The sun., 1899-09-24


as n consequence of returning vitality due I,
the midness Of the climate and the fairly abun
dant supply OF wild food provide! by benefcen
nature The natural instincts of maternity
then came forward To save the situation. TIL,
women, forming by far the greater part Of wha
remained Of tho population set TO work for Tho
sake Of their children These mothers tlllct
the fields, grew produce for sale In order 10 pro
vide their families the small modicum Of clothing
required for the sake Of decency, hired them
selves out to work wherever some small wage
could be earned. and set an example 10 the rest
Of their countrymen that has unfortunately,
not been appreciated adhered to in recent years
| II IL true that at this time the remnant of the
male population were incapable Of susta In ed
| labor in consequence Of the terrible hardship ps
| they had endured under the rule Of Lopez but
this temporary disability developed into the na-
| tional custom OF the women bearing the heat
| and burden OF the day and the men living In
Incidence on the Lesults OF the industry Of their
| wives and families
Matters improved slowly un Ill at length the crops
| produced in the country woro sufficient to s,is-
tain the rural population unless unforeseen cir
| cumstances such as droughts unduly heavy
rainfall. destroyed the harvest OF maize man
| dioca or other products One measure of the
| time Of the dictators Of former years stood the
people In good stead at this critical iuncture and
II was the old law ordering every inha abitant to
plant annually oertoin number OF orange trees
default OF this regulation being sternly punished
| by fine and imprisonment When all other crops
! fail the oranges are always at hand not only
as food, but also for sale and useful to provide
some few dollars to buy the most urgently re-
| quired necessaries Of life. Presently foreign
enterprise brought capital to Paraguay to de
velop certain industries. the products Of which
yer i1x-a ntaI sha 81
Ayres and Montevdeo and the existing re-
construction Of Paraguayan industrial life was
accomplished
The present day political situation in Para.
quay is tranquil enough. and President Aceval
does little more than attend in a somewhat lax
and inefficient manner TO the duties of his
post Every now and again some measure
is introduced into Congress for the ostensiblc
purpose Of lettering the condition Of the
people, but such efforts seldom reach any
practical end account Of the Grass
ignorance Of those In authority of the true
needs Of the country and the method of apply
ing reforms TO rectify existing abuses As far
as the people concerned. they nsk little more
than 10 be left In peace TO carry without official
intervention the small industries that have been
formed of recent years The Paraguayans know
little and care less about the electoral privileges
conferred upon them by the constitution Of 1870
and they take no part or interest in the
elections 10 Congress. now formerly carried
out by official mandate and invariably re-
sulting in the success OF the candidates OF
the Government In the country districts
there still exists horror of any Govern
mcnt officer the traditions handed down from
the time Of Lopez and his predecessors accredit
ing To such persons only the worst attributes
for cxtorton and cruelty. and this sentiment
So,
official position Solong as the political oligarchy
do not impose too heavy m nsurc Of taxation,
or force the people into military service. they
need fear little active opposition from the majority
of the population
In spite Of the many difficulties presented since
1870. the number of inhabitants has substantially
increased during the past quarter Of a century
the total OF 22l 900 at the close of the having
now swelled to 100000 persons This figure
includes all the domesticated part of the populations
In addition. there exist in Parag uayan territory
from 10000 to 10000 uncivilized Indians The
foreigners resident in the country do not exceed
10000 of all natonalities; Of these 800 are British
subjects, 80 Belgians. 1000 Italians. 5000 Ar !
gentines and Brazilians. the remainder being |
Spaniards. French, German Swiss and others
not specified. In 1893 a curious experiment was |
made by group of Australians with socialistc |
tendencies A concession Of land was obtained |
from the Paraguayan Government and an ex. |
pedition, headed by a man named Lane, was |
brought over from Australia and settled on this |
grant The principal condition of this colony |
was that all property should be held in common |
Disputes soon arose among the members of New |
Australia, and in 1896, the settlement was broken |
up the land reverting to the national authorities |
Some OF these Australians again under the leader
ship of Lane have now formed another colony
glIn I'D Cav IL.
existence by growing fruit and vegetables and |
occasionally hiring out to work Each member
of this new settlement is to receive free title to
eighty acres OF land from the Paraguayan Gov
ernment Another experiment has recently been
attempted by the introduction Of $50 Sicilian
families land for settlement being provided by the
authorities, The experiment has not proved |
satisfactory, and many of the immigrants have
deserted the colony and others are contemplat-
ing doing so very shortly There is, indeed no
great inducement for European inning rants TO
come to Paraguay partly on account Of the trop.
ical nature of the climate and, partly, because
the greater portion OF the national lands, especi-
ally the most valuable sections. have already
been alienated to private individuals.
Paraguay is rich in local color The pctur-
esque character Of the native population with
their quaint Indian features and habits Of every
day life are interesting to anybody fond Of oh
serving strange phases of human life. BY nature
these people are patient and gentle, seldom COM
planning chattering and laughing from sunrise
70 sunset and taking small thought OF what the
morrow may have in store for them. II is hard
70 imagine how Lopez could have drilled them
into fighting material of strength enough TO keep
in check the combined forces OF Argentina Brazil
and Uruguay for five long weary years, and II
speaks volumes for the indomitablc energy Of the
q hal la
10 protracted time. Clothing is very much OF
. supcrauty in Paraguay The attire Of the
women is a cotton chemise with long sheet
ike shawl, or mantd. passed over the head and
ound the body in Moorish fashion The dress
II the men is equally simple. consisting only OF
'o'ton shirt and trousers. Both sexes are guilt
ess Of foot covering. At times an almost un-
'anny feeling rises when group OF these white
obed, dark k-haired madens pass suddenly with
he silent tread Of unshod feet OF morning in
he market places the women-folk flock in 10 sell
heir wares, carrying on their heads the baskets