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Show THE CATHOLIC STATES OF CENRAL AMERICA United States of Colombia and Its People Attracting At-tracting the World's Attention at Present Notable' Characters Described Written for The, Intcrmounta on .CathoTtc. The secession o-f Panama from the United States Of "Colombia has dieted public attention to Central America, which is the official name ot the republics of Guatemala, Honduras, Salvador, Xicaragua and Costa Rica. All these five republics repub-lics were originally 'Spanish possessions. Ihe first of these five has a history no less interesting than Colombia. Along the southwest coast the Pacific ocean washes its- shores, Mexico lies to the north and northwest, along "its eastern coast are British Honduras, the Gulf of Honduras, and its sister republic Honduras; on' the southeast Salvador fill.- the gap -of its boundary lines. The area of Guatemala is nearly 50.000 squarn miles, and its population in 11)7 was estimated at less than one and a half million people. Th chief product of the country is coffee. Its soil is very fertile, but agriculture, which is conducted in a primitive way, is not extensive. The climate, which is considered heaJthy, is hot in the lowlands, but in the mountainous regions or elevated lanbi it is cool. Pedro de Alvarado. one of Cortex lieutenants, gained dominion over it in 1524. In l-! it declared de-clared its independence of Spain, and became an ally of Mexico under Sturbide's reign. After it became an independent republic, with twenty-two twenty-two departments. Like Colombia, its chief executive execu-tive is the president, and all legislation is vested in the national assembly, which consists of a council coun-cil of state and a house of representatives. Th house of representatives has fifty-two members, who are elected by the people, and who. in turn, elect the twenty-four members of the council of state. The religion professed by the overwhelming majority ma-jority of the people is the Catholic faith. Some writers a?sert that no other religion is tolerated, but, on the authority of the Century Dictionary, we have it that "most of the people are Koman Catholics, but other cults are tolerated.' The population popu-lation and the, religious aspect of the inhabitants are, according to the latest statistics (190:?): European Eu-ropean descendants. 41)9,842; civilized Indians, !)01,t)4. making a total population of l,4;Jl,"Of5. The religious statistics are: Catholics, 1 ,422.0."o ; Protestants, 2.254; other religions. "J.14 ; no religion relig-ion 5.1 ,'.'. The Diocese of Guatemala was established in 15.')4. In 1743 it was elevated to the dignity of an archdiocese. To the spiritual wants of the people peo-ple 120 secular priests, and fifteen of religious orders, or-ders, attend. The principal institutions in the archepiscopal see are: St. James' seminary ,a cathedral ca-thedral school; the College of St. Augustine, an asylum and school; St. Mary's orphanag?; two colleges, col-leges, Santa Jaz and Corazon de Jesus; hospitals, hos-pitals, Guatemala, Antigua and Quezaltenango. and an orphanage and maternal asylum. The present archbishop was consecrated July 25, !Kt. His official of-ficial title is "Hmo y Rmo. Sr. 1). Kicardo, Casanova Casa-nova y Estrado." His history reads like a romance. ro-mance. The descendant of a rich planter, well educated edu-cated and polished, in his youth his aspirations were for a military life. His application for a commission in the army was refused by Justo Ku-feno Ku-feno Barrios, who was a military dictator and dreaded the influence and popularity of the rich planter's son. This denial to gratify his ambition fired his ardent Spanish blood, and he resolved to have an army of his own. His desire was soon accomplished. But his military pretentions did not please Barrios, who was jealous of his hitherto unlimited power. The little army of young Sasa-nova Sasa-nova was a menace to his dictatorship in ruling the little republic. They were to protect the people's constitutional rights in the election of a president. Backed by the people and protected by his well disciplined dis-ciplined army. Kicardo Casanova ventured to run for the presidency. His venture meant defeat for Barrios, who for the first time met his Waterloo in the ballot box. The newly-elected president went to the capital to assume the reins of government. The election of the new president was legitimate. and in accordance with the constitution of Guatemala, Guate-mala, but Barrios, who was a dictator, and had the soldiers at his back to do his will, had the new president arrested, tried for high treason and sentenced sen-tenced to be shot. He usurped the presidency, but. fearing the execution of the new pre?ident,who was popular with the people, would cause a revolution, revolu-tion, he gave him his freedom, on condition that he would disband his army and become a priest. Cassanova consented rnd fulfilled his promise by going to college to study for the ministry. During his college life his strong character was kept in check by his humility, whilst his brilliancy outshone out-shone that of all the other pupils. He graduated, after four years, with all the honors of the College, Col-lege, and was ordained a priest, to serve in his native archdiocese. In Kome. where he visited after his ordination, he made a favorable impression on the cardinals whom ho met, because of his simplicity, sim-plicity, yet energetic and powefrCul bearing, whilst his broad knowledge and intellectual acumen fitted him for the highest office in the church. In 1880, when the See of Guatemala became vacant, the Koman Ko-man Curia, as a recognition of his strong character, charac-ter, intellectual power and blameless life, appointed him archbishop of the vacant see. As head of the Church, he became the staunch defender of the people's peo-ple's rights and won for them freedom which Barrios, Bar-rios, under military rule, denied them. He soon became, and is today, the idol of the people. JIp bearded the lion in his den and made the oppressors seek peace with the people. His manner of living is simple, and to his mansion the poorest of his flock has free access. In the streets he is lovingly accosted by all and the smallest child will speak to him. To all he is a loving pastor and affection- ate father, whilst the needy share in the munifi- cence of his country ranch. . |