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Show I UNITED STATES i OF COLUMBIA I 1 I 1 Ks Early History. The Country Is Rich . in Minerals, Schools and Colleges. i (Written Tor The Intcrmountain Catholic.) j The United States of Colombia, which recently 'j lost a great part of its territory, is one of the most J advanced of the South American republics. It j embraces an area of more than .118,000 square" 1 miles and is divided into nine federal stales. The I Mute of Fanaina, which has nearly 40,OiM) square miles, lessens the total area by that figure, also the number of states by one. The country is surrounded sur-rounded by Venezuela. Brazil. Ecuador, Costa Rica, the Pacific ocean and the Caribbean sea. Bogota is 1ho national capital. Its immense table lands, which attain an elevalifm of from S,000 to 14.000 foci., arc cool and healthy. In these elevated plateaus luscious fruits and a great variely of cereals grow in abundance. It is rich in mineral products. Along the coast cotton rice, to- ba-co. sugar cane and other tropical fruits grow luxuriantly. The population consists of whites, negroes. Indians and a mixture of the latter two 1 races. The former arc the descendants of the old 1 Spaniel settlers. In intelligence the educated 1 class rank first for their scientific and literary culture. cul-ture. The women of Bogota and other large cities fire famous for their grace and beauty. Schools arc to be found in all the states, the government I having as far back as 1873 appropriated money fertile establishment of new schools. In Bogota. s 1 Alpdrlin. the capital of the state of Antioquia, and j eihr capital cities, they have a university, seminaries, semi-naries, scientific, normal and primary schools. In rarh parish a school is established by the general I government. In 1S63, the government, which is republican, and modeled after that of the United j States, adopted a written constitution. The presi- dent, who is elected every two years, is the chief j executive. The legislative authority is vested ina . t rmigross, which consists of a senate and a house J of representatives. In the former, each state is represented by three senators. In the latter the l j yiembcrs are elected by universal suffrage, each rate being entitled to one member for 50,000 in- j );;ilntants. As in the United States, a vice preed? dent, is elected, and he presides over the 'senate. 1 1 ho highest court of justice is the supreme court, which has a procurator general and three chief j iutices. The army in time of peace consists of less than 2.000 men, but in time of war each state 1 i expected to furnish 1 per cent of its popula- i i i" 'ii. Each state, too, has its own legislature and j executive officer. The religion professed by the f peat majority of the people is Catholic, but there j i- no state church, as there is absolute independ- - en or. of church and state. Freedom of conscience S was grained to all denominations in the constitu- linn which was framed, in lSfi3. The coast of 5 '"V.ml,ia was discovered in 14SW, by Alfonso de Ope-la, and was visited by Columbus in 1502. It was named Ca-tilla de Oro, which meant "Golden - Castle. It became Spanish territory in 153G and j was erootofj into a viceroyalty in 171S and was j knmvn by the name of Xew Cranada. In 17S1 and I.!."., dein- disatisfied with Spanish rule, they wanted separation from the parent country, but iiyt til 31 f;j they declare their independence, 1 v hich was secured by Bolivar eight rears later, in After gaining their independence a union ! v,,f fanned with Venezuela and Quito. This uinoii l.-.ted (.mly a few years, when Venezuela j panned, in 12H. and Ecuador, in 1S30. The MlHwimr year, 1S31, the republic of Xew Granada , organized and a constitution promulgated a -(w tin.jnlis later, which made the president's term "' "'ii-c Jour years. Under the new regime the i Jiew republic had many internal dissentions. h'-vnhitiiin were frequent. Public officers were ''Il!i,'r -sa-sinatod or exiled. In 1S62 the civil v':ir eca d mid peace was restored. In May 1803 ! ten constitution was framed, when the li:''-1"' ' nited States of Colombia, was adopted. "I "i'liw it still retains. Negotiations with the i 1 Stjite regarding ibe roposed canal across " itlmiiis were commeneed in IStlS. That year j ;i Santos Acosta- was sent to Washington to "j .ier with our government regarding the canal, v ( 'aleb Cushing was sent by the authorities .-sdiington on a similar mission to Bogota. A I' 1 t aorabk' to both republics was concluded I i 1 It received the sanction and approval of I , I'fe-ident of ("idombia, but the senate, influ-' influ-' J ' b; European governments, rejected the A new treaty was introduced' in 1870. ' - -mod in satisfy both governments, yet nego- " a to certain modifications and details - been (ending for years. The withdrawal of ' " -":ia irom the union and its recognition as an f i" lideut slate elo-cs ihe last chapter in the I j J :. .f the interoeeanic canal. i . , I .'in an inquisitive being, and the mystery of I 'M'i-ld weighs heavily upon me. I have the ; d wonder strangely developed in me. An ? ' : i'imtis. tloating in iho summer air; a worm ' .Mig f rom cave to cave in the warm, open !- 'lie "pink tips of a daisy's fingers make me -' nli surprise. Miracles are all around, me I 'ake them literall- and wonder at them, ""u aomirari!" is niv motto. 1 have not steeled with the stoicism that can see. the world M ' Miurod with a sliruu'. 1 have a child's wonder " ei.jj.rs love.-Kev I. A. Sheehan, D. D. 'v" Italians, eharged jointly with throwing a 5 sM';ii''' -I fb.o Trench premif r in Paris, have been I '..""'." -d to serve six months in jail. The sever- ' 'be scnt n-e is perhaps due in part to the .'H' '"-'ii the Erench are an economical people and jl'1'. 1'"'V dislike to see tomatoes wasted.- If the n,"-','"1 Ma,l thrown aji egg they might, have been I !il"i;scd. t ' 4 x tins Vf'Vs 1nrr 's Sf,(( being sown silently and f ! wi'rr'"' ;ni everywhere there come sweet flowers , p,.xv"iUI r 0,'(JMeht or labor. We reap what we tic" 1lia.turo niiS 'ove over and above that jus-.Mi.l jus-.Mi.l gives us blossom and fruit that spring '(J'U --'u planting of ours. I DR. BENJAMIN F7 DE COSTA. I ' Dr. Benjamin E. De Costa, whose picture goes herewith, is not altogether unknown to the Catholics of Salt Lake City. It will be remembered remem-bered that he gave a very powerful and interesting lecture on religious statistics at the Grand theatre in the summer of 1!)00. The news of his elevation to the priesthood will be a matter of interest to our readers. About a year ago he repaired to Home and, after a year's theological training at the American college, was ordained sub-deacon on Xov. l.'i, deacon on Nov. 22, and priest on Xov. 29, by the Bishop of Fiesole, near Florence. Father De Costa, after his ordination, received many congratulations con-gratulations from friends in Rome, together with " expressions of regret that his ill-health did not allow al-low of the performance of the ceremony of ordination ordina-tion in Rome, in accordance with the desire of the Catholic authorities. Dr. De Costa, who is now over 70 years of age, was for thirty-six years a prominent Episcopal clergyman in Xew York, and is the author of several sev-eral works on theological and other subjects, his latest being an account of his intellectual journey from Protestantism back to the Church of his au-eestors. au-eestors. The occasion of his final entrance into the Catholic church was the reception of Dr. Briggs, a former Presbyterian minister, into the Episcopal church. Dr. Briggs, professor of Greek in the Union Theological seminary, wrote several works on the Holy Scriptures, in one of which he practically prac-tically denied their inspiration: This causod him 1o be brought to trial for heresy. He was acquitted, but subsequently left the Presbyterian and applied for admission into the Episcopal church. Many Episcopalian ministers strongly objected to his admission ad-mission as long as he continued to hold the opinions opin-ions he had published regarding the authority and inspiration of the Bible. Dr. De Costa was among tbe strongest and most conspicuous opponents of his admission. But Bishop Potter disregarded all opposition and received Dr. Briggs into Episcopal fellowship and ordained him a minister. This action convinced Dr. De Costa that the Protestant Episcopal church was not a faithful guardian of the Revealed Word of God as found in the Holy Scriptures, and determined him to withdraw his allegiance and enter the Catholic church. After his reception he devoted his time to lecturing, and, after the death of his wife, he went to Rome to prepare himself for the priesthood. His desire has been realized, and he will probably soon return to this country. Ad multos annos Dr. De Costa ! |
