The Republican journal., 1903-02-05

tionalities in Colombia those from the
United States are few and far between,
the foreign element being mostly Ger
man, with sprnkling of French, Eng
lish and Italian. The military college,
or West Point of the republic where
were educated most of the famous gen
erals who afterwards became presi-
dents, was for many years in charge of
a former officer of the e. S. Army. 1t
is a significant fact that more than half
of Colombia's rulers from Bolivar, the
first President down to the present en-
cumbent, were previously generals in
| the Colombian army. Bogota is emf
nently a city of paradoxes, of great
wealth and great poverty. remarkable
learning and incredible ignorance, with
a curious mixture of customs that often
| puzzle the stranger. The foremost men
in the political, literary and mercantile
circles are from the old Castilian fami-
| lies, but so changed by intermarriage
| that all bloOds run in their veins. In
the legislature, on the bench, the forum,
the pulpit, you see the characteristics
Of all races, from the Angio-SaXon to
the African. Politicians, of whatever
color, compose the ruling class, doml-
mated by the military. Among the lead
ing minds are many highly educated
men, who converse and write tluently
in several languages, who can dictate a
learned philosophical discourse, or dem
onstrate the most difficult problems in
astronomical OF mathematical formu
las. Most of the professional men We're
educated abroad and almost everybody
of account in Colombia is a writer or a
poet The number of daily and weekly
periodicals published and the many
loose sheets issued as occasions require
is astonishing. People rush into print
on the smallest provocation, and stay
there indefinitely, long windedly argu-
ing all manner of questions, to the ex-
ceeding interest of the people who have
so little to do. Colombian authorities
have furnished textbooks on political
economy, grammar, geography, mathe-
MATES and art besides many philo-
sophical, historical and biographical
essays and works of fiction and poetry.
Some of the text books are subsidized
by the government and all authors are
protected by copyright law. Patriotic
eloquence is the ideal of the Colombian,
and we'll is it realized in many native
orators. The people are natural mu-
sicians, and spend great deal of time
and money in improving the talent. In
every house of the better class is found
German piano and many young peo-
while extravagant prices are paid to
foreign professors. AS the cOnstitu-
ton, laws and government of Colombia
were modelled after those of the United
States, SO their financial policies iml-
tate England's: their fashions, manners
and customs follow those Of France,
while their literature, verbosity and
suavity are Spanish to the core. The
smallest business transaction here re-
quires many formalities. Even the ac-
count books of the merchant must re-
ceive the legal rubric, as nearly every
trial is decided upon the written evil
dence only.
The wholesale and commission mer-
chants comprise a 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
long time ahead. The people are ex-
cessively given to games of chance, and
lotteries and rat1eS are literally pat
ronized. Beggars are numerous, owing
partly to the peculiar diseases that
scourge the country. AS in Mexico,
} Saturday is "beggars 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 it
, pious duty to save up all the broken
bits of food and the clothes that can be
spard to 'lend to the Lord" on Satur-
} days; and every merchant places on his
table quantity of small coin and hands
, it out as the mendicants ask for it.
The police do duty at night only,
leaving the people to look out for them
selves during the daytime. Four police
men are stationed at the four corners
of each plaza. Every fifteen minutes
throughout the hours of darkness a bell
rings, when the guardians blow their
whistles and change places. This is to