The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-09-10
UNITED STATES OF COLOMBIA.
A Rich, Fertile, but RebelIion.c Cursed Land.

present Government consists of tWa
Houses called the Senate, which has three
Senators for each Department, and the
House of Representatives, numbering 66.
or one for every $4,000 inhabitants. Sen.
ators and Representatives are elected for
four years, by so-called-universal suffrage,
which in reality consists of the DOM
lnant faction selecting the men it wants
tor Congress, and holding them until com.
PEELED by revolution to make change.
The President is similarly chosen. II II
pretended that he is elected by an electoral
college similar to our own. His legal term
is six years, but he rarely finishes this.
The state religion is Roman Catholic,
though other religions are tolerated 20
long as their exercise is not contrary to
Christian morals nor to the law" The
religious orders, which were formerly Q
curse to the country, were suppressed in
1868, but by the terms of concordat en-
tered into with Rome education in the uni
versities. seminaries and schools, must be
IN accordance with the dogmas of the Ro-
man Catholic Church. Religion is one Of
the obligatory studies. and teachers or pro-
fessors who fail to enforce this are re.
moved.
RESOURCES.
Colombia is exceedingly rich in miner
ais, and gold is found in every part Of the
Republic. 1t is generally worked in a most
primitive way. About $5,O0O,00O a year
is produced. Silver is also mined quite
extensively, but no figures are given as to
the product. Copper, platinum, lead, mer-
curry and manganese are also abundant,
and are worked after a fashion. There are
quite number of emerald mines, which
yield abont 100000 OF gems - annum.
The salt mines are worked by the Govern
ment, and are a source of great revenue.
Extensive deposits of coal and petroleum
are known to exist, and are worked to q
limited extent There are valuable pearl
fisheries on the coast, of which the Gov
eminent claims monopoly. There are i'm
mense forests of the finest timber, but
these are not extensively worked. The
cultivation of coffee is making the most
progress, but attention is also being at
tracted toward the production of cocoa,
tobacco, sugar, vegetables, ivory, rubber,
tolu balsam and balsam of Copaiba. A
large trade in cattle is being built up,
but all branches of trade are seriously
hampered by heavy export duties, which
vary much with the temper and needs Of
the party which happens to be in power.
About q per cent of the exports 20 to
the United States; % per cent to Great
Britain; IL per cent. to France and 16 per
cent. to Germany. The finances of the
country are in deplorable condition. The
debt due the British bond-holders, with un-
paid interest. amounts to between SIT ,OOO,-
OOO and S1S,OOO,OOO, an enormous sum
compared with the poverty of the people.
The currency has been so tempered with
and diluted that it is nearly worthless.
The original basis was the silver peso, or
dollar of 10 reals. First, the fineness Of
this was reduced to .S35 and then its face
value was reduced from 10 to eight reals,
or so cents. OF course it fell with the de-
probation of silver and all the good cur
rency was driven out. in accordance with
Gresham's law that bad money will al
ways drive out good. The foreign coins
were speedily gathered up and shipped out
of the country. The silver peso, nominal
" worth so cents, is now somewhere in
the neighborhood of So. As if this was
not bad enough, the Government began
the issue of paper currency based on the
silver, and tried to force its circulation.
The result has been the issuance of about
3o0,OOC.OO0 pesos in paper, or about 80
pesos for every inhabitant of the coun-
try. The value of this now is something
under two cents on the dollar. The condi-
ton of Colombia is like that of other
Spanish-American countries; the few rich
are quite rich and well educated after
their fashion, while the poor are very poor,
very ignorant and superstitious. There
is no middle class, such as forms the sal
walton Of every country.