The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1901-10-04
LAND OF TURMOILS.
cOLOMeIA'SP PROGRESS RETARDED ny
POLITICAL REVOLUTIONS.
Abundant Mineral and Vegetable
Resources Which Ought to Make
the south American Republic
Prosperous and Wealthy Nation.
Especial Correspondence. ]

Especial Correspondence
BoGoTA, Colombia, Aug. 2S.-But for
the almost continuous political revolu-
tons, frequently bloodless, but some
times attended by sanguinary conflicts,
the United States of Colombia would
become a prosperous country, taking
its proper place among the nations Of
the earth. The revolutions are its bane
and keep the country in a perpetual
turmoil, preventing the development Of
territory rich in mineral and vegetable
resources and generally salubrious and
healthful in climate. Colombia is now
in the throeS of a revolution, with the
prospects of a foreign war in which
both Venezuela and Ecuador may be
in the field against her. The latest
phases of the complex situation have
doubtless been impaired to the news
paper readers in the United States in
advance of this correspondence, but
something about the country and it's
pCOplc may NC VI iilClCcl.
The greatest bar to COlombias prog
ress, which is due to the political tur-
mOil and unrest, is the unstable condi-
ton of the country's finances. vt pres
ent forty Colombian paper dollars are
equivalent to one gold dollar The gov
eminent is printing paper money indis-
criminately, has lately established
heavy export duties payable in gold
and has sold monopOlies and privileges
of all kinds. all greatly injuring COM
merce.
The present Conservative govern
ment, against which the Liberal party
is In revolt, has, all things considered,
done about as we'll as could be expect
ed, being handicapped by the financial
and other burdens of its predecessors
as well as inheriting the old feud with
the Liberals.
If the country could have period Of
political quietude, it would make rapid
strides up the ladder of national deVel-
Opment. The native resources are here
for 4 prosperous nation. Coffee is the
great staple of Colombia, the area now
under cultivation being estimated at
fully $4,000 acres, but it is prob
ably considerably more than that
amount. 1t ought to be several times
greater and would be if planters felt
more confidence in the stability of the
government. Sugar cane is grown and
the juice manufactured into sugar and
rum for home use. Cocoa is produced
to meet the local demand and also for
export. Tobacco is cultivated for use
in the republic, but the amount shipped
abroad Is insignificant.
OF other vegetable products the most
important is india rubber. The collec-
ton of the gum is chiefly made from
the trees growing in the forests border
ing ON the Orinoco and its branches
and the tributaries of the river ANA
ION. The high prices lately ruling for
india rubber in the markets of the
United States and Europe have caused
increased attention to be devoted to
this industry in Colombia, and~there is
room for still further development in
this direction. Ivory nuts form an arti-
Gle of export of some value, as also do
dyewoods, copaiba and balsam of tOlu
Pastoral industry is widely distribut-
ed in Colombia, cattle and sheep being
raised in the valleys wherever cultiva-
ton of the land is carried on and also