The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-10-22

San JOSE, Costa RIGA.
Let me give you some pictures Of
this little land Of strange. contradict
hons. They are merely impressions,
which l see in passing. Every one
tells me Costa Rica is the best of the
central American republics and
tnd IN IT much to admire. The people
are kindly. The upper classes are
well educated, and even the peasants
nave that manly independence which
comes from their being land owners.
Ninety per cent of the Whole are of
the white race and, although the de-
ScendantS of Sp~aniaEds, of a part of
that race not filed with revolutionary
blood.
Honduras, Nicaragua and Guate-
Inala change their presidents at every
outburst of passion, and the bullet
defeats the choice Of the ballot.
Costa RIGA elects her president for d
term of only four years and for the
past generation her every ruler has
been the choice of the people.
The country is one of reformers.
Its rulers have advocated sanitation,
education and modern improvements.
The people are now annually spending
a dollar a head on their schools, and
they have free lands which are open !
TO settlement to those who will farm
them.
Costa Rica has rich soil. It raises
some Of the best coffee on earth, and
is a and of mighty banana planta-
tons. 1t supplies more bananas to
our country than any other part of
the world. 1t has a fair foreign trade,
ard that its people are good %spenders
/, Is shown by the fact that they buy
more than they sell. Their imports
last year We're over IS, O00, 900, and
of these about five millions came
from our country.
Costa Rica's Fine Theater.
This is one side of the picture. The
other is that the nation is wildly ex-
t~ravagant. The people are full of
emotion and want 10 do things in the
large. There are three notable in
stances of this in the three finest in
stitutions Of the capital. One Of these
is the National Theater, another is
the insane asylum, and a third a great
prison which lies just outside sthisA
city. Costa Rica contains altogether
about as many people as our national
capital, and San Jose has perhaps
10000 all told. Nevertheless, the
theater here cost over S2,O0o,ooo.
of any amusement place OF New
York, and it ranks third among the
heaters Of our half Of the world.
The National Theater is directly
opposite some low One-story govern
ment buildings which are rooted with
red tile. The great structure dWarfs
its surroundings and makes them
look mean. 1t is entered by a VIDE
hail upheld by pillars of marble with
capitals and bases of bronze. The
ceiling of this hall is covered with
frcscoes from Italy and the walls are
If Italian marble. Statues made by
great artists face you as you enter,
and at your right and left are restau-
rants where ices and drinks are sefV-
cd between acts.
Passing through this lobby, wide
marble stairs lead to the foyer or
great salon, where the spectators walk
about during the longer intervals or
the plays. This is beyond descript-
ion gorgeous. Indeed, | doubt
whether YOU will find anything finer
in Europe. The work was all done
III Italy and shipped here to be put up
by Italians. The most beautiful
marbles were employed in the decofa-
tion, and the walls and ceiling are
covered with pictures which We're
painted by Italian artists in Italy anC
then tackled INTO place. The marble
columns which uphold the root are
carved With masks of tragedy aho
comedy and with other a~pproprlatt
figures, and the freScOeS are either al
]cgOrical or expressive of the beautles
Of Costa Kica. The furniture IS equal
~ magnificent. 1t is gold plated, up
holstered with silk tapestry, and upoI
the walls are mirrows each as Dis d
The floor Of the ordinary parlor sur
rounded by gold frames mace II
Florence.
This parlor is almost as long as tn
east room Of the White House. IL /
100 feet wide, and has a ceiling aDou
thirty feet high. 1t is lighted d.
electric chandeliers. designed tor IN
occasion and the execution of all ]
such that it makes one him OF tina
famous room Of the sultan at Agra
If which it was said:
Its artisans worked like TItans
and finished like jewelers.
The orchestra of the theater is en-
tered from the ground floor, and iron
this parlor there is a lobby Whic'
leads to the boxes. There are thre
galleries of boxes all finished III re-
plush and there is a special Don -