The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-08-10
A LAND FULL OF M|SER|[S .
Owing to Revolutions its Re-
SorceS are Scarcely Touched.
AREA 47},OOO SO. MILES

=
Colombia Is Fertile, and Rich In Min.
erals - People ShiftIess 49, Manans
the Stock Phrase Of the Natives
Their Pride Is Phenomenai-Roa ads
Of Colombia.
The republic Of Colombia, like sev.
eral others of the South American
States, is a republic In little more
than name and outward form. When
not In the throes of one of Its period.
ic revolutions, 1t Is ut the mercy of
a military dictator. 1t has already had
seven constitutions, and the march
OF political events is so rapid that its
own historians can hardly keep pace
with them. Colombian history during
the past eighteen years Is character
lied by SenOr Morales as one Of un.
precedented disagreement, confu.
sion and tyranny. In form the govern
ment comprises Senate OF twenty.
seven members. a house of represen-
tatives OF sixty-six members elected
by universal male suffrage for terms
OF four years. and president whose
term Of office Is six years.
The operation Of universal suffrage
In Colombia Is thus described by
Senor Morales: Election day in the
cities and towns OF importance was
one for the display of power and vio-
lence. The troops garrisoned there,
and the police, from the first hours Of
the day. headed by their chiefs. sur
rounded the election tables and pro-
ceeded to deposit their votes. In that
proceeding they nearly exhausted the
time allotted by the law for the pur-
pose TO the citizens: for each soldier
and each police agent voted under
two distinct names and under more IL
necessary The free citizen who
might venture an effort to break
through that barrier of soldiers to ap
proach the urn and deposit his vote
was ill-used, beaten. wounded, and
threatened with death by the chiefs
of the forces and the police. Regard
ing the present government, Senior
Morales writes:
"A government de facto rules the
country by the power Of its bayonets
backed by no political party"
The area OF Colombia, excluding
Panama, the most westerly of the nine
departments into which it was divid-
ed. Is estimated at $4,000 square
miles, but several OF the boundary
lines are still in dispute and no ac-
curate figures are obtanable. The
same uncertainty prevails regarding
the population, which is curiously es-
timated at from 100000 to 5000. 900.
The chief cities are Bogota, the capi-
tai. population estimated at 100000;
Barranquilla, the chief port, popula-
ton 10000; Medellin, population 49,
600: Panama, 10000; Cartagena, 90
600, and Bucaramanga, 10000.
colombia is fertile, and rich in min
erals, but owing to the shiftless char
acter of the people. and the constant
revolutions, its vast resources have
been scarcely touched.
Immense beds of good coal are
known to exist in several sections,
and gold. silver. copper, and other
valuable minerals are already mined
to some extent. Along the sea coast
and in the Interior valleys tropical
conditions prevail, suitable for the
growth Of those agricultural products
requiring great heat and high humid
ity; while on the interior plateaus and
table lands. from 1000 to 5000 feet
above the sea, the products Of the
zone can be profitably cul. |
tivated.
About half the population Of Colon.
bia are whites, or half-castes, the re-
mainder being Indians and negroes
negroes In the lowlands and Indians
In the interior mountain regions. !
Manana tomorrow is the stock
phrase Of the natives.
"The pride of the Colombian Of .
pure Spanish descent says Mr..
Scruggs. SIS phenomenal, and runs
into strange freaks. II poor, he is q
sort Of aristocratic hobo-not asham-
ed to beg. but offended IL offered
work. since to accept would be to for
felt his position as a gentleman. With
him there Is NO such thing as the dig
nifty Of labor. and the gulf between
and honest toll is impassa.
ble."
In the cities all men of any stand
ing are doctors, generals, or profess
sOrs. Sunday is a holiday, occupied
with cock fighting. bull fighting, drink.
ing, and dancing. Every male smokes,
and many of the ladies'. French nov
BIS furnish the chief literary pabu-
um. A paper currency Of over $780,
700. 900 pesetas Is In circulation, which
aas deprecated to one -twenty-fifth Of
is face value. Although the metric
,ystem has been established by law,
he old Spanish weights and measures
ire still used.
Colchester's Oyster Feast.
Famous indeed Is the Colchester
Oyster Feast, and to be invited is con-