158 IOWA DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE 



with one another. The money in circulation is both silver and currency, 

 but the popular medium of exchange is a piece of silver the size of our 

 quarter in silver, called "pesata," which is largely used in small transac- 

 tions. 



What is true of Honduras, however, is not true of all of the other 

 countries in Central America, for some of them have depreciated their 

 money until it has reached a much lower value in exchange. For instance, 

 the rate in Guatemala at one time was "23 to 1," meaning twenty-three 

 of their dollars to one of ours. But everything is priced in keeping with 

 the exchange, and $50 and $100 bills are used freely. A shoe shine costsi 

 $1. A ride up to the hotel from the station, $15. A cotton shirt will cost 

 at retail probably $50, and other things in proportion. A friend told me 

 he went to send a short telegram. The government owns the line, and 

 rates are very low. He had no money the country, but tendered 50 cents 

 of our money, and received back $4.50 of Guatamala money. But the best 

 story I heard along this same line came from Colombia, which joins Pana- 

 ma on the south. An American spent a few days in Bogota. When he was 

 ready to leave he asked the proprietor of the hotel how much his bill 

 was. 



"It is $1,500," said the landlord. 



"No, you don't get my meaning," replied the American. "I can't talk 

 Spanish, but I just want to know how much I owe you. I don't want to 

 buy the hotel." 



"Well, I meant what I said," answered the- landlord, "you owe me $1, 

 50Q." 



"I don't know what you will do with me," answered the bewildered 

 American. "I haven't that much money, and never did have. I suppose 

 you'll put me in jail or wait until I can get it somehow." 



"Have you $5 in gold?" inquired the landlord. 



"You mean a United States five-dollar bill?" 



"Yes, that is what I mean." 



"Why, yes; I have one." 



"Well, that will do all right," answered the landlord, much to the relief 

 of the anxious visitor. 



The greatest expense to any of the republics is the standing army, 

 which costs about $100,000 silver a year, and is a hot-bed of graft. It is 

 difficult to secure recruits, although they are. taken in under the name 

 of volunteers. The favorite method of recouping the army is to wait un- 

 til a foreign banana plantation owner gets a force of natives to work for 

 him, and then have the governor of the province send a delegation of 

 soldiers to his place and draft most of his laborers. I heard a man tell of 

 being in the midst of filling a contract for bananas for a steamer in port 

 when the governor sent for fifteen of hi's workmen. If they do not go 

 willingly, they are tied together with ropes and are marched to headquar- 

 ters, where they are registered. If they run away, they are captured in 

 the course of time and placed in jail. Excursions are made into the moun- 

 tains and ranchers' boys are drafted for the army. One of these boys was 

 placed on night patrol duty. About midnight he encountered a man going 



