El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-01-07

VA globe almost ready to become
a reality, Nicaragua thought
it was destined TO be one of the IA
vored spots of the world. It thought
itself the Western BOsphOrus.' and
considered that ii was only a question
CT time until the commerce Of Ime
oceans would pass through It's borders
via the Nicaraguan canal
The United States had decided upon
an interOceanic canal all parties were
pledged to il, and indeed both houses
OF congress had at one time or an
other voted for it, Nicaragua was in
high hopes, and Hannibal. selling the
public places in Rome while yet with
out it's walls. found a counterpart IN
the spirit of speculation that possessed
the Nicara guans.
But in a moment all was changed
Senator Hanna took up the cudgels for
Panama, the senate turned to that
route, the house followed and Nicara-
qua became the land of blasted hopes.
Down there they still believe that the
monumental mistake of history was
made when Panama was chosen
Enlist Opposition In Army.
Nominally Nicaragua is a republic,
where the will of the people should
be supreme. Its constitution reads as
smooth as our own, but only the letter
and not the spirit prevails. Every
man is supposed to have the right OF
suffrage, yet there is another provision
which sets forth that no soldier. in the
army shall vote. And the president has
the right to enlist whom he will Re-
suit: When there is a close election
thousands Of the opposition are tenn
pOrarily enlisted in the army.
1t is said that in one election more
than 1000 opponents of Zelaya were
enlisted, while all his friends were
omitted from the recruits. This is the
way the laws and constitutions of Cen
trail America are interpreted. and it is
such abuses that are largely respOn
sible for the constant turmoil there.
Presidential Succession.
Nicaragua has a most unique plan
of presidential succession in times Of
peace The names of five senators are
written upon slips of paper. placed in
as many envelopes, shuffled and three
of the envelopes are drawn Que and
filed away in the state archives. The
other two are destroyed without their |
contents being known.
When there is a vacancy in the pres
idency the duly constituted authorities /
open the first envelope and the sena- |
tor whose name is written thereon be /
comes president. Here we see how the /
people distrust their own associates. !
The name Of the heir apparent must be /
kept profound secret lest he or his /
friends seek to hasten the succession.
dumb Driven Cattle
Nicaragua is not noted for high /
average of intelligence among its peo- !
pie Those at the head Of affairs are I
usually we'll educated, and there<fs also
culture among the welltodo classes Of
the country, but the rank and file are
nj
people.
They are dumb driven CATTLE" who
lend themselves readily to the purposes
Of the demagog. They are nearly al
ways against the government because
they so often feel the laws restraining
hand.
Some idea of the prevalence of ignor-
ance may be had from a report made
by the head of the department of edu-
cation. who states that in Granada and
Leon, the most highly cililized cities
of the country. only 80 percent of the
children are enrolled in the schools He !
concludes that only Oneseventh of the
children of Nicaragua learn to read and
write.
The majority of the people live in !
adobe houses, covered with tiles or with
matched roofs. Usually there is no
floor in the rural home, and if there
IS a ceiling it Is only a sheet of white
cloth tackled up to hide the ugliness
Of the underrOOf Beds without mat
tresses, rooms without windows cook
ing without stoves and grinding with
old fashioned indian millstones are
still the rule rather than the excep-
ton.
Clothing Is Simple.
The clothing of the average Nicara-
guam is extremely simple. Among the
poorer classes the boys run in the
Adamic garb worn before Eve invent
ed her palmleaf apron The girls wear
little slips made from a single piece
Of muslin The ordinary clothing of
the men consists of a palmleaf hat, a
shirt and a pair of trousers. All go
oarefooted, except the indians, who
wear sandals The women wear a
hemise. a cotton skirt and kind of
light shawl
Those of high caste initiate European /
ways Labor is plentiful in numbers,
but short in quality. II is said that !
The average laborer wants to be treated |
rs nabob or hidalgo. Among the !
poorer classes baptism is considered
| more sacred rite than marriage.
HOSpitaOIe People