BARRIOS, Justo Rufino, son of the fore going, Guatemalan statesman, of Spanish-Indian blood: b. San Lorenzo, Guatemala, 17 July 1835; d. Chalchuapa, 2 April 1885. He was educated for the law, but the political punish ment of his father led Will to become a guer rilla revolutionist, and finally chief lieutenant of Garcia Granados, who by his help ousted Vicente Cerna (the decisive battle being fought 29 June 1871) and became President, Barrios being commander-in-chief. The revolution was a democratic and anti-clerical one, and the new government began by expelling the Jesuits; to which Barrios added the suppression of reli gious orders durin an acting presidency, and after he had, on 4 une 1873, succeeded Grana dos as President. ere had been incessant re volts of the reactionists, which shortly after his accession he quelled once for all, establishing a system of terrorism and espionage which at least gave the country quiet and enabled him to carry out his wonderful reforms and improve ments. He maintained internal peace and supremacy in Central America by a thorough system of militia drill for all but the pure blooded Indians; keeping an army of some 30,000 men in constant reserve, with 3,000- to 4,000 in the capital, which he made one of the best ordered cities of Spanish' He organized the postal and telegraphic service on the reports of men sent to examine the United States systems. He built the first telegraph and the first railroad us Guatemala, and started a line to the coast, compelling every citizen earning over $8 a month to hold stock in it; constructed street railway lines• in the capital; improved the roads and built solid bridges. He remodeled the educational system, estab lished collegiate institutes, normal and indus trial schools, and made knowledge of French and English a condition of license to practise law or medicine. He built two modern peniten tiaries. In a word, he transformed Guatemala into one of the most habitable and,progressive countries south of the United States. But the
foremost purpose of his life was to form Cen tral America into one united state, for power and prosperity and the ending of the miserable wars that wasted its vitality. On 15 Jan. 1876 he assembled a diet from all the states in Guatemala city to frame a plan of consolida tion; but as it could not agree upon one, he therefore determined to set up governments in the other states favorable to his -plans. Hon duras was racked by a civil war and offered no difficulties, Salvador was too small to resist the union of the two, and thencefonvard till 1884 Barrids disposed of the resources of all three republics. On 1 March 1880, the first Constitu tion of Guatemala went into operation, and Barrios was re-elected for a six-year term. On 24 Feb. 1883 he issued a circular to the Liberal party, pledging himself to effect the unification only- by peaceful means and with the consent of all the republics. In March 188-4 he called a meeting of five delegates from each republic, but Costa Rica and Nicaragua still held back-. Finally, on 28 Feb. 1885, he, with his assembly. issued a decree proclaiming the union of the five states, relying on Honduras and Salvador to help him put down resistance in the others. But the President of Salvador refused to em ploy force, and on Barrios persisting, joined Nicaragua and Costa Rica in a league to resist him, appealing to Mexico and the United States for help. President Diaz of Mexico remon strated with Barrios, and the United States viewed the movement with disfavor; but on the Salvadorean troops, which expected Mexican help, invading Guatemala, Barrios drove them back into Salvador, and while entering Chal chuapa was struck down by a sharpshooter's bullet. His widow removed to New York, and his son became a cadet in the United States army.