Early Days of independence—"Central American Federation"—Constitutional Presidents—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.

The breaking away from Spanish dominion (although the seeds of revolution were laid as far back as 1811) did not take place until ten years later, and coincided with the successful termination of the struggle for liberty which occurred in Mexico under the patriot priest Hidalgo. Salvador gained its freedom, comparatively speaking, without bloodshed; and on September 15, 1821, it was declared a free and independent State. In the year following an attempt was made to annex the country to the Mexican Empire, under the rule of the ambitious and unscrupulous Emperor Agustin Yturbide, during his very brief reign, in 1822. As history relates, this presumptuous Mexican was born in Valladolid (now known as Morelia) on September 27, 1783, and he was sentenced to death and shot on July 19, 1824.

It is to the credit of Salvador that it was the one Central American State which firmly resisted the invasion of the Mexican troops; but in the end it had to submit to a far superior force, commanded by General Filisola, and was then formally incorporated[14] into the Mexican Empire. This humiliation endured, however, for a very brief time, since in the following year Yturbide met his violent death, after which a Constitutional Convention was called, and in 1824 a Federal Republic was declared bearing the name of the "Central American Federation." This was composed of the five States—Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica—the first President being General Manuel José Arce.

Party jealousies and personal ambitions, however, soon brought about disintegration, and in spite of the efforts of some far-seeing patriots, who considered that in union alone lay the hope of peace, security and prosperity for their country, the form of government proved wholly impracticable. Nevertheless it continued for a few years to struggle along, General Francisco Morazán, doing his best to maintain order and to save the union from disruption. Notwithstanding all his efforts, the Federation was dissolved in 1839, and the five States again became independent Sovereign Republics. Three years later General Morazán unwisely made another effort to reunite the countries; but his attempt was treacherously rewarded by a conspiracy against his life, followed by his execution in San José, Costa Rica, in the month of September, 1842.

Since his death various attempts have been made from time to time, to reunite the several Republics, the last effort of this kind having been prosecuted by General Zelaya, perhaps one of the most unscrupulous and dishonest, as well as one of the cruellest, Spanish-Americans who has ever attained supreme power. Whatever chances of success a United Central America might have had, under the auspices of a[15] Zelaya it could have never met with anything but failure. General Zelaya, in spite of frantic efforts to maintain his position, was himself chased from Nicaragua in 1909, and is now said to be living in Europe upon the proceeds of the money which he is declared to have filched from his country during his long and oppressive reign.

In the year 1885, General Justo Rufino Barríos, President of Guatemala, had sought to accomplish what Morazán had failed to do; but his efforts ended equally in disaster. On August 13, 1886, the Constitution which is at present in force was promulgated, and General Menéndez was elected as first President under that Constitution by popular vote in 1887, for the term ending in 1890. He was succeeded by General Carlos Ezeta, who was inaugurated on March 1, 1891. The third President was General Rafael Gutierrez. Then followed General Tomás Regaládo; Don Pedro José Escalón; General Fernando Figueroa; and the ruling President, Doctor Manuel Enrique Araujo.

The form of government in vogue is that of a free, sovereign and independent Republic—that is to say, democratic, elective, and representative. The Constitution now in existence is contained in a code of articles. The Government is divided into Legislative, Executive, and Judicial sections. The Legislative power is vested in the National Assembly, which is composed of one Chamber, and having the title of the National Chamber of Deputies. This consists of 42 members, three Deputies being elected for each Department by direct popular vote for a term of one year, the right to vote being vested in every male citizen who is over eighteen years of age. It is to be[16] observed that every Salvadorean is not only privileged, but is compelled to vote, thus doing his duty to the State.

The Executive consists of a President and a Vice-President, who are elected by popular vote for a term of four years. In addition to being Chief Magistrate, the President is also Commander-in-Chief of the Army. In the event of a failure to elect the Executive, a President is chosen by a majority of votes in the Congress from among the three candidates having polled the largest number of votes in the popular election. He is not eligible for re-election either as President or as Vice-President until four years shall have elapsed. The date of the Executive\'s inauguration is on March 1 following the election, which is usually held in the month of November.

The administration of each of the fourteen different Departments is in the hands of a Governor, who is selected by the President from personal knowledge of both his capacity and temperament. Besides administering the civil affairs of the territory under his jurisdiction, this official is usually either a military man or one possessed of adequate military knowledge; and he is thus Commandant of the military of his Department.

It was my pleasure to meet, and spend some considerable time in the company of, many of the Governors of the different Departments, and I was deeply impressed with their general thoroughness of purpose, their keen desire in all cases to further the interests of their Departments, and to apply to their benefit any and every advantage which could be adapted from the governments of other countries.

The municipalities, on the other hand, are managed entirely by their own officials, all of whom are elected[17] by the people themselves. The officials comprise an Alcade, or Mayor, a Syndic and several Regidores, or Aldermen, these being numbered according to the size of the population. A good deal of competition exists for office, and at the time of election much amusement is derived from watching the canvassing in progress. There is a decidedly healthy appearance of municipal enterprise in most of the towns of Salvador, and, taking these as a whole, they seem to be uncommonly well administered. In the accepted sense of the word, there is no real poverty, no slums, no crying "graft" scandal demanding redress, as in our much-vaunted civilization, and such charities as are rendered necessary in the form of hospital relief and medical attention are rendered cheerfully and as a matter of course, entailing neither a favour nor a dependence upon either party.

In Salvador, as in all the Latin-American Republics, the President is a reality, and not a mere figure-head. He makes his presence felt, and yet, in a perfectly constitutional manner; he associates the form of a democracy with the reality of government. For many years past the people have had, and have to-day, an excellent example of a thoroughly sensible and dignified Chief Executive, who has firmly upheld the good name of the country and piloted it with a strong, and even masterly, hand through a maze of difficulties. Of General Fernando Figueroa as of Doctor don Manuel Enrique Araujo, it may truthfully be said that they have kept before them a lofty ideal of the honour of their nation, and one which has been the one incentive in guiding their policy. The whole demeanour of these distinguished men has been productive of the country\'s esteem, while their real qualities for administration[18] have not been denied even by their most determined political opponents.

The personnel of the present Ministry in Salvador reflects the best intelligence and the greatest administrative ability of that country, the President having selected from among the former members of the Cabinet, and added to their number, such persons as enjoy the confidence of the majority of the Congress; and he has retained them as his advisers and his coadjutors so long as, and not longer than, that confidence continues. The present Cabinet consist of the following:

    Ministers or Secretaries of State.

    Foreign Affairs, Justice and Beneficence: Doctor don Francisco Due?as. Interior, Industry ("Fomento"), Public Instruction and Agriculture: Doctor don Teodosio Corranza. Finances and Public Credit: Don Rafael Guirola, D.

    Sub-Secretaries of State.

    Foreign Affairs: Doctor don Manuel Castro, R. Justice and Beneficence: Doctor don José Antonio Castro, V. Interior: Doctor Cecilio Bustamente. Industry ("Fomento"): Ingeniéro José Maria Peralta Lagos. Public Instruction: Doctor Gustavo Baron. Agriculture: Don Miguel Due?as. Finance and Public Credit: Don Carlos G. Prieto. War and Marine: Don Eusebio Bracamonte.

Enrique

H. E. Dr. Manuel Enrique Araujo;
President of the Republic of Salvador 1911-1915.

Perhaps it is the Ministry of the Interior which is charged with the most numerous and most important sections. Upon this Department depend the General Direction of the Post-Office; the General Direction of the Telegraph and Telephones; the General Direction of Police; the Direction of the National Printing Establishment; the Direction of the Superior Council of Health; the General Direction of Vaccination, as well as of the Municipal Treasury and many other small[19] offices that complete the establishments included in the public administration.

The number of measures carried out by this one Ministry during the years 1907 and 1908 amounted, more or less, to 3,600. The subjects that came under the jurisdiction of the Secretaryship of State are also many and complex; and in order to attain results they demand both constant attention and an intimate knowledge of the administrative laws, the many special regulations, the numerous statutes and dispositions which exist, as well as any quantity of minor laws.

The Judicial Power is vested in a Supreme Court, which holds its sittings in the city of San Salvador; two District Courts, which are also held in the city; District Courts which are held in the cities of Santa Ana, San Miguel, and Cojutepeque, as well as periodical Circuit Courts held in different districts; and there is a long list of Justices of the Peace.

The Justices of the Supreme Court are elected by the National Assembly for a term of two years, while the Judges of the First and Second Instance are appointed by the Supreme Court for a term of two years. The Justices of the Minor Courts are elected by popular vote.

As in most Latin-American countries, the course of justice is not always speedy, all depositions, no matter how trivial the case under trial may be, nor whether it be civil or criminal, having to be laboriously written out, "examination-in-chief" and "cross-examination" being practices little known. Naturally, an immense amount of valuable time is thus consumed, and the results are anything but conclusive.

To a considerable extent the administration of[20] justice in Central America is based upon the same principles as those in force in the United States, and it is generally admitted, especially by those who have suffered from them, that these are far from perfect. The theory of Latin-American justice is excellent, such theory being that every man is entitled to justice speedily and without delay, freely and without price. We all know that this is not the experience of litigants generally, and in no part of Latin America can the administration of justice be considered entirely perfect. Salvador is not worse off than any of its neighbours in this respect, while, on the other hand, there is a decided amount of respect entertained for the judiciary, and few verdicts have been given which have called forth any protest, nor many rulings handed down which have excited conflict among the public.

Travellers in Latin-American countries, more often than not such as pay but a very superficial visit to those lands, are in the habit of drawing pitiful pictures of the cruelty practised upon prisoners and injustice shown towards litigants, and they indulge in harrowing accounts of "nauseating filth," "poisonous stenches," "germs of disease," "bad food," and numerous other, blood-curdling horrors. However true such descriptions of some countries are, and I rather imagine that most of them are the outcome of vivid imagination on the one hand and of blind prejudice upon the other, it is certain that nothing of this kind can be truthfully said about Salvador.

It would be ridiculous to suppose that this Republic more than any other builds luxuriously-equipped and comfortable prison-houses, to act as an encouragement for the committing of crime. The object of punishment, we are told, is prevention of evil, and we all[21] know that under no circumstances can it be made incentive to good. The punishments inflicted upon Salvadorean prisoners are based upon much about the same scale as in other countries; but the physical condition of the prisoners as a whole is infinitely better than that which is to be met with in any other Latin-American country, with the two exceptions of Peru and Mexico.[1] Of all three countries I may say with every justice that the present prison system is of a much more lenient and humane nature than that of any other country in either the old or new world. I state this deliberately and after having visited most of the prisons in Latin-American Republics, as well as many of those to be found in Europe and the United States.

It is the object of the Government of Salvador to make as much use of prisoners\' services as is legitimate, and at the same time to find for them intelligent and useful occupations. While hard work is not always compulsory, and is not always an accompaniment of a sentence to imprisonment, every encouragement is offered to prisoners to engage themselves in some kind of work; and in many instances substantial payments are derived from some of the work thus undertaken, all such payments being carefully preserved for the use of the prisoners, and handed over to them at the time of their release. Thus, for instance, in the Penitenciaría Central, at San Salvador, which is the chief penal establishment in the Republic, many of the prisoners are engaged in making furniture for the public offices, as well as military and police uniforms, boots, etc., likewise for use in the army and the police[22] force. I am not sure whether any payment is made to prisoners for this kind of contribution; but in other penal establishments which I visited I observed that the prisoners were making baskets, mats, toys, and other small articles, which were offered to visitors for a trifling sum, and in other cases were sent to the public market for sale.

At the Penitenciaría at Santa Ana the same method was in vogue with regard to employing prisoners, some remarkably good furniture, police clothing, and military boots and shoes, being turned out here also. In this establishment, as well as in others, the utmost cleanliness prevails. The long rows of airy and well-ventilated cells are well lighted, the walls and ceilings being whitewashed and the floors, built of red brick, kept scrupulously clean. No furniture of any kind is allowed to remain in the cells during the day, but at night mattresses with clean blankets are thrown down side by side, and the prisoners sleep with their day-clothes folded up and placed under their heads or deposited under the mattresses.

In other cells there are light canvas or wooden cots of an easily detachable nature, which are folded up and put away during the daytime, so that the cells are always free from encumbrances of any kind. Prisoners are allowed to move about freely (unless under very severe punishment due to violence) from the cells to the yard, and most of them are engaged during the daytime in weaving baskets, sewing materials, or doing some other kind of work which may be congenial to them. They are not compelled to wear any special form of clothing nor a degrading uniform, while some are even permitted to smoke.

Although strictly guarded by armed soldiers, I did[23] not, when I visited these establishments, witness a single instance of brutality or overbearing demeanour on the part of these guardians; on the other hand, there seemed to be a sort of fraternity between them and their wards, chatting and laughter proceeding, apparently, without objection upon the part of the Governor or Superintendents.

The area of the prison cells was in no case less than 10 feet by 6 feet, and in some instances it was found to be considerably larger. All ablutionary exercises take place in the paved yard of the prison, and prisoners are compelled to bathe at least once a week in the open air; those who are so inclined may take a bath once every day. The food, which I had the opportunity of tasting, seemed thoroughly wholesome and plentiful, meat being provided in quantities as well as boiled maize, beans (frijoles), and coffee of excellent quality.

I can only repeat that, from close personal observation, I am unable to endorse any of the harrowing descriptions of prison barbarities, which I have referred to above, as applying in any way to Salvadorean penitentiaries.

Considerable attention has been paid to the establishment and maintenance of a thoroughly efficient Police Force, by the late Director-General, General Enrique Bará, who has studied the question of Police administration in Europe and the United States, and has applied most of the good points which he found existing there to the Police organization in the Republic of Salvador.

All Police are under the control of the Minister of the Interior—Ministerio de Gobernación—although the organization itself is a military one. The severest[24] discipline is maintained, and the men are moderately well paid. They seem, moreover, to be drawn from the better classes instead of from the worst, as is so often, unfortunately, the case in some parts of Latin America.

All the larger towns, such as Santa Ana, San Miguel, Sonsonate, La Unión, etc., have their own well-organized Police Force, each placed under a responsible officer, but all of them directly dependent upon, and subject to control from, the Capital. Especial care is taken to organize both the day and night corps, and, as a consequence of the strictness which is maintained, very few robberies, and scarcely any murders, take place nowadays in the Capital or chief towns.

The Superior Officers of the Police Force consist of the following:

1 Director-General.
1 Sub-Director.
1 Secretario de la Dirección (Secretary to the Director-General).
1 Tesorero Específico (Special Treasurer).
1 Instructor.
1 Ayudante de la Dirección (Adjutant to the Director).
1 Juez Especial de Policia (Special Police Magistrate).
1 Secretario del Juzgado de Policia (Secretary to the Police Magistrate).
1 Guarda-Almacén (Storekeeper).
1 Escribiente de la Dirección (Amanuensis to the Director).
1 Escribiente del Juzgado (Amanuensis to the Magistrate).
1 Escribiente de la Comandancia (Amanuensis to the Commandant).
1 Medico del Cuerpo (Doctor to the Corps).
1 Practicante (Assistant-Surgeon).
1 Telegrafista (Telegraphist).
3 Barberos (Barbers).
2 Asistentes (Assistants).

The present Director-General of the Police is General Gregorio Hernández A., who was appointed in the month of May last (1911).

The Capital is divided up into seven different districts or zones, each zone being policed as follows:

[25]

Zone 1: 1 Comandante (Chief Superintendent in Charge), 1 Sergeant,
4 Inspectors, and 60 Policemen.
Zone 2: Same as Zone 1.
Zone 3: 1 Comandante, 1 Sergeant, 3 Inspectors, and 60 Policemen.
Zone 4: 1 Comandante, 1 Sergeant, 2 Inspectors, and 64 Policemen.
Zone 5: 1 Comandante, 1 Sergeant, 2 Inspectors, and 64 Policemen.
Zone 6: 1 Comandante, 1 Sergeant, 2 Inspectors, and 56 Policemen.
Zone 7: 1 Comandante, 1 Sergeant, 2 Inspectors, and 40 Policemen.

In this last zone the policemen are mounted.

The different Departments are also well policed, as follows:

    New San Salvador (Santa Tecla), having 1 Comandante (Superintendent and Director), 2 Inspectors, and 40 Policemen.

    Sonsonate: 1 Comandante (Superintendent and Director), 1 Sub-Director, 1 Secretario, 3 Inspectors, and 32 Policemen.

    Cojutepeque: 1 Director, 2 Inspectors, and 25 Policemen.

    Atiquizaya: 1 Director, 1 Inspector Secretario, 1 Sub-Inspector (or Second Inspector), and 15 Policemen.

    San Vicente: 1 Comandante (Director), 3 Inspectors, and 21 Policemen.

    Ahuachapán: 1 Director, 1 Secretario, 3 Inspectors, and 27 Policemen.

    Chalchuápa has two Zones, which are policed as follows: First: 1 Director, 2 Inspectors, and 27 Policemen. Second: 1 Director, 2 Inspectors, and 18 Policemen.

    Santa Ana: 1 Director, 1 Sub-Director, 1 Secrétario, 1 Guarda-Almacen, 2 Escribientes, 150 Policemen, 1 Comandante de Dragones, 1 Sergeant, and 40 Mounted Men.

    San Miguel: 1 Director, 1 Sub-Director, 4 Inspectors, and 57 Policemen.

    La Unión: 1 Director, 1 Sub-Director, 3 Inspectors, and 40 Policemen.

    Zacatecoluca: 1 Director, 2 Inspectors, and 18 Policemen.

The total personnel of the Salvadorean Police Force is as follows:
In the Capital (including the Superior Officers above mentioned)    454    men.
New San Salvador (Santa Tecla)    43    "
Sonsonate    38    "
Cojutepeque    28    "
Atiquizaya    18    "
San Vicente    25    "
Ahuachapán    32    "
Chalchuapa    20    "
Usulután    21    "
Santa Ana    174    "
San Miguel    63    "
La Unión    51    "
Zacatecoluca    21    "
Total    988    men.

[26]

The Government of Salvador are of opinion, and very rightly so to my thinking, that inasmuch as education is compulsory it ought to be free, since the State, by depriving parents of the labour of their children, entails some sacrifices on them. It has also relieved them of the burden of paying any kind of school fees; and this in a country like Salvador, which possesses naturally a great proportion of humble inhabitants, to whom the payment of even the lightest fees would appear an immense taxation, means a great deal. To organize a system of collecting fees from among the people living long distances from the Capital would also have been onerous; and the Government saves all this, and many other outlays, while procuring the best results from its educational system. The benefits arising, moreover, will be reaped by future generations, since a liberal education is a matter in which all citizens are interested; and there is certainly no hardship in calling upon all to contribute by means of a moderate tax towards that end.

As I have said, the happiest results have been achieved by the Government\'s broad and comprehensive system of education in Salvador. The authorities combine with the municipalities in carrying out their arrangements, and the teachers of both sexes are drawn from among the best and most cultured classes of the community.

There has been established since July, 1907, a Board of Education (Junta de Educación), which is subject to the directorship of a specially-appointed Minister and Sub-Secretario of Public Instruction. In the month of November, 1907, an important conference was summoned, and held meetings at the Capital, at which[27] the curriculum to be adopted was fully discussed, and the plans for the carrying on of all places of private and public education was entirely reorganized. The whole system of conducting elementary, normal, and advanced schools, holding day and night classes, granting scholarships and holding periodical examinations, has now been placed upon a thoroughly sound and comprehensive basis; and it is only just to say that in this respect the Republic of Salvador compares most favourably with any country in Europe, or with any educational system in the United States of America.

The education of the sexes is conducted in the same elementary schools, and not only is this found an economy, but the feminine mind is found here (as in Scotland and elsewhere) to become strengthened when put through the curriculum given to boys and men. Competition is greater between the sexes than between rivals of the same sex, and a correspondingly higher standard of achievement is obtained. It has been found in Latin America, where until recent years women were kept in ignorance and were denied the attainment of any but social positions in the community, that constant intercourse between the sexes had led to a more perfect development of character, and had materially diminished shyness. Marriages are now made of a safer kind, and a new and more intelligent class of citizen is springing up, all of which facts will tend in due course to bring about a more complete political settlement and the introduction of permanent order among the people. Although by no means as yet extinct, the conventual existence for the women of Salvador is fast diminishing, and they are commencing to realize the advantages and pleasures[28] of living under freer and less morbid conditions than formerly.

Santa Ana seems to be essentially the educational centre of the Republic; for whereas schools, colleges, and Universities are to be found in all of the Departments, in Santa Ana there are no fewer than thirty-three such establishments, besides several private schools and seminaries. San Salvador has between 6 and 7 important educational institutes, and many small private schools; Cuscutlán has 8 or 9; La Paz, 7 or 8; Sonsonate, 5 or 6; while Ahuachapán, Chalatenango, Caba?as, San Vicente, La Unión, Morazán, and La Libertad, are all similarly well provided.

The teaching staff at present employed under Government control numbers something over 1,100, and is divided up into Directors, Sub-Directors, Auxiliary Professors, these being composed of both the male and the female sex. These latter are in a small minority, but, still, there are over 278 Lady Directors, over 120 Sub-Directors, and 100 Professors.
Third

The 3rd Company, Sergeants\' School, in Review Order.
Line

Company in line, Sergeants\' School.
riflemen

Section of Riflemen kneeling, Sergeants\' School.

The proportion of pupils matriculating is extremely high, and in this respect the girls come very close in point of number, as also in the number of marks obtained, to the boys. The Government provides all the necessary books, stationery, models, apparatus, etc., for the use of the pupils, and these latter are not put to one penny expenditure for anything that they may require. It is considered absolutely proper and consistent with the dignity of the family for a Salvadorean child to receive a Government free education; and as this is divorced from all compulsory religious instruction, children of all denominations, or of none, can participate. As a matter of fact, practically all attending are of the Roman Catholic faith, but no dogmatic[29] teaching is resorted to in any establishment under Government control.

Mention should be made of the very useful and successful educational establishments which the Government has organized and supported since 1907, such as the Medical and Surgical College, Chemistry and Dental Schools, Commerce and Industry College, as well as the National University, which has been entirely remodelled and reorganized since December 15, 1907.

Upon several occasions the Government has found the necessary money to send a particularly promising pupil to Europe or to the United States, for the purposes of study and receiving the finest training that the world of art and letters can offer. The last pupil to be sent to study music at the expense of the Government was Se?orita Natalia Ramos, who left for Italy in the month of May (1911), and is now making good progress there. In every sense of the word the Salvadorean Government has proved a "paternal Government" in these respects; and many a genius has been rescued from probable obscurity, and much dormant talent has been fostered and encouraged for the benefit of the community at large as well as to the lasting advantage of the individual.

Attention on the part of the Government is now being given to a further modification in the system of primary instruction; and this is being effected gradually, it being proposed as a preliminary to establish several high schools throughout the country. A School of Agriculture, with all necessary elements and machinery, was inaugurated during the year 1908. Mixed primary schools in the country now number 132, with a total number of registered pupils amounting to[30] 34,752. Expenditures for 1907 under this head were nearly $400,000, and in addition there are many private institutions where primary instruction only is given. Academic teaching is in the charge of the National University of San Salvador, embracing schools of law, medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, civil engineering, etc.

In no other part of the Government service has greater improvement been manifested than in the Department of Posts. This Department is supported out of its own revenues, and the service during the past few years has been extended to a very considerable extent, while the credit of the Central Office has been maintained by punctuality in the payments of the foreign postal service. Among the more notable Conventions celebrated have been those with the Republic of Mexico for the exchange of parcels and money orders, and a triweekly postal service introduced to the neighbouring Republic of Guatemala via Jerez; a postal service has also been established with the same country via Zacapa. It is satisfactory to be able to state that since the inauguration of these additional services, which took place early in 1907, scarcely any interruptions have occurred, not even in the rainiest weather, a fact which may be attributed to the zeal and ability of the officials and employés of the Postal Department.

The annual expenditure of this branch of the public service has increased from $87,084 in 1902, $102,787 in 1903, $121,756 in 1904, $142,855 in 1905, $161,662 in 1906, to over $200,000 in 1910. The regularity and rapidity with which the house-to-house postal deliveries take place in the Capital and principal cities of the Republic have frequently been noticed, and[31] favourably commented upon, by foreigners sojourning in Salvador. Honesty among the employés is no less a feature of the postal arrangements in this Republic, where all public servants are reasonably paid and are as diplomatically handled, so that general contentment obtains among the large class of public servants employed.

The Parcel Post Department is also exhibiting from year to year notable increases, as the following figures will show: $44,613.55 in 1901; $58,096.27 in 1902; $68,467.30 in 1903; $88,557.60 in 1904; $90,662.72 in 1905; $93,295.80 in 1906; and for the first six months in 1907 the figures given are $51,654.86, or at the rate of $103,000 for the whole year.

A Postal Convention for the exchange of money orders between Salvador and Great Britain was signed in London on June 27, 1907, in San Salvador on the following August 27, 1907, and, after being approved by the President, General Figueroa, took effect on September 5, 1907, the exchange offices being situated at San Salvador and London respectively.

The telegraph and telephone service has also increased consistently, especially since 1903, at which time as an economic measure, and for the convenience of the public, a considerable reduction took place in the amounts of the charges. There has been a large increase in telephonic connections, and several new offices have been established, while the old ones have been considerably improved, necessitating large outlays for this purpose, as well as for works and materials. Many hundreds of miles of new telephone and telegraph lines have been added to the system, of late there has been a marked increase in the telephone and telegraph apparatus, and the personnel of the system[32] has been proportionately augmented. There have been two handsome towers constructed at San Salvador, and another at Santa Ana, for the introduction of wires to the Central Offices, and the system in vogue leaves little to be desired either in regard to efficiency or completeness. The general budget for telegraphs and telephones has risen steadily, from a little over $260,000, in 1902, to over $500,000, in 1910.

During the year 1910 the number of cablegrams received in the Republic were as follows: Cables sent from Salvador, 7,877; received in the Republic, 8,723. In those transmitted there were used 61,727 words, and in those received 75,950. Total of cables sent and received, 16,600 = 137,677 words. The amount represented in cost was $96,450.47, and of this the Government received $23,994.27.

Considerable progress has been made in Salvador in connection with wireless telegraphy, this being one of the first—if not the first—of the Central American Republics to adopt the new system of communication. By the time these pages are in the hands of the reading public, the Government will have completed two additional wireless stations, one at Planes de Renderos, near the Capital (San Salvador), and the other at the Port of La Libertad. With the completion of these stations, wireless communication will have been established between the Capital and all the ports of the Republic.

The electric light service used and supported by the Government has also increased. In 1902 the total cost was barely $25,000, whereas to-day it amounts to over $50,000, exclusive of the value of subventions by which several of the electric light companies have been aided by the Government.

[33]

In connection with the recently-held Central American Conference convened in Guatemala City, and at which representatives of all five Central American States were present, great improvements were resolved upon in reference to the postal arrangements between these States. It was determined, for instance, to introduce a much more comprehensive parcels post; and although the dimensions of articles which may be sent were not much extended, the character of the commerce carried through the post was considerably broadened, with beneficial results to all of the different States. It was, among other things, decided to prevent any libellous or indecent publications passing through the Post-Office; and here a distinct improvement has been made upon British Post-Office methods, which permit of the carrying of any sort of literature so long as it is covered from inspection. The Central American postal authorities reserve the right—and exercise it—to open and retain anything which they suspect to be of a dangerous or wrongful nature, and thus they act with more intelligence than some of their European brethren.

The Regulation for the Control of the Postal Service, as passed by the Government on September 26, 1893, was found wholly unfit for this important branch; and from that date to the present, continual reforms have been introduced into the postal service, which now stands among the best regulated in Central America. In the Fiscal Estimate of the year 1907, passed by the National Congress, several notable economies were introduced, such as the suppression of some of the too numerous employés, and reduction of the salaries of others; while these measures seemed opportune, they did not work well in practice, neither[34] did they give good results. The Ministry was obliged, therefore, to again make alterations in order to insure permanent order in the postal department.

By a resolution of September 28 and October 24 respectively, the Government arranged to suppress the office of Administrator of the Post-Offices in the different Capitals of the Departments, joining the functions of that to those of the Administrator of Revenues, but without augmenting the pay for this additional service. From this arrangement, however, the offices of Santa Ana, Sonsonate, and San Miguel, were excepted, while some others were annexed to the Department of the Fiscal Receiver and to the respective telegraph-offices.

At present the active staff of the Postal Service of the Republic is composed of 327 individuals, organized in the following departments: General Direction; Departmental Administrations; Postal Contractors. The General Direction is subdivided thus: Sub-Direction; Secretary; Bookkeeper and Cashier; Office of Postal Statistics; Keeper of Stores; Amanuensis; and Keeper of the Archives. The Chiefs are those of the Foreign Department, of the Interior, of Registered Letters, of Parcels Post, and of Poste Restante and Unclaimed Letters Department. There are besides five Assistants, two Transmitters of Postal Specie, twenty-two letter-carriers, and forty-eight junior postmen.

The Exchange Offices include three Administrators, three Superintendents, and six letter-carriers. Those of the first class are—six Administrators, six superintendents, sixteen letter-carriers, and twenty-five postmen. Those of the second class are—six Administrators and eight letter-carriers. Those of the third[35] class are—nineteen Administrators and an equal number of letter-carriers. Those of the fourth class are—forty-three Administrators and forty-three letter-carriers; and these are again sub-administered by the respective municipalities. There are seven Postal Contractors, who have in their service some forty or fifty subordinates. Three Postal Agencies complete the service, namely—one in Panama (Central America), one in the Sitio del Ni?o (a station on the Salvador Railway), and the other in Parras Lempa.