The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1898-04-23
COSTA RIGA LEADS.
MOST ADVANCED OF THE. CEN
TRIAL REPUBLICS.
Married Men Farvoed, They are Given the
Preference for Public Omce-Character.
istics of President Observation-Disclosures
ton Of Justice-Railways and Telegraphs.

ton OF Jnstice-Railways and Telegraphs.
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, Nv. 10.-Though
Costa Rica Is the least populous of the five
Central American republics, she is in some re-
spects the most advanced. With an area
little less than the state of West Virginia, and
only about 200 population, she last year
placed on the foreign market $10,O00,000
worth Of her own productions, and imported
SO, 600, 600 worth Of merchandise, showing q
commercial exchange of $50 900 gold. She
was the first of the Central American states.
to have cheap Geographic communication, and
will be the first to connect the two oceans by
rail-. Already some 300 miles of railway
completed, and about 500 miles of telegraph
wires are in use, the latter service having
been extended all over the country.
Telegraphc communication Throughout the
neighboring republics is charged at the same
rate as that between her own cities and viii
lages-ten words for 20 cents, and 5 cents
for every five or less additional words. The
postal system is unsurpassed, since Costa RIGA
Is now member Of the universal postal
union; and telephones introduced IN 1855
are everywhere. The nearest Office of the cable
company is at San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua,
not far from the frontier and of course con-
nected with Costa Rican telegraphs. A con-
cession has been granted European company
to connect Costa Rica with the cable on the
Atlantic side, by means of an Office estab-
lished at Puerto LimOn, and the government
has opened negotiations for establishing
new office of the Central and South American
cable somewhere on the Pacific shore of Costa
RIGA, probably at Punta Arenas.
The first bank of Central America was
established in Costa Rica, just forty years
ago. There are now two banks, both in San
jose, the BancO Anglo Costaricense, estab-
lshed in 1863, with paidup capital of ST.
500, 900; and the Banco de Costa RIGA formerly
Banco de la Union), with registered capital
of 100000 Up to date little Costa RIGA has
coined something over $4,0OO,O0O, in gold,
silver, and copper. Costa RIGA gold coins
arranged by the decimal system in ten dollar,
five dollar, two-dollar, and one dollar pieces
are worth s per cent less than English
and 1917 per cent less than American. The
money in general use in Costa Rica is the
paper dollar. Its value is ncminally 100 cents,
or francs, or English shillings, but in
reality it is worth only about 70 cents, gold
being at premium of from 80 to 40 per cent.
Audience with President Iglesias.
Having. returned to San Jose, on our way
to the Atlantic coast to bid final adieu to
the country, we desired an audience with the
President and readily obtained it. Senior
Don Rafael Iglesias, the present ruler of Costa
RlCd, ana sure TO De re-eleCLeQ ABOUT the
middle Of this month, Is in his 9Th year,
rather handsome man, with an intel
ligent face and great cordially of manner.
The latter trait makes him immensely pop
ular among the people and is no doubt partly
responsible for his being elected to succeed
himself, when the constitution expressly
stipulates that a President shall not have
two successive terms. There are ways of
getting around that, however, as Diaz has
done in Mexico. In fact, DR.. 1glesias is the
Porfrio Diaz of Central America-a soldier
as we'll as statesman, and imbued with the
progressive spirit of the most enlightened
nations. He comes from an ancient and dis
tinguished family and is himself scholar
of note-an elegant writer Of his own Ian
guage and also master of French, German
and English. Though extremely affable, and
so plain and unaffected in manner that every
body feels free to call upon him with scant
ceremony, his every word and action show the
dignity of his high position.
A formidable, but h01> PLY unsuccessful, plot
to overthrow him was lately carried on in
the United States by Don FREDERICK Mora,
an ambitious Costa Rican, who is now a
political exile from his native land and re-
sides in New York city. Many are the plots
be and his friends have Matched against the
tglesias government, all Of which, however,
have proved abortive. Banished as an agita-
tor, he continued in the United States the
work begun at home, endeavoring to foment
revolution among the disaffectedC Costa Ricans.
The pamphlets which he sent down for dis
tribution were promptly seized by the gov
.rnment; and then he resorted to subterfuge
to get his seditiOus matter into the country
Late last April he sent from New York a
arge consignment of printed matter, packed
In tin box, hidden in the middle Of cask
Of stearine for candles; but the government
Is up to all those old tricks and the addresses
Intended to fire the hearts of the people to
armed revolt never reached their destination
senior Mora, who yet remains in New York, is
about SO years old and splendid representa-
tive. physically, of the distinguished family
which has already furnished three Presidents
to Costa Rica.
The most conspicuous object in the national
palace-after the President himself and the
soldiers parading before the door-are the
nag and coat-of- arms of the country, numer-
r pusly displayed The former is pretty-red
and white and blue, like our own, but minus
the stars. 1t consists of five horizontal
stripes, the outer one blue, the next one white
The central one red. The coat -of-arms l.
both striking and characteristic: three vol
with ship on either side; on the left ris
ing sun, on the right group of flags, on to,
1--we stars on the bottom a horn of plenty
and surrounding all scroll. in which is en-
graved these words: America Central, Re
publica de Costa Rica."
Married Men Are Favored.
No country outside of Central America ha
sO uAAquC a CONSTITUTION as LllS. For eX
ample: TO hold any important office in Cost
Rica man must be married, or at least h
the head of household, and own real estat
to a considerable value, or be master of som
recognized profession. Universal suffrage
the law OF the country, but no election of an
kind can be made directly-only throug
a body of electors chosen by the peopi.
Every male citizen of Costa RIGA who is
years old may come before the junta c
"board,' and cast his vote for the person
whom he desires to act as electors The latte
meet at the appointed time and place an
choose, also by majority of votes, the Pres
and the municipal officers Of their respectiv
localities. No one is eligible to be an "ele<
tor unless 'he is over 81 years Of age, ca
read and write, has his domicile in the pla,
where the vote in bis favor was taken, owl
property to the value of $500, and has r
connection with the ecclesiastical profe
son . .-E .G..
There Is no such thing in Costa RIGA as
Vice President of the republic. The const
tuition provides that in case of death or al
sence or inability Of the chief execute,
he shall be succeeded by one OF three person
who are designated by Congress during |
Fl first session in each Prudential term The
are known as Los Desgnados." The Pres
dent may call upon any one Of them to e,
ercise Presidential functions Pre- TEN. 4
desires; but If a Designado is to become Pres
dent on account of the death or inability
the President, the order in which the thr
were placed in Congress must be followe