GUATEMALA, THE COUNTRY OF THE FUTURE 



599 



To the west of the city stretches the 

 broad avenue of La Reforma, a beautiful 

 drive several miles in length, shaded by 

 great trees and containing some fine 

 statues, the two most important being 

 those of Gen. Rufino Barrios and Gen. 

 Garcia Granados. At the beginning of 

 the driveway stands the artillery bar- 

 racks, a rather imposing building, and at 

 the opposite end is the National Museum. 



At the other end of the city is the wide 

 boulevard leading to the hippodrome or 

 race-course. Here we come upon the 

 beautiful Temple of Minerva. President 

 Cabrera believes in education, and under 

 his enthusiastic directions there is no 

 little town but has its public school. To 

 commemorate the education of the youth 

 of the country, he has set aside one dav 

 each year — the last Sunday in October — 

 as a popular festival, and all scholars 

 and teachers take part in the celebration, 

 which is known as the Feast of Minerva. 

 In each town of any importance is now 

 to be found one of these temples. 



HOW guati:mala is governed 



The government of Guatemala is re- 

 publican, the president's term of office 

 being for six years. The legislative 

 power is vested in a national assembly, 

 which consists of one house composed 

 of a deputy for each 20,000 inhabitants. 

 Beginning the first of March, the annual 

 sessions are held, lasting two months. 



I well remember on the day of the 

 convening of Congress that I expressed 

 a desire of attending, as in other coun- 

 tries, one of the sessions. Had I dropped 

 a bomb in the midst of the group who 

 overheard the remark I could scarcely 

 have caused greater excitement. "Im- 

 possible ! Unheard of ! Women did not 

 go to Congress," etc. 



The rumor spread, however, that the 

 American girl wished to go, and a few 

 days later my father received a gracious 

 note from Sehor Ubico, President of the 

 Senate, inviting us to be present on a 

 certain evening, for the meetings are held 

 at night. Nearly a hundred members 

 were present and several important bills 



LANDING PASSENGERS AT THE PORT OE 

 SAN JOSE, ON THE PACIEIC 



were passed, among them one granting 

 the concession for the building of the 

 international bridge over the Suchiate 

 River on the border of Mexico. It was 

 most interesting and I had the honor of 

 being the first, and, as far as I know, 

 as yet, the only woman who has ever 

 been admitted within the Congress Hall 

 of Guatemala. 



I was fortunate enough, also, through 

 the courtesy of President Cabrera, to be 

 shown the Palace, another place a woman 

 has never been admitted to. Soldiers 

 were drawn up and presented arms as 

 we entered the large court, and we were 

 met by one of the generals, resplendent 

 in gold lace, whom the President had de- 

 tailed to escort us. The wide white mar- 

 ble stairway, the reception rooms, and 

 banqueting hall would bear comparison 

 with many in the royal homes of Europe. 



It was here that, on March 11, 1909, 

 President Cabrera entertained Rear Ad- 

 miral Swinburn, then in command of the 

 American Pacific squadron, and some 30 

 of his officers. Never have I seen such 



