The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1898-01-29
GVsfEMALA.
AND VISIT IS NOT A GOOD
PLA~4 FOR IMMIGRANTS.
National 1nstability-When Product s
"anted-Outrage Upon FOreigner-Ted
ious and Oppressive Fight Mischief Of
Cheap Labor.

sphere are ruined by too much territory, an.
that Americans are practically dependen
upon Europeans for the means tc live. Tn,
statement, though highly tinctured with oil
world conceit, Is not without some grain
of truth. Particularly in South an.
Central America the countries are so scanti
~ provided with population in proportion t
territory that they are rot able, WITH theI
own forces, to develop and make use of TIL,
riches at hand. Where the people are scat
tered at such great distances from one an
other-often almost cut off from communica
ton with the outer World-their labor
comparatively lost, for Lack OF the supper
mutually afforded by the associated indus
tries, which can only flourish in closely pop
ulated countries. This is especially true o
Qua temala, where to the want Of population
ds added the greater dependence caused b:
q low state Of civilization, and the unwilling
ness OF the majority of its people to labor
Therefore, the more urgent It's needs Of emf
grafton, and the government has offered ex
traordinary inducements to foreigners in tn
way OF gratu1tous lands and free transporta
tion, and exemption from taxation and fror
military service But, Notwithstanding al
these tempting offers. emigration has mo
flowed toward Guatemala to any great ex
tent, and probably never will, so long as tn,
present state Of affairs continues in their mis-
called republic.
While the country itself is all that could be
desired in point of fertility, climate, beauty
and natural resources, it is another case OF
where every prospect pleases and only man
is vile" In a land where revolutions are
matters of every day, where every able bodied
man aspires to be dictator, and the actual
ruler Is he who can command the strongest
military force, or, rather, the most money to
pay the largest number Of soldiers, there can
be little security either for citizens Or s,tran-
gers. For this reason the tenure of Office L
extremely uncertain in Guatamela, in spite
of the constitution, which Is supposed to
regulate such matters, and Is modelled clos ely
after that Of the United States. The dictator
of today may be overthrown by stronger
rival tomorrow, and all his DEGREES and con-
cessons annulled.
Instances Of this kind, and Of the arbitrary
acts Of persons enjoying "a little brief author
ity," would fill volumes. Among several
whose results have come under my own OBJ
servation was the recent decree of General
Regina Barrios, the present President OF
Guatemala, annulling the purchase Of 1000
hectares of land, made some ten years ago
by syndicate Of foreigners at public sale,
which was duly approved by the national
legislative assembly. The decree, which vio-
lently dispossessed the legitimate owners OF
ten years standing, came like clap of thun-
der from clear sky. Many Of the lands had
passed into the hands of third and fourth
parties, and had costly Improvements upon
them. The rightful owners were dealt with
much better than Is usually THE case, being
offered the price originally paid for the land
with interest at 6 per cent per annum; and
they were also accorded Especial grace as
favored bidders in the new sale ordered. The
reason was simple being about the same as
has sometimes actuated our government in
it's dealings with the Indians.
When n Product Is Wanted.
1t is not to Uncle Sans credit, but 1t Is
nevertheless true, that treaties have been
made with his red wards giving them GER
tain lands On which to abide "as long as
grass grows and water runs" and then they
have been dispossessed by force of arms wher
gold or something else of value to the white
man, has been discovered thereon. A new
railway was projected through the Guate'
malan territory, greatly increasing its value
and it was to sell the lands at higher price
and to be able to repeat the story Of nullif1ca
ton and sale elsewhere in the country when
ever it suited the government to do so tina
the precedent was established But the deal
though temporarily profitable to the power
that be, will prove a regular boomerang II
it's rebound, and henceforth 1t will be eX
tremely difficult to find an Intelligent foreign
er who is willing to risk buying land of
government which may take 1t away by fore
whenever an advantage may be gained.
A few months after the PRONUNCIATION of tn
above mentioned decree, another was issued
similar in foundation, but much more bruta
in execution 1t seems that lime is YER
scarce and dear In Guatemala and has t.
be brought from long distances, mostly o.
the backs of the Indians, who will carry bu
little at a time, and can seldom be induce
to make more than five or six miles in
DAY. Recently the government had need Q
large quantities of lime in carrying out som
public improvements in which Presiden
II 11nV Inv iyofn fnd I'm
must be had at any cost, and there was lit
tie to he bought in the country for love o
money. At this embarrassing junctur
somebody discovered that upon 4 certain
hourishing fnca near the capital was
stone quarry, from which good lime coul
be made \ ~ - (.
The owner Of the dnca was foreigner
who happened at the time to be absent il
Europe, having left his Guatemalan propert
In charge Of q resident administrator, o
manager Not word was said to the lattel
but one fine morning he beheld gang 9
workmen (prisoners from the penItentiary
under the escort Of soldiers and policemen
calmly cutting stone in the quarry, butldin
a furnace for burning lime, and cutting dow
the fine trees OF the fnca for t1rewood. c
course he protested with all the might tbs
was in him, being personally Responsible
the proprietor of the finca for Its pro91tabl
management. his protests were hot Only VI
eyailing but he was laughed at by the off
Gals, and finally threatened with imprisOr
.ment II he did not let the invaders alone an
keep the matter from the owner OF the dnc:
lest he return and make trouble. ...t +
Outrage Upon u Foreigner.
A few months later the owner did retur.
to find his once fine estate devastated will
out his knowledge and occupied by soldier
policemen, and forced laborers, busily NAL
ing lime and transporting it to the new par
where they were carrying out the work whit
the President of the so-called republic hi
80 much ut heart. He 0sdnied then. on
premises but the soldiers laughed IN .
face, He asked them by what right tn
were devastating his property, and was
swered "by superior orders. Demandl
to know at least the authority by which the
orders were given, and to whom ne snov
have recourse to stop this hiAo-hano
usurpation of private property. he was ct
answered in the same way, and could get
other explanation than the invariable rep
'.by superior orders.' The half distract
owner then went the rounds Of all the
'thorities to whom the police and sold1ery
supposed to be answerable; he visited
chief Of police, the city project, tho gene
military commandant Of the place, the M
lister of War, the Minister Of the Interior,
told him the same story-that they kn
nothing whatever about the matter. In d
peration, 1nd not knowing which way
txrp, the subordinate foreigner, who
thAp year before had spent $4,000 IN
purchase Of the fnca. consulted some OF
best lawyers in The country. They advi