Show 11UFINO BARRIOS The attempt of President Barrios to consolidate the various republics of Central Cen-tral America into one grand federation taking as the model therefor the United States is a bold attempt and of doubtful success The very surprise by which lIe took the people and its completeness is the thing which augurs so badly l for the success of the movement The Spanish American States are of so mercurial a make that the grand schemes of today with every prospect of success become on the morrow defunct undertakings under-takings and make one more revolution to be remembered in history and forgotten forgot-ten in memory Among SpanishAme rican governments a year without revolutions revolu-tions is a year without interest and of rare occurrence If this effort of Barrios could succeed and the idea become the accepted one with all Central American governments it would probably be the best thing that could happen to that portion por-tion of the American continent The idea is a return to the Confederation of Central America of which Guatemala formed a part for some eighteen years when in 1859 she proclaimed a constitution constitu-tion which was modified in 1879 The legislative power is vested in a National Assembly elected by universal suffrage and for a term of six years The President now is General Rufino Barrios who was reelected in 1SSO for six years Whether I the influence of Guatemala is sufficient I with her sister republics to have this old idea again adopted is doubtful especially when we remember that the total area is estimated at about 41800 square miles = T = 1 stud that population is less l than amil I lion and nlm1f of whom only a third are of European descent To accomplish revolutions revolu-tions and make permanent the ideas which are embodied in them there is needed a firmness of individual character and a feeling of personal interest which are too rarely found in the mixed races of our sister republics The character char-acter of the nation is but a reflex of the character of the people making the nation na-tion and can be nothingelse And then Guatemala is divided at home and for many years she was under the rule of he priestswho are still active and waiting I their opportunity to bring on their revo ution It is to be hoped Barrios may succeed not merely by arms but by deasalthough it is more than probable he I will not |