The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-02-17

burfeO Dy the lnuidHS Ia OiOSA e"
they might not fall into the hands OF
the Spaniards. The city Of today has
a considerable Indian population, al
though most Of its people are whites.
The indians come in from miles
around to trade, and the crowds IN
the market are of a dozen dlnerent
tribes and of many picturesque cos
tunes. The most Of them are very
religious, and they go from church
to church saying their prayers Only
a few Of them can read and write. but
they are superstitious and are largely
controlled by the priests.
Until recently Ecuador vas alto
gether Catholic, and until Q
eighteen years ago its constitution
prohibited any other worship. Since
then laws hay been passed giving full
religious liberty, and the Protestants
nave sent in missionaries and tons
of Bibles have been carried over the
mountains n scattered throughout
thei and The principal religion Is
still Catholic, and it will probbaly be
SO, although h introduction of the
purer and better Catholicism of
North America will change the church
from what it now is.
The people of Ecuador are now in
"A ClIOtS vi " ~
are trying to depose the ms, and the
president, Gen. Leonidas Plaza, may
or nay not be depOSed. When [ was
here last the president at the head of
the administration was Don Alfaro.
who afterWard came back from Pan
anna n lost his life in trying to
recapture the office. Alfaro was a
born revolutionist, and he had many
narrow escapes At one time he was
captured by the rival party while on
n Of the little Ecuadorian men-of-
war, and escaped by swimming to the
shore on a barrel. At another time
he lived for weeks in the wilds of
by the state troops.
The president gets a salary Of $12,-
600 a year. He rules his country
through a cabinet, which, with seven
other ministers, forms a council of
state. There is a congress elected by
the people. The president has the
power Of veto, but congress can pass
the chief public questions is the i'm
provepent Of the ports, and another
is the building Of railroads. Both of
these involve the expenditure Of con-
siderable sums bf money and the
holding Of influence and power. II
may be that this is n Of the causes
of the revolution.
), The opening of the canal and the
, cleaning up Of GuayaQuil will greatl.
, increase the trade of this country
and it ought to materially improve it,
business with the United States. Thu
foreign commerce already amounts t.
E twenty-five or twenty-three million
e dollars a year; and, at present. Grea.
Britain leads all countries in sales
In 1909 the imports from that cou
r try amounted to more than IS, 0OO, 600
a being something like $500, 900 NOR,
than those OF h United States. Il
: 1910 they were more than 5000, 90
nor thar ours, and that notWith
n standing the American imports wer,
d than double those of Grea
Britain.
e Abou all Of the British goods cam
by way Of the Strait Of Magellans an,
TINS has been SO Of most of the good
is from Europe. which constitute hv fa
e the greater part of the trade, wit
the opening of the canal we sha
it naVem UGH the shorter haul. and tn
rs trade should come to US.
n AS II IS now Ecuador is getting mos
OF It's cotton goods from the Unite
klng. More than three-ffths of II
g Wooien Soous come from there and q
L us Shoe leather about one-third COM
rom and a little more fror
+. tne Cnlteo states. In boots and shoe
N the United states leads and il DO
IN also IN lard and wheat flour. as We
10 as IN coai, although considerable
MS imported from Australia. AS 70 mo
" Gninery II is o coming from th
= and Ger 9oates' The United Kingdol
OF
an me exports Of Ecuador amou,ta
nnn year 10 a little less than s14 ono
:, wv n about $4,000, 900 WORT !,
~ ,he went to France, GERMANY a.,
re moa Gn'ted states. The principal con-
of foTnsr WIS cacao and ivory nuts. IL
We and the Ia,t tns Ior over $4,000, 90
bop'ooo; In addition there uas 20
t. cscoo .ns amount of 81, 900 900. m,
\ .acao and ivory nuts come IT, II
= e9sesner from the tropical low1en q
aiohs the Pacific and the CHIEF nn