Transcriber's note:
Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_).
Small capital text has been replaced with all capitals.
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SALVADOR OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
WORKS BY
PERCY F. MARTIN, F.R.G.S.
MEXICO OF
THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
With Map, and more than 100 Illustrations. 2 Vols.
Demy 8vo. 30s. net.
"Will take its place as a standard work of reference on the
country."--_Truth._
PERU OF
THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
With Map, and 43 Illustration. I Vol. 15s. net.
SALVADOR OF
THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
With Map, and 48 Illustrations. 1 Vol. 15s. net.
LONDON : EDWARD ARNOLD
[Illustration: "THE COLOURS."
THE SALVADOREAN FLAG, SUPPORTED BY CADETS OF THE SCHOOL FOR
CORPORALS AND SERGEANTS.]
SALVADOR
OF THE
TWENTIETH CENTURY
BY
PERCY F. MARTIN, F.R.G.S.
AUTHOR OF
"THROUGH FIVE REPUBLICS OF SOUTH AMERICA," "MEXICO OF THE TWENTIETH
CENTURY," "PERU OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY," ETC.
NEW YORK
LONGMANS, GREEN & CO.
LONDON: EDWARD ARNOLD
1911
[_All rights reserved_]
PREFACE
"And so I penned
It down, until at last it came to be,
For length and breadth, the bigness which you see."
BUNYAN: _Apology for his Book_.
While it is quite reasonable to hope for a consistent improvement
among the Central American nations, and as easy to discern the
extent of amelioration which has already occurred, it is necessary
to bear in mind some of the causes which have hitherto conduced to
the turbulence and the tragedies which have characterized government
by some of these smaller Latin Republics.
Many writers, who can know but little of the Spanish race, have
attributed the early failures of the States which broke away from
the Motherland, not only to lack of stability, but to a radical
psychological defect in the national character. This is a decided
mistake, for the Spanish people, both in their individual and in
their collective character, are fully as capable of exercising the
rights, and of enjoying rationally the benefits, of self-government
as any other nation of the world. The patriots and heroes who
distinguished themselves in the early days of these young Republics,
while themselves descendants of the Spaniards, generally speaking,
and having only in a few cases Indian blood in their veins, had to
combat against all the ambition and avarice, all the pride and
prejudices, of the Church-ridden land which had set its grip upon
New Spain, and meant, if possible, to keep it there. But it was
not possible, and in a few decades was witnessed their complete
expulsion as rulers from the countries which had been won by the
flower of Spain's soldiery, and lost by the exercise of Spain's
oppression and greed.
While the early history of the Latin-American Republics contains
much to distress, and even to depress, the reader, it is impossible
to avoid paying a tribute to the band of gallant men who fought so
desperately in the cause of freedom, and eventually won it. It is
not just to say, as so many historians have said, that the highest
incentives of these men to action were the favours of artificial
and hereditary greatness, with the accumulation, by whatsoever
means, of that wealth by which such favours might be purchased.
Undoubtedly some mercenary motives were at work, as they usually
are in political upheavals of this nature. Does anyone imagine, for
instance, during the disturbances which occurred in Mexico early
in the present year, and which were personally assisted by United
States citizens, that low mercenary motives were lacking? Does
anyone imagine that the numerous North American filibusters who
took part in the fighting, first on the Texas borders, and then in
Mexico itself, had any idea of assisting a persecuted people to free
themselves from the yoke of a tyrant? Or was it not the glamour of
golden lucre to be paid to them, and the promise of the much-coveted
land across the Rio Grande del Norte, that impelled these young
Yankees to throw in their lot with the rebels, trusting to their
own complacent Government at Washington to see them through--as it
actually did--any trouble which might happen to them if they proved
to be upon the losing side?
It would perhaps be equally correct to describe the early Spanish
conquerors as greedy adventurers, since they never had any ideas
of benefiting the countries or the people whom they afflicted so
sorely. It is true that they encountered fearful dangers, displayed
unheard-of bravery, overturned empires, and traversed with bloody
steps an entire continent; but it was to aggrandize the Crown of
Spain and to fill their own empty pockets with golden spoil, which,
once secured, witnessed the fulfilment of their ambitions.
It was, moreover, from this veritable horde of greedy tyrants that
in later days the peoples of these nations sought to obtain, and
finally did obtain, their freedom; their experiences of the Spanish
Viceroys, with their courts more brilliant and more corrupt than
that at Madrid itself; the persecutions of the Church, which has
left a record in Latin-America more bloody and more barbarous than
even in Europe; the deafness shown by the Spanish Crown whenever an
appeal for consideration or clemency was addressed to it--all these
things conduced to that upheaval which has taken over one hundred
years to consummate and fructify.
It was, then, against all this that the people of Central America
were called upon to fight. Can anyone be surprised at the
demoralization which occurred in their own ranks when their efforts
to secure their freedom from Spain were once crowned with success?
History shows many other such instances; indeed, bad as is the
record of the earliest days of Latin-American self-government, it
by no means stands without parallel. The objects--beyond a desire
to be free from the brutal tyranny of the Spanish Viceroys--of the
Latin-American revolutionists were never very clearly defined or
well understood. Neither was any preconceived or organized plan ever
made or carried out in connection with the French Revolution.
Some historians are of opinion that the revolutionists of Central
America originally contemplated the establishment of an independent
Kingdom or Monarchy which should comprise the ancient Vice-Royalty,
or, as it was called, the "Kingdom of Guatemala." But there is
little evidence that any such notion was generally popular. Among
the body of office-seekers and hangers-on of royal Courts it may,
of course, have been regarded with favour. But the Provisional
Junta, which was convoked immediately after the separation from
Spain, showed a great majority of Liberals, who, in spite of the
pressure brought to bear upon them, and the personal danger in which
they stood, proceeded boldly to administer the oath of absolute
independence, and to convoke an assembly of patriots which should
organize the country on the basis of Republican institutions. The
effort which was made later on through French machinations to
establish a monarchy in Mexico failed dismally, as had the previous
efforts put forward by the Mexicans themselves, when Iturbide was
made--or, to be more correct, made himself--Emperor for a very brief
period.
The people of Central America were but few in number, and were
widely distributed over the face of the country. It took several
weeks to get into communication with some of the outlying districts,
and the diffusion of the newly-created voters prevented them from
becoming in any way a united people, or even cognizant of what was
being done in their name. In fact, while anxiously awaiting the
intelligence that their Junta was about to issue the long-looked-for
Republican Charter, the people of Salvador received the startling
and disastrous news that their country was to be incorporated
into the Mexican Empire. They had been basely betrayed, and it is
small wonder that they stood aghast at the colossal nature of that
betrayal.
Terrible indeed was the position for the newly-arisen Republic
of Salvador. The men whom they had sent to attend the Junta
at Guatemala City were met and overawed by armed bands; their
deliberations were 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