Meade County news., 1916-07-13

~ N APRIL IL, 1915 the con-
gress of the republic of Mica
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 interoceanic canal by a
Nicaraguan route, the lease of certain
islands, and the right to establish a
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 $3,-
100000.
The ratification Of this treaty marks
a new milestone in the history of
Nicaragua, and is hailed with much
satisfaction not alone by that country,
but by its many friends who have al
ways viewed it in the hopeful and op-
timistic spirit of tomorrow-the land
of great promise when once 1t can en-
Joy new start on its 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 its Indebtedness or other public pur-
poses for the advancement Of its well
fare. And now that country can in a
measure commence to carry into exc
cution that plan of improvement and
development which should enable 1t to
attain a position of Importance COM
mensurate with its vast territory and
remarkable resources.
Called "The Beautiful"
Nicaragua is q country bountifully
blessed with natures gifts. Writer'S
have called it "the beautiful" In
colonial times its cities were referred
to as the ''fdirest jewels of the Span
ish crown" And now that the fates
are again smiling kindly upon 1t 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 its natural attributes is
there awaiting the magic touch which
shall transform its vast resources into
productive wealth. Its people are ready
and willing to lend helping hand to
those who will come to its shores for
the purpose of colOnlzlng or of con-
verting its broad plateaus and fertile
valleys, its immense forests and rich
ly laden mines into profitable enter
prises. OF course, 1t will require capt.
tai, and perhaps capital on a large
scale, but the attractive character of
that country, its favorable geographic
position, and its natural physical quail
ties, combine to make 1t 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. 1t was Just beginning to resume
Its normal trading capacity when the
sudden 'upheavals caused by the Euro
pean war gave 1t setback. There Is,
however, one feature Of the CONNER
cial life Of Nicaragua that is especially
noteworthy and affords an encouraging
expression Of the activity Of the peO-
pie. 1t 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-
tiaI energy that is the best guaranty
for the future Of the country.
Has Two Coast Lines.
Like some OF its sister countries Mica
DOdSto VI lhO NOaob llhCDg Oi1C VII
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 a
different kind Of development SO that
the character Of the towns and popu-
lations Of one coast differ materially
from those on the other. About 75 per
cent of the entire population live on
the Pacific side, and the majority of
this number is centered around the
capital and the adjacent cities as Leon,
Masaya, Granada and Rivas. But
though the Atlantic coast does not
stand out especially strong in point
Of population, 1t is Of great Importance
(, commercially. On this coast are the