The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-08-14
Little Paraguay Is a
 Land of Scenic Wonders


 This is .'independence day. in the e1ittle South American republic of Paraguay, which is perhaps the least known of the nations of our neighbor- Ting continent. Paraguay deserves a wider fame, however, for it possesses immense natural resources, a. climate remarkably sa1ubrious, many scenic wonders, and a waterfall that may justly be described as the greatest in the world, surpassing even Niagara and Victoria Falls.
 Paraguay declared its independence on August 14 S1811 The previous year the Argentines threw off the Spanish yoke, and attempted to in clude Paraguay within the confines of the new nation. The Paraguayans ob- jected to this project, and, having de- feated the Argentine army sent against them. set up government of their own. In 1913 the junta or provisional ltgovernment called a constitutional convention, which vested the admin istrative power in two consulS. This form of government continued for 30 years, when the system of divided re- sponsibility was abandoned, and the executive power was vested in a presi- dent, elected for ten years. Don Car los Antonio Lopez became the first president in 1884 and held the office until his death in 1862, when he was succeeded by his son, Don Francisco Solano Lopez. The latter had nli1i- tary ambitions, and involved his coun- | try in a war in which little Paraguay was pitted against Brazil Argentina and Uruguay. The conflict lasted five years and terminated only with the death of Lopez in 1870. At the con c1usion of Ethe hosti1ities the allies forced Paraguay to cede to Brazil a large tract of rich territory.
 3sSs g A raSI11f of fi1is disaster a CoTI1- ntttee of twenty-one was formed to feorganize the government, and a new constitution abrogated some of the
 powers of the president. Under the government of PresidentS Joyelanos and his successors Panaguay has been
 prosperous and for the most part
 peaceful | The cattle industry in Paraguay s principal source of wea1thSand many
 English and American capitalists have 1 great ranches in the republic. Like | most Of them South American repub- ties for the man with money, but it ] is decidedly not poor mans country. I Owing to it's inland location between 1 the republics of Brazil, Bolivia and
 Argentina, Paraguay attracts few tourists from North Americ aand ] Europe. Those who make the grand l tour'' of South America never see l Paraguay, but. the adventurous ones 1 who leave the beaten track and visit 1 Paraguay are we'll repaid for their
 time and expense. The most sublime l of Paraguay's scenic wonders is the Iguassu Falls. The Pafaguayan fall
 has g, height of from 196 to 210 feet, las compared with Niagara,s leap of l I50-164 feet. The Tguassu fall has l a width of 3,F23 feet, more than I double that of either Niagara or Vic toria, the great African fall. Iguassu's s volume of water is about a third
 greater than that Of either Niagara or Victoria. In the matter of pictures l que Background and surroundings. the 1 Paraguayan fall is much more spec
 taeular and impressive than the fall
 of which North Americans are so l proud.
 The climate of Paraguay makes a near approach to the ideal. It is much the same. throughout the year, l with no sudden variations. In each year there are almost invariably 79 rainy days 72 cloudy days and 214
 bright and clear days. The Paraguay l ftweather man. has a. sinecure, for the I calendar just about tells him what to 1 predict for any given date.
 The immigration to Paraguay is
 principally from southern Europe. The native population, besides whites, in-
 cludes many Indians, negroes, and
 people of mingled white, Indian and
 negroblood.