Colombia by Phanor J. Eder (PDF)
Colombia, published in 1913, is an early 20th-century English-language overview of the Republic of Colombia written by Phanor J. Eder, an American lawyer with extensive business experience in the country. The book was part of the “South American Republics” series and aimed to give English-speaking readers—chiefly investors, diplomats, and students—a concise yet authoritative portrait of Colombia’s geography, people, economy, and political institutions just after the loss of Panama.
Contents
1. The Land and Its Regions
– Coast, Andes, and eastern llanos
– Climate, rivers, and strategic location on both oceans
2. The People
– Population figures and ethnic mix (Indigenous, Spanish, African, mestizo)
– Social customs, religion, education, and daily life
3. Political Evolution
– From Spanish colony to independence (1819)
– 19th-century civil wars, federal experiments, and the 1886 centralist constitution
– The “Thousand Days’ War” (1899-1902) and the separation of Panama (1903)
4. Government and Law
– Structure of the 1886 constitution: president, congress, supreme court
– Departmental and municipal administration
5. Agriculture and Stock-Raising
– Coffee boom, bananas, cacao, sugar, tobacco
– Cattle on the eastern plains
6. Mining and Manufacturing
– Gold, silver, and emerging oil prospects
– Textiles, brewing, and small-scale industry
7. Trade and Transport
– Main exports and import partners (U.S., Britain, Germany)
– Roads, mule trails, river steamers, and the unfinished railways
8. Finance and Banking
– Currency instability, foreign debt, and the role of British and U.S. banks
9. Foreign Relations
– Boundary disputes with Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil
– Aftermath of the Hay–Herrán and Hay–Bunau-Varilla treaties
10. Outlook for Investors
– Opportunities in coffee fincas, oil exploration, and infrastructure
– Political risks and legal safeguards noted by the author
The volume closes with statistical appendices (population, trade tables) and a short bibliography of contemporary sources.