The National tribune., 1908-12-24

were adjusted with the neighboring
Nations, Venezuela has the immense
extent of 593,943 square miles, or near
!y one-fifth of the area of the United
States outside of Alaska In this there
Is population Of 2,317,627, with a fair
ty rapid increase, owing to the high
birth rate, tho the average length of
life is comparatively short There are
only about $4,000 foreigners mostly
Spaniards. IN the country. Among the
natives there are very few pure whites
or pure negros, tho a large proportion
are of pure Indian blood OF the In
dians $4,000 are wild and independent,
10000 have been brought partially un-
der civilization, and 100000 are count
ed as civilized This civilization, how
ever, is very crude and imperfect No
where else in Spanish America is the
fusion between the whites, negros and
Indians SO complete as ii is in Venezu--
la. The earlier Spanish Governors
made considerable progress toward edu-
cation, and ti.;s is now nominaiiy free
: and compulsory. AMI possibly 25 per
cent Of the population can read and
write. At one time Caracas had a high
reputation for education, and Hum
boldt commented upon this claim TO the
title of 1.-The Paris of Latin America"
Several quite creditable Spanish au-
thors have appeared in the country.
There is a university at Caracas. with
an observatory, and National library.
The state religion is Roman Catholic
but other forms are tolerated. Most OF
the Protestants and foreigners.
Venezuela is geographically divided
into three great districts:
l. The agricultural and mountainous
region of the north and northwest
2. The district between this region
and the Orinoco.
:. 3. The Guiana highlands Of the south
east.
1t is estimated that only about one
third of the country is susceptible to
cultivation, and of this only about one
third is titled. Coffee is the main arti-
Gle, and an excellent quality is pro-
duced. Cacao is a highly important
product, especially forth Dutch mar
ket, and it grows abundantly on the
warm. moist lands near the coast. Sugar
cane is extensively grown, but the prod
uct is mostly consumed at home in the
shape of distilled spirits. Little cotton
is grown, and the former extensive cul-
ture of indigo is replaced by coffee.
Tobacco does well in the lowlanGs. but
the grade is inferior. From the forests
are obtained copaiba, vanilla and caout-
chouc. Cattle raising was formerly
quite important, the extensive llanos
being natural and rich pasture grounds.
but these became the natural prey of
the revolutionists. and the number has
been greatly dimished. If the coun-
goats, sheep and mules would become
plentiful
All the agricultural methods are ex-
ceedingly- crude and wasteful of labor,
land there are only a limited number of
manufactures mostly In the hands of
foreigners. The mineral resources are
supposed to be of great value. but the
constant disturbances prevent their de-
yelopment
Gold mines OF great richness are
known to exist. and also Of copper, salt,
iron and silver. A little inferior coal
is found in the country. One of the
rich natural resources OF the country
IS asphalt, which has excited the atten-
tion of foreign capitalists. and the de-
velopment of which has brought about
some of the disputes with foreigners.
It is supposed that there is much wealth
In the pearl. sponge and tortoise shell
= fisheries, but these have been only i'm
perfectly developed. tho the annual out
put of pearls is about 100000.
Castro's Personality.
There has not been a more interest
ing character on the front of the worlds
stage for many years than Cypriano
Castro. He is now somewhat past the
middle age, and lived for the first hall
of his life an ignorant mountaineer IN
the back countries of Venezuela. H'
has a large amount OF Indian blood In
his veins, and was up until manhooc
densely ignorant of anything ouesid'
of cattle growing, hunting and other oc
eupations of the people of his rugged
mountain district. He cared nothing
for learning. scorned the refinement
of civilization, and was distinguished b,
his boldness, cruelty and fierce energ,
in the incessant little rows of his dis
trict which: passed for wars. He wa
elected a Senator from the State of +
/, Gachira in 1898, and disgusted th'
Caracas people by his refusal to adop
civilized costumes, especially shoes. HI
endeared himself TO the people of hi,
mountains by going unshod about tn,
streets and attending the legislative ses
sions and the social functions barefoot
cd, with the rest OF his costume a
scanty and common as decency woult
permit. The Caracas people made S,
Hauch fun of him that he went nom,
embittered, took an early opportunit.
20 get into a revolution. and soon ha,
The satisfaction of leading his barefoo
followers in triumph into the Venezue
1an metropolis. Since that time he ha
Kept the world talking about him pref
q ccpstanfly. and nowhere has he beel
The subject Of as much conversation a