The sun., 1899-09-24

ana tedious In procedure, and few people vii,
allow disputes 70 become involved in litigation II
other means can be found TO obtain o settlement
even ON distinctly unfavorable terms The laws
oil the Argentine Republic have with few unim-
portnnt notifications been adopted by Paraguay
and legal process In the courts is on a similar
footing Away from the cities there is practically
no attempt TO police the country partly on account
OF the expense more efficient system would entail
and, partly, for lack Of energy TO initiate regime
capable Of affordng security for life and property
la great measure owing TO the generally pacific
character OF the people, less crime takes place in
| Paraguay than might reasonably be expected in
| view OF the inadequate protection afforded by the
| Judicial administration and the police.
The principal products of Paraguay are Yerba
| mate, cattle. fruit tobacco. and timber Yerbd
mate. or Paraguayan tea grows as shrub and
IL classified as Her PdrdouayensfS The leaves
are withered. rolled and sorted, then packed in
bags and despatched TO Argentina for sale The
tea takes the place Of ordinary tea or coffee IN the
country districts, and acts as corrective to the
excessive meat diet so generally INDUCED In by
the natives OF South America. Analysis Of this
plant gives the following ingredients. caffeine,
thcaine fannie acid. resin. albuminous vegetable
gum, wood ash. and traces of suphuric acid.
phosphorus, soda. potash lime, oxide of man
ganese and iron II Ia to some extent stimulant
according 10 the reports Of medical experts II
is also stated In have some effect az a diuretic
In 1895, the amount exported was g. l4l tons:
In 1897 II had risen to 6.548 TONS and in 1893
further increased to above 1000 tons The ma
iority Of the verbales or plantations were formerly
national property, but Of late years have largely
passed into private hands One merit Of psrbo
is the small cost Of production and cheap rate at
which II can be placed on the Argentine market
in comparison with ordinary tea or coffee Mex
In importance in the list OF Paraguayan products
come the cattle The estimated number OF animals
In the country Is about 2, 200. 600 head. and hth
erto local demand has consumed most of the sur
plus stock, leaving only the hides for export
The increase In the herds OF recent years has in
duced the owners Of salddero establishments in
Argentina and Uruguay to turn their attention
TO the possibility Of founding factories for the
manufacture of taSaio. lerked beef for the Bra
Zilian and Cuban markets, and for the produc-
tion OF extract Of meat for European consump-
tion. Experimental efforts in this direction are
now In progress, and if successful will materially
increase the value Of the Paraguayan cattle in
dustry. Next in Importance to stock raising is
the fruit trade, although this is at present con-
fined 10 the expectation Of oranges and pineapples
Not only might the business In these two products
bclargely increased in view Of the constant demand
In Buenos Ayrcs and Moutevideo but other fruits
might proftably be cultivated for the Argentine
and Uruguayan markets Tobacco OF somewhat
inferior quality is produced and sold in Argen-
tina where after mixing with Cuban and other
leaf tits made up into cigars and cigarettes With
regard to timber there is the possibility of great
development in the future. The forests OF Para
quay abound In such valuable woods as que
bracho. cedar. curupey. lapacho. and urundey
Transport facilities TO Buenos Ayres and other
Argentine centres are so scarce and costly at
present that the timber trade is parayzed and the
Argentncs find that lumber from North America
or Europe. carried distance OF 5000 miles, Is
cheaper than equally good timber from Para
quay, distant less than /. 900 miles. The mag
nifCcnt waterway formed by the Rio de la Plata
the Parana, the Paraguay and It's various trbu
tarics, only needs the application Of properly d.
rec,ed energy 10 cause the disappearance Of the
existing anomalous condition Of affairs
Little ns yet has been accomplished toward |
improving the municipalities of Paraguay. In
Asunclon, the national capital rough stones have
been laid down I'm the principal streets 70 allow
Of cart traffic passing through the city, but soft
nd Is the characteristic feature Of the town and
renders pedestrian exercise far from enjoyable. |
In the city Of Asuncion three private carriages
and half dozen public vehicles for hire the latter
In SO dIlapidated condition as to make their use
comfortcss and not devoid Of risk TO the passen-
ger In other cities the means of locomotion |
are still less accommodating and In most cases |
confined TO mount on a native pony, or in the |
case Of heavy goods the use Of bullock cart
The population Of Asuncion is $4,000: of Villa |
Conception 5000; of Villa Rica 5000: Of San Pedro
4 900; Of Villa Har 1000, and Of Villa Encar-
nacion on the Alta Parana river 5000 persons.
The future of Paraguay must depend very
much upon the position maintained toward Brazil
and Argentina AT present trade is handicapped
and developments checked by the duties imposed
by those countries on Paraguayan products. Re
'iprocity amounting to a free interchange Of com
noditics between the Paraguayan and Brazilian
and Argentine markets or the absorption OF
Paraguay by one Of the latter countries would
SEEM In he inevitable at no distant date