The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1933-04-06


.rod hy National Geographic Society
kreR Mashington. d. C.-WNU SegVice.
-EACE has been promised TO
JNicaragua with the signing OF a
j oact recently between the reb-
-. who have caused turmoil Tor
general years, and the central gov
eminent.
Neyt to peace, Nicaragua's great
est needs are improved means OF
transportation and communication.
AT present the national railway sys-
fem consists of line. some 100 miles
long, running from the principal
Pacific coast port of Corinto, via
Leon to the capital city, Managua,
and on to Granada and Diriamba.
A 24.mile line linking Lake Mica
ragua with San Juan del Sur,
few private lines. and three-mile
steam tramway swell the republics
total railway mileage to 1876 miles.
In wet weather most OF the roads
of the country are traversable
only by OK cart, but some 5000
miles of surfaced highways have
been completed or are under con-
struction.
Although Nicaragua is the largest
state of Central America-about
equal In area to New York state
it's population is only equal to that
of Pittsburgh, Pa. Three ourths of
the inhabitants live in the noun
famous and upland western half Of
the country.
The history of the republic is
chronicle of the sufferings of the
masses. principally of mixed Span
ish and Indian descent, under ka-
leidoscopic changes of government.
It Is recorded that in one period of
16 years 1906 persons in succession
exercised supreme power-an aver
age period Of control of hardly
more than two weeks per ruler!
Among the most dramatic Incl
dents of Nicaragua's past was the
William Walker episode, which in
a measure paralleled the Macmillan
tragedy in Mexico. During five
years of his tempestuous career this
young American adVenturer became
In turn 'liberator." virtual dictator,
president, and refugee from Mica
ragua. Twice arrested and deport-
ed by United States forces, he was
finally made prisoner by an officer
OF the. British navy and was SUR
rendered to the Honduran authori.
ties, who tried and condemned him
to be shot. He was executed Sep
TENDER IL, 1860.
Twice has Nicaragua felt the pun
tive force of European powers
In 1875, when Germany blockaded
the republics principal ports to
force. the payment of an indemnity
OF $4,000 for an alleged insult to
German consul. and in 1895,
when Great Britain collected $751;
GOO damages for the arrest and ex-
pulsion of one of its consular Off
GERS at Bluefelds. who had been
charged by Nicaragua with conspir-
acy against the government.
Should Prosper With Peace.
The United States has repeatedly
endeayored to bring peace out of
the Nicaraguan chaos. and United
States marine were stationed in the
republic internationally for many
years.
When Nicaragua's political par
Ties eventually permit, or are CO.
creed into permitting, the populace
70 settle down to cultivating the
country's rich banana lands. her
collee plantations, her cacao groves.
ana her cotton fields, there is no
reason why this largest of the Cen
.rai american republics should not
become one of the most prosperous
Inc agricultural wealth of Mica.
ragua constitutes only a part of her
natural resources, for there is q
magnificent growth Of mahogany
ana OF other cabinet woods in her
forests. and her hills are rich in
soio and silver. while on the up-
,and plains there is excellent mas.
'urage FOR thousands of cattle.
Inc most striking physical fea.
lures OF Nicaragua are her chain Of
su,canoes. lying parallel to the Pa.
ae seaooard. and her two great
aAes, Managua and Nicaragua. the
atier being the largest sheet of
nesn water in the Americas south
~ Lake Michigan and north of Lake
l.eaca in the highlands of b.
hvia and Peru.
Ncaragua Enjoys the advantage
VI having almost at her door an
eef eustoi or for all her agricul-
Sn products. The United States.
ouys two-thirds of all the republics
eAports' and in return the latter
puieiiases three-fourths of her i'm.
ports from us.
iuree OF Nicaragua's cities have
l iab. oasked in the news spot
o na the present capital.
uS a Leon and Granada, each of
s.a ,en nave aspired to become the
" CITY. particularly since the