La croÌnica. (San Francisco, Calif.) 1914-1917, 1915-09-25

discovered the country there were
existing evidences of a very an
cient race having lived in the
country. The Quiche nation then
inhabited the land, which gloried
in ruins which evidently were at
that time hundreds of years old.
The manuscripts, hieroglyphies,
inscriptions and carvings go to
show that the country holds a
very great antiquity and the I'M
earthing of the many ruins may
lay bare interesting facts concern
ing the aborigines who inhabited
the country, founded institutions
and built great cities, wrought
fine ornaments Of gold, silver and
copper, painted On wood, cloth
and stone, carved images which
are to-day the wonder of the
world.
During the time that Herman
Cortez was striving to make con
quest Of Mexico and establish
Spanish rule in that land. Guate-
mala was enjo.ing peace and
quiet within her borders. There
the people were at peace with
each other and knew but little
of the bloody conflict which was
being waged in the country to the
north of them.
Cortez having heard of the
wealth of the country determined
to seize the land and to make
Christians of the people. Conse-
quently he despatched Alvarado
to that country with the injunc-
ton "to be kind to the people,
teach them the Christian religion,
stop human sacrifices, and to get
gold and silver" This famous
soldier undertook to do, leaving
Mexico on December 6, 1923, hav-
ing in his train 800 foot soldiers,
-
100 horsemen, 2 clergymen and a
few Indian guides. With this
band he set out to win the coun-
try for Christ and Spain. Near
Tonala, which now is in the state
of Chiapas, Mexico, he encounter
ed a band of so diers of the Qui-
che nation and after a bloody CON
flict routed the people and mar
ched forward. Having met with
resistance at almost every point,
he was victorious in every con-
flict, after a series of battles with
the opposing armies, he was mas
ter of the country and on July Is,
1924 established the first capital,
calling it Tecpar-Guatemala The
colonial period Of Guatemala, was,
of course, under the control of
Spain and many were the COVER
nors sent over TO administer Just
ice to the new colony. Some of
these were really good lei who
undertook to relieve the suffering
of the people and to make life less
burdensome to them. In 1913
Governor Enrique de Guzman
founded schools, and did other
notable works for the good of the
people. Others founded coli
seums, fought the people to abhor
drink and to lead an honest life.
In the morning OF September
the 18th, 1921, after the digni-
taries of the country, the clergy
and the conspicous citizens had
deliberated for hours; it was una
%nimously decided to proclaim the
independence of the Kingdom of
Guatemala, from the mother coun-
try, Spain. There was not a dis
centing voice; not even that of the
then Spanish Governor, General
Gabino Gainza, who joined with
the citizens and signed the act of
independence. In reward for such
kind action Gainza was proclaim
ed the first President of Guate-
mala, or rather of the United Re.
publics of Central America, as
they were termed. Spain was too.
busy fighting at home against
the armies Of Napoleon; and in
America against the revolu-
tionists in Mexico, and in several
places in South America, to be
able to oppose the spirit Of the Qua
temalans. SO, more than a free
dom, was a separation of both
countries; without wasting a