The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-11-20
A GLANCE AT COLOMBIA
y AND ITS INHABITANTS

almost 20 an individual show the raw
ages due 70 an excessive use of opium.
The only labor that can be depended
upon = hat OF negroes thought under
contract from the n~eighDOring British
possessions. These ne. are quite
steady. seldom Incorporate, and CON-
pare favoraoIy with labor in any part
OF the world.
THE COUNTRY'S FINANCIAL
CONDITION.
The financial condition Of the country
is described in the fact tina gold is al
ways at a premium Of several thousand
per cent. There is plenty of paper
which no one will touch, and the me-
dunn OF exchange is silver more or
less debased. For ordinary trading pur-
pose il however passes current at about
40 percent. OF its face value in gold.
This puts a premium on most articles
Of import and tends to depreciate the
value Of the cOnntry products. Every
thing which is worth taxing is taxed in
one form or another. The sale Of
matches. ice. opium and many other
articles of necessity or luxury is farmed
out in the form OF a concession. The
two most valuable OF these conces-
1880 60 80 ----7@-N ~ NHf-NNNN"N--NNN u
gambling n that of the lOttery-a
distinction withut "A difference-but
separately dealt with by the authori-
ties. a fair measure OF the public at
titude towards these questions may be
gathered when it is known that the
gambling concession was for some time
vested in the bishop OF Panama. \
lottery commisSionaire is to be found
on every railroad train and lottery
tickets may be bought in any shop.
Export duties. too. of the most OPP
pressive character are imposed at short
notice. and serve to throttle all attempts
at commerce. This seems quite rea-
sonable to the Colombian, who believes
himself untouched by such taxes, since
except in rare instances. only foreigners
yer attempt such foolish thing as the
production Of articles to De sold
abroad.
THE COLOMBIAN PATRIOT
The average height of tine native Col
ombian IS small. and gives the impress
sion of not more than five feet six to
five feet eight inches. He = uSually
u light cafe au Iait color occasionally
~deepened by a more than usual admiN-
ture of negro bIOOd.D with 4 vivacious
manner, quick and nervous of speech,
n almost universally an Optimist.
He is naturally musical and of an af-
f]ectionate disposition. But the truth IS
not in him and he will neither work nor
think except under the strongest neces-
sity. His political complexion changes
as easily and with as little apparent
effort as do the cOlors of the chame-
leon. The average patriot-all Colom-
bians are patriots-joins the revolution
airy army on Monday, is captured by
the opposing forces on Tuesday. and OH
"Wednesday is found still shouting
Viva Colombia but this time with
the powers that DE.
AS to uniform, his is merely a ques-
ton Of Il tag of color to distinguish
different sides. a cotton tunic and a
pair OF loose drawers, with a sort OF
KEPT for a full dress hat-otherwise a
ragged straw or a bare head, which
does quite as we'll. The common SOL
der wears no shoes, but occasionally
sports a pair OF sandals, hitched to the
foot by a thong passing between the
big toe and its neighbor.
In cold blood, he is inclined to keep
out of sight; but rouse his enthusiasm,
and he will rush, without hesitation OF
~ "a AN
mouth of hell. Properly led and discip-
lined. there could be no better soldier.
AS il stands, he is without discipline,
lot led at all. and hence of no effect.
Colombian tactics are essentially Of the
guerrilla type yet there have been in
stances OF attacks in the face of certain
destruction which are appalling in their
utter disregard of danger. 1t is scarcely
conceivable, if Colombia should wish TO
forcibly oppose the attitude of the
United States and the presence of its
soldiers on the Isthmus. that it would
be able 10 offer a force which could
accomplish anything: but if the attempt
should be made, it would not be de-
spicable. and her soldiers would acquit
themselves with honor and valor.
DIFFICULTIES OF A CAMPAIGN.
The chief difficulties which an Anglo
Saxon army would be forced 70 meet on
the Isthmus of Panama, where it is safe
TO assume all Of the active operations
would take place, are those common
TO most tropical countries: fevers, heat,
and insect pests. These, taken in con-
nection with the fact that there are
no roads of any sort. and only one u
trails which lead nowhere, make the
problem sufficiently complicated. The
Panama railroad provides a means OF
crossing from one ocean to the other
Ghe Isthmus has only a breadth here
OF fOrty-seVen miles,, but step a rod
TO either side OF the track and n is
in an unbrOken, impenetrable jungle.
There is a sort of trail leading from
Matachin. on the line Of the Panama
railroad. approximately parallel with
the Chagres river. to a own called
Crucis. Here an old paved road, built
by the Spanish conquistadores in 1914,
for carrying reasur from h Pacific
to the Atlantic. is intercepted; but this
road is no longer used except for very
short distances and not in connected
lengths, so 70 all intents n purposes
it has reverted to the jungle.
For Repeal of 18th Amendment.
Washington. November 16~.-Represen-