The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-04
A VISIT TO THE PRESIDENT OF PARAGUAY

ment stable He smiled as he replied:
 T should like to have you answer that question for me in the affirmative I be- lieve 1t ls stable, and hope from now on there will be no more revolutions. But who can tell? As it is now. the people seem to be satisfied. Our administration Is harmonious, and the army is with us. We are doing what we can for the coun- try. We are inaugurating public improve ments. We are pushing the building of railroads and improving our ports. So far as know, these movements will con- tinue. but who can prophecy for the fu- ture?' 4
 am told that President Schaerer stands well with the best of his people. There are, however. revolutionary elements which break out from time to time. There was little revolution last New Year which was put down by the police and the military, although not until about 200 persons had been killed or wounded. In this case the President was induced on false pretext to go to the artillery bar barcks. He was there captured by the revolutionists and invited to step down and out of the presidency. lie Geclined to do so and by o'clock that afternoon his friends had dislodged the ;nsurrec- tionists and the President had regained his liberty. This trouble was hardly dg- nifed enough to be called a revolution. It arose partially through the financial troubles brought about by the war, and it had no support from the better classes.
 During my talk with the President he spoke of his desire to visit the San Fran cisco exposition, but said that ne could not leave Paraguay. as his term did not expire until 1916 He spoke with gratifi- cation of the visit of Theodore Roosevelt, who was entertained by him when he passed through here northward on his way to Brazil. During the talk he asked me about Colonel Roosevelt and among other things l said that he and our ex- President were similar in that they both believed in large families. Upon this President Schaerer laughed and said he was very proud of the seven children he had of his own. During my stay I have secured picture of the Presidents fam fly. It seems to me that it is as fine looking group as that of any other of the worlds rulers.
 Paraguay has somewhat the same ma chinery of government as the United States. It has a president, who is elected for term of four years and a vice president and congress. The congress is composed of two houses a senate and a chamber of deputies. The vice president is the president of the senate. The pres ident gets less than s10,0oO a year, and each member of congress receives about $500. The army and navy are small. The army has total of about 100 officers and 25oo men, and the navy consists of a flotilla of small mercnant vessels armed with modern guns. It is intended to act only as sort of police for the country. The military has been trained by German officers. and German in- struetors have been brougnt in for the military schools
 It is now planned to increase the size Of the army and navy, and new head quarters of war and marine nave been established in Asuncion with supplies to equip 10000 men, There is here A SSiiPoiy Oi i'oy oCoulS, dnu Just now there is a general desire for an increase in the size of the army The country has national guard to which all citi- zens of the republic between % and 80 years of age belong, and are liable to military service. Paraguay is somewhat like Switzerland in that it's safety de- bends largely upon the jealousy of the ether republics about it, but it's people remember the great war of the past when Argentina Uruguay and Brazil combined against Paraguay and carried on the long war against Lopez, which practical ly ruined the country.
 The war which little Paraguay fought with the three great countries about it Is interesting now in view of the terri ble fighting going on in Russia, Belgium, and France. When it began, away back in 1865. at about the close Of our civil var, Paraguay had something like S00,- coo people. It lasted five years. and, at the close the population was less than 5000 Nearly all the men and boys were killed and for generation thereafter the proportion of women to men was five to one. It is said there were only 25,- GOO men left in the country when peace