The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-08-14
PARAGUAY, LAND OF WONDERS, OBSERVES
 INDEPENDENCE DAY


 To most North Americans the little South American republic of Paraguay is a terra incognita. and even those who have made the grand toi1r,' of the southern continent have usually passed Paraguay by. because of it's in land location. Thereby they have missed much, for Paraguay is a. land of wonders, and it holds within it's borders sceneTy that is not to be equaIled anywhere else in the world. When South American attains its full development Paraguay is certain to become a tourist resort, for its trop ica1 climate is modified by mountain chains
 The visitor to Asuncion, the cap ital, would be greeted today by sounds of martial music, and the tramping of many feet. for this is the Inde- pendence Day of the republic, and Palma street and the other principal thorous hfares of the city will be law v-s isI1Iy decorated in festival attire, while the whole popu1ace will turn out to cheer the soldiers as they the President and his cabinet sit in state. Under the Spanish regime Paraguay was part of the Province of La Plata, but when the Argentines established their freedom the inhasb- itants of Paraguay set up an inde- pendent republic. They declared their independence on August IA, 181 I, and defeated the Argentine army sent against them. The country was ruled by. two cons111s until 154 {, when the form of government was changed and a president was elected. In the 0s, Paraguay engaged in disastrous war with Brazil Argentina and Uruguay. After the conclusion Of the conflict the government was again reorganized along more democratic lines, and since then polidcal upheavals have been rare.
 It is not generally known that Par aguay has the most magnificent wa ter-faIls in the world. compared with which our own boasted Niagara Falls is but a small affair. The Tguassu Falls alone make visit to Paraguay we'll worth while Of this little known l scenic marvel Miss Annie s. Peck has written:
 ..Comparing this with the other two great cataracts of the world. Victoria and Niagara, the African fall leads in height with a leap from 210 to 36O l feet, that of the Iguassu is 196-21O feet, and Niagara but 150-164 feet. The width of Victoria is slightly more than Niagaraats; the Iguassu. with it's 3s123 feet has more than double the breadth. Tn the volume Of water, also. the Iguassu is greater with 2s, ,- 000, ,00O cubic feet a minute to IS, ,0D0,- 900 for each of the others Our great Niagara thus seems outdone by both, while in the magical beauty of the surroundings there is no com parison."
 While many former citizens Of the United States Canada. and England may be found in the haciendas Of the great cattle ranches of interior Par aguay. Americans and EngIishnnen have played but q small part in the commercial development of the conn try. The commerce of Asuncion, the capital IS largely in the hands Of Germans, French. Spaniards and Ital- ia.ns, and there are less than a dozen British and North American con cerns represented.
 Besides the cattle industry, Para quay exports much valuable lumber,
 medicinal plants, oranges, Ooffee, to- bacco. rice, nanioc, sugar and coffee. One of the principal crops is mate, or Paraguay tea. vast quantities of which arc used as a beverage through out South America, although it is practically unknown north of Pan anna.