قراءة كتاب Salvador of the Twentieth Century
تنويه: تعرض هنا نبذة من اول ١٠ صفحات فقط من الكتاب الالكتروني، لقراءة الكتاب كاملا اضغط على الزر “اشتر الآن"
forcibly interrupted and suspended; some of them, such as Bedoya, Maida, and others, were ruthlessly assassinated, while their own leader and President of the Provisional Junta, one Gainza, turned traitor and went over to the enemy under promise of a high post in the new royal Government.
Salvador was the nearest province to Guatemala, and the centre of Liberalism. It was not long before the patriots of this country took up arms in the defence of their newly-acquired freedom, and when they did theirs was practically the first battle which was fought upon Central American territory by Central Americans among themselves. Unfortunately, it was by no means the last; and history bristles with instances of terrible internecine warfare—of father arrayed against son, brother against brother, and of whole families, once united in bonds of love, wrenched asunder, never again to be reconciled this side of the grave. For years following, the soil of this beautiful land was drenched with human blood, its energies crippled, its resources abandoned. Are we justified in supposing that the end has come? I verily believe that, if it has not actually arrived, it is at least in sight.
It must be remembered that the people of Central America are no longer an uneducated and unduly excitable race, except, perhaps, where their personal honour and independence are concerned; they possess an exceedingly clear and precise knowledge of their prospective or immediate requirements; they have as enlightened leaders among them as ever their powerful Northern neighbour possessed or possesses: all that they ask, and all that they should be granted, is the freedom to manage their own affairs in their own way and in their own time. A well-known writer upon Central America, who visited these countries some five-and-fifty years ago, declared: "Even as it was no one, whatever his prejudices, could fail to perceive the advance in the manners and customs, and the change in the spirit, of the people of Central America during the ten years of freedom which the Constitution secured." If that was true then, it is doubly, trebly true to-day, when education and foreign travel have served to open the minds and broaden the tolerance of these people, who may reasonably be permitted, and even earnestly encouraged, to work out their own salvation. By free and unrestricted intercourse with the nations of the world this can best be effected, and day by day is proving the truth of the saying of Dr. Johnson: "The use of travelling is to regulate imagination by reality, and, instead of thinking how things may be, see them as they are."
October, 1911.
CONTENTS
| CHAPTER I | |
| PAGES | |
|
Discovery of Salvador—Scenery—Volcanoes—Separation of Salvador from Spanish dominion—Central American Confederation—Attempts to reconstruct it—General Barríos—Lake Ilopango—Earthquake results—Remarkable phenomena—Public roads—Improvement under Figueroan Government |
1-12 |
| CHAPTER II | |
|
Government—Executive power—Chamber of Congress—The Cabinet—Justice—The courts—Prisons and prisoners—Employment and treatment—Police force—How distributed—Education—Colleges and schools—State-aided education—Teaching staffs—Primary education—Posts and telegraphs—Improved interstate parcels post |
13-35 |
| CHAPTER III | |
|
Biographical—The President, Dr. Manuel E. Araujo—The ex-President, General Figueroa—The Cabinet—Dr. don Francesco Dueñas, Minister for Foreign Affairs—Dr. don Teodosio Corranza, Home Affairs—Dr. Gustavo Baron, Public Instruction—Ingeniero Peralta Lagos—Dr. Castro V.—Don Eusebio Bracamonte—Don Miguel Dueñas—Department of Agriculture—Señor Carlos Garcia Prieto, Finance and Public Credit |
36-48 |
| CHAPTER IV | |
|
Government finances—London Market appreciation of Salvador bonds—History of foreign debt—Salvador Railway security—Central American Public Works Company—Changing the guarantee—Financial conditions to-day—Public debt at end of 1909—Budget for 1910-11—Small deficit may be converted into surplus—Summary |
49-60 |
| CHAPTER V | |
|
Salvador versus Honduras and Nicaragua—Attitude of the President—Proclamation to the people—Generals Rivas and Alfaro—Invasion of Salvador—Ignominious retreat of enemy—Conciliatory conduct of General Figueroa—Character of Salvadorean people—Treachery of Zelaya |
61-73 |
| CHAPTER VI | |
|
Outbreak of hostilities between Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Guatemala—Discreditable conduct of Nicaragua proved—Failure of United States and Mexican intervention—Dignified and loyal attitude of General Figueroa—Warning to Honduras—President Davila used as Zelaya's cat's-paw—The former's subsequent regret—Central American Court of Justice trial of claim for damages and result of judgment |
74-85 |
| CHAPTER VII | |
|
The Army—Division of forces—Active reserve—Auxiliary—Republic's fighting strength—Military education—Strict training—Excellent discipline—Schools and polytechnics—Manual exercise—Workshops and output—Economies in equipments—Garrison services—Barracks—Destruction of Zapote Barracks—New constructions at Capital, Santa Ana, Santa Tecla, Sitio-del-Niño, Ahuachapán, Cojutepeque, San Miguel—Annual expenditure |
86-95 |
| CHAPTER VIII | |
|
British Minister to Salvador—Lionel Edward Gresley Carden—British Legation hospitality—Mrs. Carden—Government indifference to valuable services—British Vice-Consul—No report for twenty years—Foreign Office neglect—United States Minister—Valuable trade information from American Legation—Salvadorean relations with Washington |
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