The Monticellonian. [volume] (Monticello, Ark.) 1870-1920, 1916-07-06

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 preprie-
tary rights for the construction and
operation of an interoeeanic canal by a
Nfcaraguan 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 49,
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 OPP
timistie spirit of tomorrow-the land
of great promise when once il 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.
Called 1.-THE Beautiful"
Nicaragua is country bountifully
blessed with natures gifts. Writer'S
have called ii 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 ii there
is every reason to look forward to the
time in the not too distant future when
1T 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 n helping hand to
those who will come TO its shores for
the purpose of colonizing 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 large
scale, but the attractive character of
that country. its favorable geographic
position. and its natural physical quail
ties, combine to make ii 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
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 n
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 70 per
cent of the entire population live on
the Pacific side, and the majority of
this number is conferred 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
seaports of Bluefields. Cabo Gracias a
Dios. Las Perlas and San Juan del
Norte, popularity known as Greytown
Because of It's inaccessibility from
the Atlantic seaboard the trip 10 Mana
qua is most conveniently made from
Corinto, the principal port on the Pa
cific. On this coast there Is also the
port of San J IAN del Sur. an outlet
for the department of Rivas.
AT Corinto your vessel docks along
side a splendid wharf, and as you de-
scend the gangplank you meet good
ly number of the population who eager
iy look forward to boat days for ac-
tivity and excitement Men and WON