Diario las Américas., 1958-08-22
Know thy
Neighbor
By ANTONIO RUIZ

WIN Ian NAAA ~
lonial government began in Co.
lombia with the naming of Con-
zalo Jimenez de Quesada and Sc
bastian de Belalcazar as COVER
nors of Santa Fe de Bogota and
Popayan, respectively. Then follow
ed a long period of three centuries
in which various types of govern
ment succeeded each other, with
the Royal Audiencia of 1863 first,
then the Presidency, and the vi
c~eroyalty until 1910.
Upon its organization, the gov
eminent of the Royal Audiencia
legally defined what is today Co
lombia, since the territory was
separated as an autonomous en-
tity from the older Audiencia de
Santo Domingo, today the Domini-
can Republic, with a capital, head
quarters of independent legisla-
tive, administrative and judicial
life.
During the long colonial period,
Spain had many government of
ficials in the country, some of
whom distinguished themselves for
their protection of the natives,
their work on behalf of education
and the material progress, of the
country, making regulations, open
ing schools and universities, open
ing many roads, Indicating naviga-
ton, building cities, towns, brid-
ges, etc. In this regard, worthy of
special mention are the first Presi-
dent, Andres Diez Venero de Leiva
(15641575), and Viceroys Jose So
Itch Folch y Cardona (1"753-176l),
Antonio Caballero y Gongora az
J82-1789) who was Archbishop of
Santa Fe de Bogot at the same
time, and Jose de Espeleta Ut
89-1792) The last viceroy when
the independence movement be-
gan, was Antonio Amar y Borbon
(l803-I810).
The Roman Catholic Church had
a predominant part in the coloni-
cation and foundation of Colon
bia. The major part in the cultural
and scientific movement was
entrusted to it or initiated by it.
Different religious orders, espe-
cially Jesuits, Franciscans, and
Dominicans, founded towns, con-
verted the natives, protected them
from the abuses of Spanish auth
critics, and many participated act
lively in the independence move
ment. They also carried out re-
search of great scientific value,
about which they wrote in numer-
GUS books; they introduced numer.
Gus European crops and initiated
large scale cattle raising on the
eastern pralries and in other parts
of the country. They alsei brought
printing to the country.
The National Library of Colon
bia was founded in TIT with 49,
300 volumes, in the old San Bar
tolome School, run by the Jesuit
fathers. In 1888. a bontanical ex-
petition was organized under the
Spanish scientist Jose Celestino
Nuts. 1t was the first survy made
of the flora of the country, and is
now beginning to be published
through an agreement between the
Spanish and Colombian govern
ments. Outstanding members of
the expedition were the priest Eloy
Valenzuela. the Colombian Fran
cisco Antonio Zea, and Jorge Ia
dec Lozano.
Some European men of science,
including Frederick Won Humboldt
and Amadeus compliant, visited
Colombia in 1901, entering by
way of Cartagena, going up the Ma
dalena River, and leaving for
Ecuador by land across the south
em border These men, who made
many friends among Colombians
interested in scientific matters,
awakened even more the interest
and love for science and the de-
sire for knowledge of their coun-
try among Colombians. The writ
ings of Won Humboldt about Co.
lombia have helped much in stud
les made by Colombians later
about the flora and fauna of the
country.
Spanish Version Page