Omaha daily bee., 1910-01-14
Some Things You Want to Know
Turbulent Central AmeriCa-Densoly Populated Salvador.


Salvador is the smallest OF the twenty
one republics OF the New World, but what
It lacks in size is made up by population
II is the most thickly inhabited Of them all.
Only six OF the states Of our own country
have a denser population-Rhode Island,
Massachusetts,, New Jersey, New York,
Pennsylvania and Connecticut. II the
United States as a whole were as populous
I'm proportion It would show over 4OO,OOO,O 600
inhabitants at the forthcoming census.
1t was the little republic Of Salvador that
first declared its independence Of Spain,
as Venezuela had lone in South America.
It's plan was to annex itself to the United
States and a government actually had
been formed for that purpose. The formal
resolutions applying for admission to the
union were passed. and a delegation began
preparations for the journey to Washing
ton. But before the start was made the
ether Central American states Joined Sal
vador in declaring their freedom from
Spanish rule, and they decided that a
little United States Of their own was about
the right thing for them. So. the applica-
ton Of Salvador for admission to the union
was never received officially. The United
oAdAtS u SthAl IVA was a bhN
it's dislntegration quickly followed.
Salvador is the only North American
republic that does not touch both oceans
it is contiguous only to the Pacific ocean.
1t has no real harbors. Its ports are on
open roadsteads, where the passengers and
freight must be landed by lighters. The
passengers are lowered into the lighters
by a cage attached to the hosting machln-
ar,y ~ the ulfn and uyhan thav land fhay
are taken up in similar cages attached to
the pier derricks.
Cattle are lifted aboard bv he7"y
fastened to their horns. Of course, they
kick and squirm and twist, and sometimes
a steers horns break and he falls heavily
to the lighter, perhaps breaking his neck
or a leg. II this happens his throat is
cut and he bleeds to death. If there were
a Society for the Pre- yention Of Cruelty to
Animals in Salvador short shrift would be
made Of this method of handling cattle.
Horses are placed in a sort of sling when
they are loaded or unloaded, which is far
more humane in its results.
The men Of Salvador are much given tc
sports, and among these cock fighting and
bull fighting have first place. Professiona
cock trainers are employed and they spend
much time in trying to teach the young
birds to be good generals. No Jeffries
was ever trained with more patience thar
a Salvadorean fighting cock is coached by
these professionals. Some Of the birds
wear spurs that are as sharp as knives
and the trainer who can teach them L
handle these to the best advantage is SURE
to have his services in great demand. Il
is barbarous while 1t lasts, but the battle
is short. Americans have tried to per
suade the Salvadoreans to fight their bird,
with natural spurs, but such sport is toC
tame for them.
At Christmas time the mind of the ay
erage Central American turns toward re
ligious things. In Honduras 1t takes tn,
form of the enactment of the Passion
Play, though 1t has degenerated from
sacred performance into a sort of phan
tastic spectacle to amuse the rabble. II
Salvador 1t usually finds expression in tn,
enactment of the scenes of the alteration
The best room in the house is often fitte,
up like a stable with a manger and some
times the scene is made the more real b.
bringing In donkeys. The shepherds an,
the wise men are there, and o. the who'll
1t Is a realistic production. There is niue
rivalry between the various families of
community to make the best display, wit
the result that many lavish scenes are ar
ranged.
salvador is a veritable land of volcanoes
there being eleven of them within sight @
San Salvador, the capital. OF these, how
ever, only two are active, the others hav
ing become extinct years ago. The coun
try is so crowded, however, that the pee
pie pay but little attention to the volca
noes, getting as close to them as tn
streams Of lava will permit. Although Sal
vador is crowded, its people are able I
raise more than they need themselves, an
have a big balance of trade on their sid
of the ledger. According to the lates
available figures they were able to Sc
S. worth of products for every "a wort
they had to buy. The balance Of trade /
their favor is almost as great in proper
ton as that of the United States itself.
The transportation facilities in this pai
of the world are so poor that the America
fault of packing goods lightly and ms,
curely results in much damage. The hai
bors are choked with sand so that tn
csrgoes of ships must be conveyed throug
the surf on lighters for distances varyln
from one to three miles. After good
reach the shore they must be transferre
to the interior In canoes, on the backs G