Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-02-28

hcult problems IN astronomical or
mathematical formulas Most of the
professional men were educated abroad
and almost everybody Of account in
Colombia is writer or a poet The
number Of daily and weekly periodicals
published and the many loose sheets
issued as occasions require, Is astonish-
ing, People rush into print on the
smallest provocation, and stay there
indefinitely, long wlndedly arguing all
manner Of questions to the exceeding
interest Of the people who have SO lit
tie to do. Colombian authorities have
furnished textbooks on political econ
Omy grammer, geography, mathema.t-
les and art, besides many philosophical
historical and biographical essays ana
works OF fiction and poetry Some Of
the text books are subsidized by the
government and all authors are protect
ed by copyright law. Patriotic elo-
Quence Is the ideal of the Colombian
and well Is II realized In many native
orators. The people are natural musi-
clans. and spend a great deal Of time
and money in improving the talent. In
every house Of the better class Is found
a German piano and many young people
earn good salaries teaching music, while
eXtrayagant prices are paid to foreign
professors. AS the constitution, laws
and government Of Colombia We're mod
eled after those OF the Unted states,
so their financial policies initiate Eng
lands; their fashions. manners ana GUS
toms follow those OF France, while their
literature, verboslty and suavlty are
Spanish to the core, The smallest busl-
ness transaction here requires many
formalltles. Even the account books of
the merchant must receive the legal
rubrlc, as nearly every trial is decided
upon the written evidence only.
The wholesale and commission mer-
chants comprise large class. They
buy from the lowest selling market,
giving the largest credits, and sell to
the small tradesmen OF their individual
sections. often supplying them with
goods In advance Of the coming crop,
This gives them control OF the produce
a long time ahead. The people are eA-
cessively given TO games Of chance, and
lotteries and railles are literally pat
ronized. Beggars are numerous, owing
partly to the peculiar diseases that
scourge the country. As in Mexico,
Saturday is "beggar's day" authorized
by law. Then they crawl out Of their
holes and lairs and fairly swarm the
towns, levying toll upon everybody with
confidence. Housewives make II a
pous duty to save up al the broken
bits Of food and the clothes that can
be spared to lend TO the Lord on Sat
| urdays, and every merchant places on
his table a quantity of small coin and
hands II out as the mendleants ask
for It,
The police do duty at night only, leay-
/ ing the people to look out for them
/ selves during the daytime. -Four pO-
| licemen are stationed at the four cor
ners Of each plaza. Every IL minutes
! throughout the hours OF darkness a bell
/ rings. which causes the guardians OF
| the city to blow their whistles and
| change places. This is to prevent them
/ from sleeping on their beats, OF at least
! giving them time for little more than
"cat-naps.' Though the lower classes
work Unfortunately, the women do
| the heaviest share OF Il. carrying bur
dens over the mountains equal to the
men, often with the addition Of two or
three children. Indians from the inter-
: Tor come 70 town In groups, men and
women together often walking three or
four days, carrying upon their backs
heavy loads OF produce or long string
Of FISH Arrived at their destination, the
women At patiently all day ia the mar
ket place peddllng the stun while the
men patronize the gambling booths and
drinking places. At night, n there is
any money left, they all get dunk to-
! gether and then spend three or four