The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1916-07-13

gress of the republic of Mica
Y ragua ratified a convention
which had been drawn up by
that country and the United States,
and which two months prior had been
ratified by the congress of the United
States. The treaty grants to the
| United States the exclusive prOprie-
| tary rights for the construction and
| operation of an fnteroceanic canal by
Nicaraguan route, the lease Of certain
islands, and the right to establish
naval base on the Gulf Of Fonseca. In
return for these important concessions
the United States is to pay to the re-
public Of Nicaragua the sum of 3d.
| 100000.
The ratification Of this treaty marks
q new milestone in the history OF
Nicaragua, and Is hailed with much
satisfaction not alone by that country,
but by it's many friends who have al
ways viewed it in the hopeful and OPP
timistic spirit Of tomorrow-the land
of great promise when once it can en-
JOY q new start on it's journey of prog
ress, writes Harry o. Sandberg in the
Bulletin Of the Pan-American Union.
BY the terms of the convention this
sum is to be applied by Nicaragua up
on it's Indebtedness or other public pur-
poses for the advancement Of it's well
fare. And now that country can in
measure commence to carry into exc
cution that plan Of Improvement and
development which shOlHd enable 1t to
attain a position Of Importance COM
mensurate with it's vast territory and
remarkable resources.
Called 1.-THE Beautiful"
Nicaragua is a country bountifully
blessed with natures gifts. Writers
have called it "the beautiful" In
colonial times it's cities were referred
to as the '.fairest jewels Of the Span
ish CROWN And now that the fates
are again smiling kindly upon it there
is every reason to look forward to the
time in the not too distant future when
it will again shine forth as one Of the
Jewels of Central America. The coun-
try with all it's natural attributes is
there awaiting the magic touch which
shall transform it's vast resources into
productive wealth. Its people are ready
ana willing to lend helping hand to
those who will come to it's shores for
the purpose of colonizing or of con-
| verting it's broad plateaus and fertile
valleys, it's immense forests and rich
| ~ laden mines into profitable enter
prises. Of course, it will require capt.
tai, and perhaps capital on a large
scale, but the attractive character Of
that country, its favorable geographic
! position, and it's natural physical quail
| ties, combine to make it one Of the
most desirable countries for profitable
| development. Although agriculture rep
resents at present its most prolific
source of revenue, in truth this phase
of development has not yet really COM
menced, while the mineral wealth has
just barely been touched.
Of the five Central American coun-
tries Nicaragua is the largest terri
torially, with an area of $4,000 square
miles, about the size of the state Of
New York. Its population is estimated
at 100000, and the country conducts
an annual foreign commerce varying
from seven to thirteen millions of dol
lars. It was just beginning to resume
its normal trading capacity when the
sudden upheavals caused by the Euro
| pean war gave it setback. There Is,
however, one feature of the CONNER
cial life Of Nicaragua that is especially
noteworthy and affords an encouraging
| of thu ontiritx, of tho
ple. It is the fact that in the COM
merce Of the country there are en-
| Gagged a large number Of native Mica
raguans, and this is equally true in the
AGRICULTURAL and mining pursuits. They
own and operate land, engage in retail
| trade, and display solid and substan-
tial energy that is the best guaranty
for the future of the country.
Has Two Coast Lines.
| Like some of its sister countries Mica
ragua boasts Of two coast lines, one on
the Atlantic and the other on the Pa
cific. On account of the lack of direct
and easy communication between the
two shores, the eastern and the west
ern sections Of the country have had q
different kind Of development 50 that
the character CT the towns and pGpu-
Iations of one coast differ materially
from those on the ether. About IS per
| cent of the eEtire population live on
| the Pacific side, and the majority Of
| this numuer is conferred around the
ca,,itaI and the adjacent cities as Leon.
Masaya, Granada and Rivas. But
though the Atlantic coast does not
| stand oct especially strong in point
of population, it is Of great importance
commercially. On this coast are the