Omaha daily bee., 1910-01-11

Whether It be in the importance Of its
business affairs, in the position of influ-
ence It holds among the group Of little re-
publics, or in the advanced policies Of its
government, Guatemala takes first rank
among the five nations Of Central America.
In no other way is the progressiveness Of
the G-uatemalans shown so well as by the
fact that the study Of English has been
made compulsory IN the public schools.
Even the primary pupils are competed to
study It. In issuing tne order the presi-
dent said that there are too many oppor-
tlnities open to the master OF hnglish 10
permit the Guatemalan youth to grow up
without a speaking knowledge of IL.
Another Illustration OF the enterprise OF
the GUatemalans is their determination to
have rail connection with the united
rita ,es. They are arranging to have Jhcig
nsfrow-gauge roads Widened, and all links
filled in to give them direct connection
with the national lines of MeSlco, and
through them with New Orleans, Chicago,
Washington and New York. II is expected
hat tine concessions already granted will
result in the early completion of this work.
1t then viii be possible for the traveller to
take a Pullman in New York or san Fran
cisco and go to the very heart of Central
America without change OF cars.
Guatemala is the most popuious of the
five republics, having a population Of
nearly 2,O00,OO0 souls. Salvador is the only
other state with 100000 people. Guatemala
has the densest population, with the ex-
ception of Salvador, and is the only one of
the republics with an export trade amount
ing to more than $40, 100000 a year. Coffee
is its principal article of export, al,houg l
tropical fruits, precious and dye-woods and
minerals add much to the total of the
things it has to sell.
There are three principal classes of peo-
pie in Guatemala-the whites, who are
mainly Spanlards and Americana; the In
dams, who have maintained their racial
integrity through four centuries of white
domination. and the Ladlnos, who are q
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 indian Thu
whites are cultured, but fond of ease anC
luxury. The Ladinos work, but the Indians
shirk as long as necessity will permit. The
latter refuse to be civilized and their MAR
way VI lAldhllA6 liAOlS9 II W NOhlPCAlllb II
the little Guatemalan donkeys as freigh.
carriers.
Bands of Indians come into the cities
bearing all sorts of burdens on their back
or heads. They nave q queer custom o
~trotting like horses for long distances. keep
ing regular step as they go. One may b.
carrying a cupboard, another a sofa, an
other a bureau, another a barrel and an
other a lot of chickens Sometimes an In
dian, his mule and his wife travel to
gether, each we'll laden. The woman ma!
have a load on her head and a baby on he
net, the mecapal being a band around tn,
for ehead, to which the net is attached;
sort of carry-all for small packages. Tn
Indian bends over as he walks and the Loaf
In the net rests on his back. The mecapa
is a fit companion to the yoke which is at
tached to the horns OF an OK instead o
to the neck, Many business men prefer tn
Indian freight carriers to mules and oxen.
Nearly two-thirdsi of the entire population
Of Guatemala are Indians, and most 0
them live in the same primitive way tina
their ancestors did before the arrival o
Columbus. They knew nothing about in
toxicants in those days, however. so tina
their chief dissipation has come with whit,
civilization. They are now hard drinkers
At an Indian funeral one may see tn,
"mourners' carrying jugs of liquor, ant
the debauch, begun shortly after the dealt
of the occupant of the coffin. reaches
grand climax shortly after the interment.
The productivity Of the soil of Guatemala
is ain ost beyond belief. When the travele
to Central America Is told that fence post
grow in the ground he is apt to be skep
teal, but when he gets there he sees /
with his own yes. The posts begin Il
sprout and finally take root and flourish a.
trees. A 3,0O0acre plantation in Guatemala
produces each year loo, 900 pounds of cot
fee, $1,000 pounds of sugar, SOO,O0 o bottles o
cane rum ard 1900 gallons of milk. TIL,
regular force on this plantation varies iron
800 to 1900 hands. Coffee is the principa
crop Of the country and amounts TO abou
100000 pounds annually.