El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-05-18

- that their republic does not de
serve to be cIassed with the other re-
publlcs Of Central America II mas
rot had a revolution for so many
years that its people have almost en-
tirely ceased to think of the military
power as a means for redressinG Ieal
or fancied wrongs Perhaps this may
be attributed TO the strange facI lhat
the constitution is recognized altu
Obeyed by the officials IN power 4 ne
constitution differs very llItle rom
those Of the other Central American
republics. Tt has no greater nuihoei
Of guarantees OF the rights OF the peo-
pie than the constitution OF NlcaraS va,
or Of Honduras or of Guatemala by
here these guarantees are respected
whereas in most of the other repuO1lcs
they are used simply as things TO TAX
about and to point to when accused O
an arbitrary exercise OF power
President Has But One Term.
Like most Of the other repuDncs OF
Central America, Costa Rlca cOnsu-
tuition has a clause in IL providing that
no president shall be eligible TO sue
coed himself Here that constitutions
provision is lived up TO, and where
such a condition prevails reVolutions
have little opportunity TO flourish me
government is divided into three
branches like that OF the CnlJed SldLssf
executive. legislative and judicial Inc
legislative body consists OF a single
house. known as the national congress.
1t is composed Of 43 deputies and meets
annually on May ]. remaining IN seS-
sion for so days-which term may be
extended to 80 days by vote or the
congress The president may convene
# in extraordinary session al any Jllhe
the business Of the country demands
Only Property Owners Vote.
There is no manhood suffrage n
Costa Rica- Men VINO do not own prop
erty or possess some education are
not allowed to vote. The deputies are
not elected by direct vote OF the peo-
pie as are the representative IN lhe
congress Of the United States Ihey
oh hr~ a.
deputy for each 5000 Inhabitants or
fraction thereof exceeding 1000 rms
educational and property qualification
clause has been a dOubleacung FACTOR
for good according to opinion in Costa
Rica- It has prevented the thousands
Of wholly ignorant voters from DeluB
a factor in the elections, and az ne
same time has put premium on eQu-
cation. thousands OF children being
sent 10 school who might otherwise re-
main away.
toraI college after the manner of our
own elections His term of office IS
for four years and he receives sal
airy OF a little over $1,000 year W hlle
he may not be reelected for second
consecutive term, he is eligible for
future election While congress Is not
I'm session he is assisted by a standing
committee Of five deputies, who ADVISE
him on all matters that ordinarily
would be acted on by the congress It.
self AS in Panama, there Is no vice
president. but three designates, CHOSEN
by the congress TO exercise the eNecu-
tive power in case Of the death, absence
from the country. resignation, or IN
capacity OF the president
May ReeStabllsh Confederation.
Just now there is a revival OF the
movement TO reestablish the Central
American confederation. all of the six
republics to go together and form the
United States Of Central America Paid
agents are travelling through these
countries and talking up the plan,
though IL cannot be stated definitely
y no Is financing the movement, COS
ia RiCa VIII have nothing TO DO with
the movement IL feels that il has
solved the problems OF governmental
stability and does not care to mix up
II any confederation where its peace
and prosperity might be JeOpardiEed.
Has Peace Court.
The confidence OF the outside world
in the peace OF Costa Rica is shown
by the fact that when IL was agreed
by the Central American peace confer
cree OF Washington. held in 1907. that
there should be q peace court estab-
lished. where the differences between
the various Central American republics
could be settled. ? Costa Rican site tot
the court was selected Andrew Car
negie gave the money with which 10
build the structure
Proud OF school System.
Costa Rica is particularly proud OF
ITS educational system and calls at
tentiOn always 10 the fact that there
are more school teachers in the re-
public than there are soldiers There
are over $4,000 school children and
more than 1000 teachers in the public
schools. Education is in a measure
compulsory. and the teachers are per-
maps the best paid in all Central Amer
lea. The result is that Costa Rica has
the lowest ratio or illiterates. perhaps
between the Rio Grande and the ANA
zon.
The peaceful conditions that have
obtained for years fin the country have
neen ed general develop
ment OF the nations resources. which.
In turn has brought about conditions
OF Widespread prosperity Where. IN
some Of the other countries LABOR gets
as low as nine cents a day In Costa {
Rica the lowest wage paid is abOEt SO I
cents a day while on the Atlantic side I
plantations. the standard wage is 81 4
q day in very few OF the other cOun- (
tries. outside Of the banana neiC IS the I
standard wage more than p cents /
day Although the price Of things 10 I
cat and wear is somewhat higher in /
Costa Rica than in some Of the other
republics. the average labOrer Stiii can
ouy about twice as many OF the COM
forts of life for DAVIS wage as the av-
erage laborer in most Of the other Cen
Il al American countries
Country Is Home OF Banana.
The republic OF Costa Rica is the /
real home of the banana industry. for !
out of its fertile valleys goes One-haf Z
Of the entire banana supply of the
a
year are exported. Yet with all this 1
tremendous crop Of bananas it is
sometimes difficult to obtain them for !
eating purposes on the plantations 4
where they are grown Frequently Wis
itOrs to plantations have expressed 4
desire for few to eat on their native \
soil In one instance the larder of the /
SUPERINTENDENT of a district turning
out thousands or lunches week was
ransacked. a neighbOrs pantry was
called uDon. and an inquiry made al
the offices Of the company and still not
a single ripe banana was found. The
ripe banana on its native soil is food
for the gods. and one who has tasted
it does not wonder at its scientific
name. musa sapientium, which was
given ii because OF the story that tie
ancient sages repOsed in the shade Of
the banana tree and refreshed them
selves with the fruit thereof
Costa Rica is endeavoring to utilize
the waste OF the banana business by
these Is banana flour All punches ~
bananas which have less than seven
less than seven rows Of bananas. are
regarded as unfit for shipment and orr