The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-06
THE GOVERNMENT OF
COSTA RIGA STABLE
Prominent Resident Says 1t Has Firm
Basis in Enlightenment of the
People
From the Baltimore American.

From the Baltimore American.
Though small and as yet in the in
fancy of development, Costa Rica is
thoroughly progressive" said DR.. Vim
cent Castro OF San Jose, Costa Rica, who
is perhaps the leading surgeon of that
Central American republic. "Our present
chief executive, Lie don Ricordo Jimi-
nez, is one of the ablest statesmen of
this generation. a lawyer of profound at
tainments, and We're he a resident of
this wonderful northern nation he would
be esteemed worthy to hold the highest
office in the gift of the people.
"At this time we choose our Presi-
dents for four-year term in an indirect
way, through electors chosen for that
purpose, but two years from now we
shall discard this system and all future
Presidents will be chosen by direct pop
ular ballot
"All male Costa Ricans of voting age
are given the suffrage. the sole qualifca-
tion being the ability to read and write.
There is no rancor or bitterness in our
election contests and the faction that Is
beaten acquiesces cheerfully in the YER
dict at the polls. Our Presidents have
an extraordinary appointive power, and
they show their magnaninity by naming
their political enemies for some of the
highest offices under the government.
1.-THE government. as / said before, is
as stable as any of the big powers. and
its security has a. firm basis in the en-
lightenment of the people. 1t owns and
operates a railway from San Jose, the
capital to Punta Arenas, on the Pacific
ocean, which, contrary to most state
owned lines. is a financial success. Our
monetary system is excellent. being on a
gold basis The unit of value is the
colon, which rarely goes below As cents
in United States money. A coin worth
80 cents, or two colons, is gold the
smaller coinage being silver; and be-
sides that the banks issue paper cur
rency that, being redeemable in gold, is
always good. No notes are issued by our
government
'"The coffee trade remains heavy
source of revenue, and in no other Cen
trail or South American country does the
quality of the berry equal that grown in
Costa Rica. Besides these items we have
all kinds OF precious minerals, including
number of good paying gold mines and
virgin forests of mahogany and other
ornamental woods only a fraction of
which has been cut for expectation.
"Outside of few thousand blacks from
Jamaica, who work for the banana COM
pany, and approximately 5000 Guatusos--
native Indians living In remote district
the population of Costa Rica is of the
original Spanish stock. the racial strain
having kept its ancient purity Ours is
essentially a white mans country, as
our people. with rare exceptions, decline
intermarriage with those of inferior grade
and hence we have been able to evolve
and maintain a creditable civilization. In
proportion Costa. Rica spends more for
education than any of the Latin American
governments, our schools costing more
than any other single item in the national
budget. Education is compulsory and %
per cent of the children receive free in
struction in the primary and secondary
schools