The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-09-29
~ FRANK q. CARPENTER.
FAN Io0A Costa Rica.

Rica.s Democratic President. His
name 10 Don Ricardo Jimenez. and
h vas elected two years ago by ma
jOeity vote Of the people. This was
- in spite Of the opposition OF the
aAmintstxaAion and the Catholic Church.
However. the voters told the priests
that they were electing President
and not . bishop. and they preferred
Don Ricardo. The new President 10
spemoerafic In his administration. and
I am told he has even subleased q
,pext Of the presidential mansion to
jDstvsae parties to increase the govern
uent revenues. II was In the audi
sneo room Of this house that he re-
csivod me. The President is man
Of good education ana hne address,
A lawyer by profession, he speaks sew
ersi language. and II was In EsoA
{ American English that our converse.
ton was carried on.
The Coverunent az Costa Riea.
hut Arss let me give you some idea
Of the government of this little repuo.
lie. Costa Rica IL the quietest ana
best ruled Of ell Central America, ana
its presidents are the choice OF the
people and not the esuit OF revoiu.
lions. ~ In Nicaragua, Guatemala ana
Honduras. The country got Its tnde-
psndenos about seventy-ttree years
ago, and. 1t vas in ls47 that II formally
:aAoptsd the title OF the Republic OF
Costa Rica Z: now has a President
ana Congress-. each elected for 4 term
Of four years. and that only. The
Prudent cannot have q second con-
secuta~e term The manner Of the
election 10 by an electoral college.
trst a. II our custom at home !
asked President Jimenez what ne
thought Of this method He said IL
: vas q mistake. and that the best way
would be TO choose the executive by
the direct vote Of the people.
The President OF Costa Rica has a
little dt1erent form of administra-
tion than President Taft He has
cabinet. Il ID true. but he has also
. government council. which consists
Of the cabinet and such other citizens
a. he may choose to appoint. Tho
salary of the President is Just about
one ninth that of President Taft. He
rats q little over 5000 a year. or.
in the money Of this country. $4,000
colonies.
C~.Aa Rscs ana the Canal
During our talk the Panama Canal
"a. referred to, and ! asked His Excel
aency what effect this would have
upen Costa Rica. He replied that IL
would benefit It Said he:
1T will open up some excellent
lands, which we have not far from the
cost on the western side Of the
mountains. There are large tracts
there which would raise the best of
eofpee. and By the canal we shall be
able 20 have q cheap outlet for that
erop to the markets Of Europe. In
the mast we have been much hampered
/ bv having only one railroad I mean
thsS from here to Port Limon on ehe
Atlantic Coast. That road has been
cnntrolled by the United Fruit Com
nanc. whose chief interest Is in the
shinment OF bananas. and II has lei
the coffee wait. knowing that II nan
the monopoly and that there was no
other way for IL to get TO the coast
We have betteFed that ccndition Dy
building . government railway 10 the
Pacific and we have nov no tooo, .,;
When the canal 10 finished there VIII
=. demand for our Pacific Coast
i.nAa ana that part Of Costa Rica viii
esew.
we expect also an increase n our
,vame on the Caribbean side Of the
mountalus- A competition has arisen
IA 20 the trade In bananas. and with
tvo companies operating the business
shoulA greatly increase. The banana
. Z. A you know, our chief money crop.
n AMOUNTS to something Ike eleven
,mfIIion punches Q year and sells Tor
N. oee. 600 and UPWARD. Our exports OF
eoRes are often In the nefehocrncoa
Of S1,0ee.eee per annum C"nee an.
Senauas are our principal sources OF
income"
.Te there much uudevelcped land In
"a. Evee11eOcyT a4ke0
There 10 q great deal. but IT needs
.e.pysai 60 bring IL under cultivation
,xf re had shst and the right snip
.ine facilities We could produce zine
II, ten times 40 many bananas as now
GA coulA masssislly increase our cof-
IN,a ,aansattous. What We need i
i1ore money and I should be glad to
- American capital brought mere
,The troubie with your moneyed men'
!hovevey. n that they are too vssi"n.
''ayy. You show them piece OF rcca
vim q Istsle gold IN IL. and <ney VIII
eps~ their pccketbocks almost WIN.
(. cut Investigation. They may also p"t
i0sney into bananas 10 they are p'op-
cry shown. but . sure thsns IKE tne
- a. Costa Rscs they 20 not ap-
Deectase.
~c9ee a thp world The conditions 81
euissvssioa are veil known- snd sns
opportunities for mcnsy-making N
are excellent ] an hcpsng tnss yo"s
r<oVle wsu take up the eoaee sane.
On she west ccsst 90 som % the easss
- Opea 20 tfeoe.
= Ouppsse Money Savsseed ID SeSes
RS1 weuu1 - ssfe~ sesA sase'oss'
,ovely.
- ssoAe Ssoce - va - Noss ~
~ eHo0Suoneu q sssJeoL We have
- 5000 sssSs syssso = IT, csss-