un-
questionably due in very large meas
ure to the fact that there exists no
method of rapid traffic Of the products
from the country to the coast where
they must OF course be taken for ship
ment.
In the opinion of the writer Hondu-
ras is country that has been most
fortunately endowed by nature. 1t
has good ports at both extremities,
an advantageous geographical position
as regards the commercial centers Of
the world, a fertile and productive