Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-01-14
Turbulent Central
America

OF all the countries of the new world
Honduras finds itself the deepest In debt
per capita. and the least able to meet Its
Indebtedness. In fact, France and Pol
tugal are the only two nations on the
globe which show a greater per capita
Indebtedness than Honduras. Apparently
this little country owes more than a nun
dred million dollars. three-fourths OF
which is interest that has accumulated
since 1873. It happened in this way. When
the Central American republic fell to
pieces, in 1897 each Of the constituent
states assumed its proportion of the gem
eral indebtedness. Honduras never pald
its portion and In 1867 went into the mai
ket to borrow money to build transcon-
tinental railroad. Before the new loan
could be fioated arrangements had TO DC
made to satisfy the old indebtedness. The
upshot of the matter was that Honduras
fell into the hands of Shylocks, who
loaned her money and took everything
she had as security. Twice more she
borrowed money. also the purpose oil
completing an interoceanic railway. but
nearly ali of IL. went into private pock-
cts instead of going into the building OF
railway.
At last Honduras threw up its hands,
declaring that 1t had gotten no benent
from the loans and that II would not
satisfy the bonds. The British parliament
was appealed to for an Investigation, and
soon found the whole matter so tainted
with fraud that IL could only throw IT out
Of court so to speak. Since then many
EFFORTS have been made to effect settle
ment. but no mutually satisfactory OASIS
has been found, although the bonds once
sold for per cent of their face value
Tor accumulated IN
terest
~ Honduras were to pay this whole
debt with the accumulated interest
would amount to $40 per capita. Our own
debt. upon such a per capita basis, would
amount to more than twelve billion ooi-
lars. Heavily handicapped by It's prac-
teal. II not actual, reputation OF TINS
debit Honduras finds itself In still worse
straits from the fact that its export trade
a. of less value than its imports Among
the countries of the new world only Haiti
and Colombia have a smaller per capita
export trade than Honduras.
Tn the matter of internal improvements
Honduras is the most backward OF all the
central American states, although none
~ them nossess greater natural resources
TIE forests contain vast areas of precious
woods that are all but untouched, and
IT'S rich mines are lying idle for lack or
capital to develop them. Americans nave
lately been taking a deep interest IN tne
possibilities of this land or virgin re-
sources, but a thousand opportunities stu
await deveIopment where one has been
inonroved While there has been complain
among the Honduraneans over the exaS-
gerate6 reports of their political disturb
ances that are circulated In the Ohlteu
states they heartily welcome our capl-
taIists As matter of fact there are
few places in the world not willing TO
profit by the wonder-working power OF
Yankee brains, capital and grit
A remarkable plant that grows In Hon
duras Is the plantain, which Is not I'M
IKE the banana. One authority estimates
that an acre of plantain produces
quantity of food equal to 1873 acres OF
wheat, or "a acres of potatoes. Flour Is
made from green plantains, and ooth tre
rine and green ones are good to eat In
their natural state. The sap makes
fine indelible ink. 1t is estimated tha'
the average bunch of plantains viii weigh
20 pounds, and that an acre of them VIII
produce more than 15O tons or eololS
food in a single season. Banana growing
seems TO offer splendid opportunities TOR
the agriculturist because its laws eX-
empt him from liability to military serV-
fee.
The first ice cream factory ever built
In Central America was erected at san
Pedro Sula by a Mr.. Troy. native oil
Georgia. Shortly after it started there
! was a downpour of rain In the very
height of the dry season, thing al
! the ice cream factory had changed the
climate of the country, so they immeol-
.teIv SAINT netitions 10 the president OF