El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-01-11

w in the position of Influence
it holds among the group of little
republics. or in the advanced policies
of it's government. Guatemala takes
first rank among the five nations OF
Central America
In no other way is the progressive
ness of the Guatemalans shown so well
as by the fact that the study of Eng
lish has been made compulsory In the
public schools. ven the primary pu-
pills are compelled to study it. In Is
suing the order the president said that
there are too many opportunities open
to the master of English to permit the
Guatemalan youth to grow up without
speaking knowledge of it,
Want Railroad to States.
Another illustration of the enterprise
of the Guatemalans is their determine
ton to have rail connection with the
United States. They are arranging 70
have their narrow gage roads widen
ed. and all links filled in to give them
direct connection with the National
lines of Mexico, and through them with
New Orleans, Chicago, Washington and
New York. 1t is expected that the
concessions already granted will result
in the early completion of this work
1t then will be possible for the traveller
to take a Pullman in New York or
of Central America without change of
cars.
Population of Two Million.
Guatemala is the most populous of
the five republics, having a popula-
ton of nearly 10000 souls. Saliva
dor is the only other state with 1000.
600 people. Guatemala has the densest
population, with the exception of Sal
vador. and is the only one of the re-
publics with an export trade amounting
to more than $4,000. 900 a year. Cof-
fee is It's principal article of export,
although tropical fruits, precious and
dye woods and minerals add much to
the total of the things it has to sell
Three Race Classes.
There are three principal classes of
people in Guatemala-the whites, who
are mainly Spaniards and Americans;
the indians. who have maintained their
racial integrity through four centuries
of white domination; and the Ladinos,
who are a kind OF racial tumble, with
the blood of three Of the five great
races of mankind in their veins.
The whites are exclusive, and are
unpopular with the Ladinos, who are
in turn hated by the indians. The
whites are cultured. but fond of ease
and luxury. The Ladinos work, but the
indians shirk as long as necessity will
permit. The latter refuse to be civil
lied. and their main way of making
money is by competing with the little
Guatemalan donkeys as freight car
riers.
Indians for Carriers.
Bands of indians come into the cities
bearing all sorts of burdens on their
backs or heads They have a queer
custom Of trotting like horses for long
distances EQ6nf0cr ct
do One may be carrying a cupboard,
another a sofa, another bureau. Sn-
other barrel, and another a lot of
chickens
Sometimes an indian. his mule and
his wife travel together, each well
laden The woman may have a load on
her head and baby on her hip.
Most of the men have a mecapaI and
net, the mecapai being a band around
the forehead, to which the net is at
tached-a sort of carryan for small
packages. The indian bends over as
he walks, and the load in the net rests
on his back. The mecapaI is a fit
companion to the yoke which is at
tached TO the horns of an OK instead
of to the neck. Many business men
prefer the indian freight carriers 10
mules and oxen.
Live In Primitive Way.
-NCo1 ~ OI the entire DODu-
lation of Guatemala are indians. and
most of them live in the same primitive
way that their ancestors did before the
arrival of Columbus. They knew moth
ing about intOxicants in those DAYS.
however, so that their chief dissfpa-
ton has come with white civilization.
They are now hard drinkers
AT an indian funeral one may see the
mourners' carrying jugs of liquor. and
the debauch, begun shortly after the
death Of the occupant of the coffin.
reaches grand climax shortly after
the interment
Great Productivity
The productivity OF the soil OF Gina
temala is almost beyond belief. When
the traveller TO Central America is told
that fence posts grow in the ground
he IS apt 10 be skeptical, but when
he gets there he sees it with his own
eyes The posts begin to sprout and
finally take root and flourish as trees.
A 5000 acre plantation in Guatemala
produces each year 1900, 900 pounds of
coffee, $4,000 pounds of sugar. 100000