The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1922-08-11

Society, Washington, ID. u
While other South American coun-
tries have been living in peace, little
Paraguay, second smallest of h re-
publics of the continent, has been pre-
serving the traditions of the Latin
American pcnchant for revolutions.
Incidentally, it has been living up 10
its own warlike reputation; for TINS
little country has had a far more
tragic military history than any OF
its fellow nations OF the Western Hem
isphere-a history that for unhappy
details can be compared, perhaps, only
to ill-fate1 Armenia. AS q result or
five years Of war during the latter
half of the past century between
three-fourths and five-sixehs Of the
population was wiped out of exist
ence. OF a p~oHSlation that may have
topped the million mark, little more
than 100000 women and children and
less than 10000 men-mostly old men
remained in 1870.
But the survivors Of this little oun
try bravely faced the future, adopted
q constitution that discouraged the OK
istence Of the dictatorS who had
dragged it into ssch difficulties, and
has achieved a considerable degree of
prosperity. In reaching this latter
condition Paraguay has blazed The
trail for some other countries which
are now suffering from after-the-war
complications. Most Of the credit for
lifting Paraguay from its discourage
| ing position is due to the industry OF
it's women Men, for a generation or
| so, have been so scarce that they have
been pampered.
In shape and physical surroundings,
and roughly In size, the main, devel'
oped portion of Paraguay may be com
pared to Illinois. 1t is about as far
from the mouth Of the great Plata
as Illinois Is from the mouth Of the
Mississippi; and It's southern portion
| is EMBODIED between the Paraguay and
the Parana rivers as Illinois is be-
tween the Mississippi and the Ohio.
So. too, Paraguay forms a part of
| South Americas middle West
But to be as close to the equator as
Paraguay, Illinois would have TO be
| shifted to northern Mexico. Despite
the fact, however, that the northern
portion of the little republic is crossed
by the tropic Of Capricorn, 1t has In
the main a delightful climate, and is
looked upon by the people OF neigh
boring countries as the sanitarium of
South America. Perpetual spring
holds sway for nine months, and only
during December, January and Feb
ruary (the summer Of the southern
hemisphere) is the temperature un-
comfortably warm.
BY River to Asuncion.
Though one may O go by rail to
Asuncion, capital Of this mid-con-
tinent republic, the river steamers
from Buenos Aires still furnish much
the most used method Of travel. The
first sight of Paraguay, which lies to
the right as one ascends the Para
quay river, reveals flooded islets and
vast grassy prairies. Humaita, the
first Paraguayan town which the river
traveller reaches, gives something of
the keynote Of the country. The
streets of the town debouch on a vel
vety green parade ground, and they,
too, are like green lawns-wide, quiet,
old-worldly, with COWS %placidly graz.
Ing and an occasional small brown
boy sauntering leisurely across. In
the gardens are banana trees.
On and on one steams for more
than a hundred miles past banks near
~ as level as a table. Then the coun-
try begins to rise slowly, and 500 the
old, old city Of Asuncion appears.
Sloping gently up from the busy docks
and custom house, or aduana, the
white, tan, and pink tinted walls of
the houses, the old red tile roofs, and
the green of parks and plazas present
an attractive picture.
During the hot months, work hours
start very early. Even at five o'clock
In the morning the town Is wide
awake; poems In white, with large
straw hats, SLOUGH leisu-eiy along 4;
~black-clad women, with black man
tillas over their heads, hurry home
from mass, and native carts begin to
rumble along the rough streets. Soon
after mid-forenoon all industry stops
and for several hours the city seems
deserted.
Men Are Scarce and Lazy.
All the common people are barefoot
nj tbn man cp,oIinc cirotatt.g aud