The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1925-04-01

ciety. Washington. d c.
Costa Rica, whose resignation from
the League of Nations has just been
announced, furnishes one of the best
demonstrations TO be found among the
republics of the New world that a
country's development may be strik-
ingly affected by geography and eco
nomics
Most or the other Latin American
countries were built up on the basis
Of the labor of large numbers of MAJ
tives, and with this assistance they
have utilized considerable areas. Costa
RIGA has had to depend since colonial
times largely on the labor of its col
onists of European descent. and the
development of the country has been
until lately in u restricted territory.
In most of the other Latin American
countries there has been a very
marked admixture of the blood of the
Spanish settlers with that of the ma
tive Indians, but since most of the In
dams in the part of Costa Rica settled
by the Spaniards were exterminated at
an early date, relatively little of their
blood was absorbed by the immigrants,
and the population of the republic has
retained European character TO a
greater extent than the populations of
some of its neighbors. The country is
not free from mixed-bloods, TO be sure.
In the outlying districts peasants,
chiefly of Indian ancestry, are predomi-
nant in the village life and many have
made their way TO the cities.
Because of its fundamental economic
differences. and because also or
geographical isolation for long pc
riod, Costa RIGA differs in many ways
from its neighbors. The republic Is
more than twice the size of Belgium
and approximately equal In area TO
West Virginia. but practically the gov
eminent is that of the people concen-
trated on a mountain-frinSed plateau
In the center of the country. not much
over fifty miles square. The great ma
jority Of the half-million inhabitants
live on this small plateau. Next in
importance are the sections which.
added to this central area, would make
a narrow band across the country from
Atlantic TO Pacific. Even this belt OF
greatest population constitutes hardly
quarter of the area of Costa Rica.
The regions bordering Nicaragua on
the northwest and Panama ON the
southeast are almost uninhabited eN-
cept for the few Indians living there.
Country of Small Farms.
Costa Rica has always been coun-
try of little landers" as conirasted
with the countries of huge estates
abou. it, The early colonists had a
most difficult time making living In
their isolated position. They were cut
off from commercial intercourse WITH
the Atlantic by the lowland jungles to
the northeast, and less efTecIually ny |
mountains and upland plains from the |
Pacific. They had no products suili- !
ciently valuable To export even If COM
mercial channels had been available. |
1t WAS necessary to live almost wholly |
on their own products. They becune |
and the name Costa |
Rica. which means "Rich Coast" came |
to be regarded as joke.
Tie introduction of coffee early in
the Nineteenth century had much to do
with lettering the coiintrys prosperity.
A cart road from the plateau 10
Pacific port WIS. constructed IN 1915
and coffee exports grew sieadily. Inc
Central plateau became more and more
densely populated and now almost
every square foot of it is devoted To
small farms. 4 high percentage OF
Costa Ricans are landowners. Natural
", this has made for comparative sta
bilty In government. and Costa Rica
has had fewer civil wars than most OF
the Central American governments;
nut II has not been altogether free from
military coups.
San Jose. the capital city. with So
no inhabitants, including Its suburbs.
q SET neal the center of the republic,
IN q broud valley surrounded by pic !