The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-01-23
4 COUNTRY WHICH
FOUGHT TO LAST DITCH
History OF Paraguay One of the Most
Interesting In All American
Annals.
NEARLY AL MEN KILLED OFF
In SIX Years Struggle With Brazil.
Argentina and Uruguay Population
Was Reduced From 100000 to
Less Than Quarter Million.

Away down in South America, al
most in the very heart of the CONT
nent, sandwiched in between Bolivia
and Brazil on the north and east
and Argentina on the south and west
Is located the hen ole little country
known as Paraguay. The adjective
heroic" Is used advisedly, for when
II comes to patriotic fighting the Worio
must doff Its hat to this little repup-
lie. II there ever WIS nation tha'
fought ito the last ditch" IT Is Para
guay. and IL there is another instance
in history-modern. medieval or an
cient-where people fought sc
completely to the point of utter ex,
haustton. almost to extinction, before
they hang UP white flag. It has been
rather carefully concealed. In TIM
particular Paraguay may be said te
be about sui generis.
II In so far away and so little visit
ed by people of the United States that
perhaps few citizens OF the great
northern republic know much more
= bout this very interesting country
than its mere geographic location. OF
late, however, Il Is coming more and
more into prominence and people are
beginning TO hear something OF and
and to want TO know more about II
and its brave inha bitants and of the
struggle they are making to advance
and take their place among the pro-
gressive nations OF the earth. In the
developments of its fine natural re-
sources the country has doubtless
Jagged behind some of it's sister re-
puhlics. but when you know something
OF its history that tagging is easily ac-
counted for. An artille in a recent
number OF the Bulletin of the Pan
~
throws light upon the subject in the
following manner;
Economically, Paraguay In at the
very beginning of things. II might
have been discovered hut Yesterday.
It's immense possibilities a S a
food producer, both animal and veRe-
liable. are practically unknown and UNI
developed, Yet Paraguayan civilization
except from tts economic side. is mod
ern and up-to-date. Paraguayan I'M
ports are, generally speaking. of the
same kind as the imports OF other
South American countries. The Para
guayan IL much the same Kind as the
imports Of other South American
countries. The Paraguayan is much
the same kind OF man and lives In
much the same way as his ncighbor in
Argentina. Uruguay and Brazil. With
all this, his cou.trv is the least de-
veloped Of any. why? Because IL
was the latest known As a matter OF
fact IL was among the first known.
The reason Tor The economic unpro-
greSslyeness Of Paraguay Is long
story. hat may bo summed up briefly.
Unknown 10 Outside World.
During all he colonial period and
down t. its independence, In 1871.
Paraguay was hooked upon merely as a
A. hr 4tt4k a y
and Goiivian mines. Agriculture, and
oven stock-raisinE was unconsidered In
Tins era Argentina, Paraguay and
ruEuBy we're all neglected. For much
~ ;hiS period In PARAGUAY the Jesuits
we're conducting an G experiment In
eiviil2ng the Gliarsut Indians which
involved noncommuUication with the
rest Of the world SuoH after indie
pendsnce came the Francia Dictator
ship. ending IN 1871 Almost immc-
diateiy following FranCia came the
dictatorship of the two Lopez, that or
Carlos Antonio Lopez ending in I $50.
and of Francisco Solsno Lopez In 1870.
The policy of these dictators was sim
liar thut for very different reason1
to that of the Jesuits, viz to mtsintain
Paraguay as a hermit country and siss-
known to tho outside world. So far
as the outside world was concerned,
the result was the same--thRt for al
most a century and half Paraguay
was closed and unknown book. AT
the final defeat and death of Fran
cisco Lopez in 1870. Paraguay was
left PROSTATE as no other country in
the world for a thousand years has
been FRUSTRATED. For six years Lopez
had kept up the unequal struggle
against Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay.
This was war to the last ditch and
beyond. The Paraguayans died almost
TO man. The final levies included
men almost too old to walk and little
boys just out OF pins fores. They all
died, and many thousands of women
and girls fighting by their sides. At
the close of the war Paraguay was
almost a country OF women alone. In
1863 the population numbered 1881
4Se: In 1871 the returns showed only
221. 0Ts persons resident in the repub-
lie. With such history Is 1t won
der that Paraguay has remained I'M
developed? Rather 1t is n wonder that
IL has made the progress that IL has.
for. after all, Paraguay is intellectual
iy and socially by no means backward,
and even In industrial, Improvement