Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-12-01

from Spain to contest with the Guatemalan
bulls, and some Of the chief Spanish bull
lighters come here to take part. As rule,
however, the animals used are oxen, with
now and then an old bull for change
There are always good bands at the bull
fights and the city has plenty of music The
military bands play in the parks and on
Sunday afternoons rich and poor walk about
there and listen to popular and classical airs.
Mule Street Cars.
There is also plenty Of driving and little
automobiling, but JOY riding is largely con-
fined to the rich. The only street cars are
old-fashioned trans drawn by mules, and
the cars go at such irregular intervals that
one can hardly tell when they will come.
Besides they are usually filled with Indians
and half-breeds, which many consider un-
pleasant. The fares are equal to two-thirds
OF cent of our money, but the street car
company pays no dividend
AS to the main drives one is to the Hip
podrone, where is the race track and Tenn
pie of Minerva, and another is out over the
Boulevard de Reforma to the national mu
scum. This boulevard is one of the fine
dred feet wide, and has four driveways d-
vided by rows of trees and greensward.
There are statues under the trees, and now
and then circle with some great monu-
ment in it, This boulevard is lined with the
chief public buildings. There is fine mill
tary school, hospital for convaescents, the
military hospital and the homes of the rich
er Guatemalans, the street ending at the
national museum. ~,
1t is on this boulevard that stand Guate-
mala's two famous bull statues. These are
life-sized figures of bulls represented as they
might be in the bull ring. One shows the
bull defiant and the other when it has just
been struck with the banderillo in the shout
der. They are the only statues of bulls l
have ever seen, except the great one in the
museum at Naples. The only camel statue
is that ridden by General Gordon at Khar-
tum in the Sudan
Among the most interesting monuments
and buildings of Guatemala are those erect
ed in honor of education and this strange to
say. in a country where there are less than
10000 school children in a population of
100000 The president of the republic is
an enthusiast on the subject of schools, and
one of his ways of showing it is by the cree
ton of these temples to Minerva, which are
to be found at all the large cities.
The temple here, of which have already
spoken in connection with the visit of Secre-
tary Knox, covers about quarter OF an
acre 1t consists of great platform with
roof upheld by "a Ionic columns. The front
of the building has allegorical figures repre-
sentng Civilization and Progress and under
them an inscription saying that Manuel Es-
trada Cabrera, the president of the republic.
has erected this for the study of the youth of
the country.
Similar buildings, though not SO grand,
have been erected to the Goddess OF Wis
dom and Education in other places. l saw
one in the town of Progress as came over
the railroad from the Caribbean sea to
Guatemala City, and there are Others at
Ouezaltenango and elsewhere.
In these temples there are annual festivals
of the school children, at which time the
eminent men Of the republic make speeches
and the little ones come out in great pa
rades. There is song singing, oratory and
essay reading and altogether feast OF rea-
son and flow of soul-of sort.
Cabrera and the Schools.
I understand that President Cabrera has
done considerable in the way of improving
the schools. At the time he came into pow
er they were closed for lack of funds He
ordered them opened, and year later be- |
gan these festivals to Minerva Since then
he has established some thousands of pri- !
mary schools and has instituted normal and |
industrial schools. The country has now i
national institute, which confers degrees. 1t