New-York tribune., 1899-07-14
TIE STATE OE GEATENALA.

Alarmist rumorS concerning Guatemala are
still extant, but without perceptible origin in
fact or reason. There is talk of a revolution
against President Cabrera. There has been talk
about revolutions before, at least ten times as
often as there has been revolution or any real
danger Of one Political affairs in the Central
and South American States are sufficiently un-
settled, no doubt. But they never have been
half as bad as their reputation at least In re-
spect to the stability Of government. There are
always agitators, who have something TO gain
or to hope from agitation, who are therefore
ready as n matter Of profitable business, to tell
dreadful tales Of war, pestience and sudden
death. 1t is to be assumed In the absence or
positive intelligence to the contrary that such Is
the basis Of the present scare. 1t is always sa1e
to discredit war talk from those regions until 1t
is verified beyond all doubt. II there had been
half as many revolutions, massacres and the
like that have been not only predicted but act
uay reported, all those countries would long
ago have been depopuated. Instead OF that'
they are steadily and even rapidly increasing IN
population, In commerce and In wealth, ana
their political conditions are, on the whole, i'm
proving.
Guatemala Is no doubt suffering from various
evils. Chief among them Is lack OF development
and Of friendly support by other nations in the
task of self-development Down to ISL II was
Spanish province, treated much rs the Phllip-
pine Islands were. II was not colonzed by Eu-
ropeans, AZ Cuba and Porto Rico were. after All
determination of the natives. On the contrary,
the natives were largely allowed to live, ana
Only few Spaniards settled there to rule them
The result Is that to-day most OF the Inhabitants
are Indians Of as pure blood as before the Span
sh conquest The soil Is fertile, the natural re-
sources OF the country are enormous, the ell
mate is varied. but on the whole not bad. There
are in fact. all the essential elements of great
prosperity save one. That one ought TO nave
been supplied from the outside long ago. But
Spain did not give II. and since she was turned
out no other nation has undertaken TO give II.
All. the United States included have stood aloof,
letting the little republic work out Its own sal
vation or have interested themselves In its af-
fairs merely for their own selfish and immediate
gain They have been ready TO exploit II for
their own aggrandzement but for the sake OF
building Guatemala up into worthy member
of the family OF nations. never.
At present the finances OF Guatemala are in
al unsatisfactory condition. That Is chiefly be-
cause the country has deprecated currency Of
silver and paper. There has been tendency
for some years TO let expenditures exceed reve-
nues, and thus TO pile up public debt The
domestic debt Is now some S30O00O0 and the
foreign debt nearly $7,500.OOO. Those should
not prove hopelessly crushing burden to a ma
ton Of ncnrly two millions, with n foreign COM
merce OF s3o000,000 a year. OF course, that
commerce is not what 1t should be. The exports
are chiefly coffee. bananas, cocoa tobacco, hides,
sugar and lumber The last named cuts n small
figure In the trade tables. although Guatemala
is largely covered with the most valuable for
ests In the world. AS for the mineral resources
OF the country. they have scarcely been touched.
What Is needed is an influx of North American
capital, enterprise and industrial skill. coupled
with an unselfsh exertion OF moral influence
toward political sanity and stability. II Is