The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-11-22
New york EvenInr Postt)

a cursory glance at the map Of the
northwestern part Of South America is
enough to convince one that here at
least is a case where the tail must in
evitably wag the dog. For Panama
imposes itself upon the map Of Colon
bia quite i'm the saucy manner of a
Scotch terriers caudal appendage. Nor
is this the only curious effect which
strikes the eye. For here are a railroad
existent and a canal in future, which
Join the Atlantic and Pacific oceans
WhereOn one must travel southeast in
order TO go westward.
Although Panama IS. from an histOr-
zeal standpoint, the oldest portion Of
the western hemisphere. 1t is one Of its
least known parts. even arctic Alaska
has many times the commercial activ-
1ty. Although Panama is but 9 degrees
north Of the equator and is fertile be-
yond the powers Of description, its pop
ulation does not increase, nor does it
wax in riches Every tropical fruit
grows wild. vet but few kinds are to
be bought in the markets. It's only eX-
ports are some bananas and an incOn-
siderable amount of mahogany, and
while a large part Of the population
lives upon rice as a staple with thou
sands Of acres of ideal rice lands IN
their midst, practically all of the rice
consumed is imported. Panama has but
one asset which is negotiable, and that
IS the concession for a canal.
Like every so-called republic in South
America. the United States of Colombia
has passed through many vicissitudes.
il was separated from Spain by that
great political surgeon. Bolivar. for
whom one of its important departments
is named. 10 must be understood that
although Colombia is called a republic.
St does and has little to fulfill our def
milton of that term. There is a CEN
tral government located at BOgOta. in
the Andes mountains, which lies not far
from the rise of a main feeder of the
OrinocO river. and about 200 miles i'm a
direct line from the Pacific ocean. The
central government Is best described as
raterual. except that few parents pay
30 little attention to the welfare of their
dependents. The chief object of gov.
eminent is profit and the principle ito
the VictOrs belong the spOils" is here
carried to the extremity Of its pOssibili-
ties. From the frequency Of revolutions
in this interesting community one
might expect a constant display Of
bloody heads yet this expectation, like
So much else i'm these ATTITUDES, is mis-
leading. To all intents and purposes,
a revolution near the equator CORE
spends TO an election i'm colder climates,
and a rifle becomes a vote. From this
80 is evident that politics is a serious
matter. engaging the attention of the
first citizens" and is not left to the
chairman Of a county committee. Ev-
cry vote tells and there are no blank
ballots. Yet it is not always necessary
10 have a revolutions in order to change
an administration as, for example, the
method by which the present President
MarrOQuin was ''inaugurated." This
was by the simple process of inviting
his predecessor to send I'm his resigna-
tion. which. under the peculiar circUm-
stances Of the moment. he was per
suaded TO do, and Senior Marroquin's
proclamation did the rest
Departments Of Colombia.
Colombia consists of departments
which correspond in a general way to
our state divisions, although the re
semblance ceases at the geographical
definition, because the departments
have TO autonomous existence, cOnsti-
tuition, bylaws. or rights, other than
those granted by the central govern
ment. This is true except in the case
of the department of Panama, which
has had a measure OF independence, and
is in receipt of a large yearly stipend
from the Panama Railroad company.
The governors of the departments are
not elective but are appointed by the
president, who also appoints the gen
erals in command of the troops. Since
the governor and the general in a Civ
en- neighborhood are likely to be in
sanely jealous OF each other, they nat
urally exercise a sort Of restraint, and
thus dissipate the natural tendency to-
wards revolution.
The social aspect Of Colombia is
something which we can barely believe
and cannot understand at all. De
vOutly Roman Catholic. the population
is essentially immoral, not immoral.
but free and easy in its sexual reIa-
tions 10 an extent that IS Scarcely COM
portable with the seventh command
ment. In the cities marriage is suf-
ficiently common not TO be a matter
of comment. but In the villages IL is
a scarcely considered sacrament. Bap-
tism is performed as a matter Of course
by some visiting cleric, who appears
TO have no interest other than to seal
the child to the church. The personal
habits of the people are curiously con-
Trajectory. Quite clearly in their per
sons and bathing frequently. their sur
roundings are often vile. and would be
impossible If it were not for the all
pervading buzzard.
Negro characteristics Predominant.
people OF the land. to be seen along
the Panama railroad. and these few
are bOJh of mixed breed and degener-
ate qualities. In the cities, there are
occasional families who are generally
admitted to be of pure Spanish blood
but there is a touch of African evil
dent in almost every native Pan
amanian. and the negro characteristics
predominant through the rural pODu-
latons. AS in an countries where the
land is fertile and the people indo-
lent. the jews absorb most of the COM
merCial transactions. Along the line Of
the railroad and canal. however. many
Chinese are established. and prosDer
where il would seem impossible for a
raj 90 make a living They are often
married or rather form an alliance
more or less permanent with a native
woman. and almost to an individual
show the raVages due to the exces-
Sive use of opium. The only labor
which can be depended upon is that of
negroes brought under contract from
the neishboring British possession.
These men are quite steady. seldom
Incorporate. and compare favorab Iv
with labor in any part of the world.
The Country's Financial Condition.
The financial condition of the conn
try is described I'm the fact that gold
is always at a premium of several
thousand per cent There is plenty Of
paper which no one viii touch. and the
medium OF exchange is silver more or
less debased- For ordinary trading
purposes sc, however, passes. current AT
about 40 per cent Of its face value in
gold. This puts a premium upon most
r of