Salvador of the Twentieth Century

by Percy F. Martin

The important portfolio of Public Works has been entrusted to the hands of Señor don José Maria Peralta Lagos, a civil engineer of great reputation in Central America, although only forty-two years of age. For many years past Señor Peralta Lagos has been interested in engineering undertakings, and there can be no question that he is admirably fitted both by experience and long study of current engineering subjects for the high and responsible position which he occupies.

The portfolio of Justice is in the hands of Dr. don José Antonio Castro, V., a young but very brilliant man, his age being only twenty-eight years, and who is a barrister by profession.

War and Marine are represented by Don Eusebio Bracamonte, a counsel of great reputation, and who for a considerable time occupied the position of Chief Justice of the High Court of Salvador. Dr. Bracamonte is forty-three years of age.

The portfolio of Agriculture is in the hands of Don Miguel Dueñas, who has devoted many years to a careful study of agriculture in all its branches, and has, from his experience and the careful observation of the methods employed in foreign countries, intimately acquainted himself with all modern methods, many of which he has personally introduced upon his own country estates. Señor Dueñas, who is forty years of age, has travelled very considerably in the United States and in Europe, and he speaks both English and French with considerable facility. For some years past he has been a Member of Congress, while he is also the Founder and the President of the Salvadorean Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture, an institution which has already conferred considerable benefits upon the State.

Señor Carlos G. Prieto, Sub-Secretary of Finance and Public Credit, is forty-five years of age, and a sound authority upon finance and commerce generally.

It is worthy of mention that the Ministry of Agriculture in Salvador is an entirely new creation, and owes its existence to the ruling President, Dr. Manuel E. Araujo. Considering the immense interest which Salvador has in agriculture, and bearing in mind the fact that upon its intelligent pursuit depends, to a very large extent, the prosperity of the country, it is surprising that a Department for Agriculture should not have been previously instituted. This is probably due to the fact that the late Ministry was disinclined to add further to the burden of expenditure in connection with the government of the country; but the additional expenditure incurred in the establishment of this Department has been abundantly justified by results, and there is very little question that, if for nothing else, the Presidency of Dr. Araujo will stand out prominently in connection with a governmental creation which has long been needed, and which is already proving thoroughly useful.

A new branch of the Government service has been established within the past few months in the form of an Information Bureau, which should prove of great utility to manufacturers and shippers, if they desire to avail themselves of it. Already several North American firms have done so, and, as I understand, with some material advantage, the existence of the department having been brought to the attention of United States commercial men by the very up-to-date and shrewd American Consul-General at San Salvador, Mr. Harold D. Clum. I have not heard that any attention has been directed to the institution by the British Board of Trade.

The Salvador Congress authorized, and the Ministry of Agriculture maintains, this Information Bureau, to report upon the orders which the various departments of the Government may consider it expedient to place abroad or upon the home market. The law provides that Government orders shall be placed only after, and presumably upon the basis of, a report from this Bureau; so that it is a distinct advantage to manufacturers and others, who desire to market goods in which the Government might be interested, to send their catalogues (but printed in Spanish, and not in English) with price lists (but calculated in decimal measurements and coinage, and not in "£ s. d."), as well as their proposals, to the Bureau. All such communications should be addressed: "Oficina de Informacíon, Ministerio de Agricultura, San Salvador." And let it be remembered that the postage upon letters is 2¹⁄₂.!

The young and vigorous blood of which the Salvadorean Cabinet is composed is perhaps one of its strongest and most promising features, and the excellent impression which its formation created last March has been confirmed in every way since it got to work and proved the quality of its members for governing the country wisely and economically.

It would, under ordinary circumstances, perhaps be difficult to replace the valuable services which, for fifteen years past, have been rendered by Mr. Mark Jamestown Kelly, F.R.G.S., as Consul-General for the Republic of Salvador to the United Kingdom, with residence in London, and to whom full reference has been made in a preceding page; but it will be generally admitted that the Government has made a very wise and a very acceptable selection in Dr. Artúro Ramón Ávila. The new Consul-General is a native of San Miguel, and belongs to one of the leading families of the country, and occupying a very high social position in the Republic.