The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-11-13
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1868.
Recon struction IN south Americ >.

on the banks of the Parana may be expected
every day. But one result need be looked
for-ths total discontinue Of the Paraguayan
leader and his army, result in the best inte-
rests OF civilization, liberty, and humanity.
The dispatches recently received from Mr..
Washburn, our Minister to Paraguay, are
filed with horrible details of the cold -blooded
atrocities of Lopez, perusal of which, we
hope, has cured the New York Herald and
some other American journals of their pro-
found admiration for the Dictator and sympa-
thy with his unworthy cause. The sooner he is
pushed to the wall and pinned there, the
better for the unfortunate people over whom
he has so long welded despotic sway, aud for
such foreigners as have fallen into his
clutches. republic Paraguay never was,
and during the progress of the present war
with Brazil and her allies it has been the most
outrageous of petty despotisms. Brazilhais a
constitutional monarchy, with man of Ii ",ral
and enlarged views at its head; but, simply
because it is a monarchy, certain journals who
profess to be enlisted in the cause of liberty
and progress have steadfastly defended the
course of the Paraguayan Dictator deprecating
the serious blow at republican institutions
which, as they claim, will result from his over
throw, only by ignoring his tyrannical in
stincts and shameless cruelties.
Although Lopez has enjoyed the apparent
sympathy of the leading governments of the
world and the powerful endorsement of infu-
ential journals in both hemispheres, he is now
on his last legs, and must soon fall. Then
will arise a very serious question, about
which all mankind will proceed to perplex
itself. This question involves the reconstruc-
tion of Paraguay, which will be left by the fall
of Lopez without the semblance of govern
msnt. The apologzers for Lopez's tyranny
will of course raise howl If Brazil breathes
the words partition or annexation. To their
minds it will be an act of wholesale bri-
gandage, equalled only by the partition
of Poland. Still, it seems to US
that either partition among the allies, or au-
nexation as whole to Brazil, will be the
best alternatives from which the Paraguayans
can select their destiny. The territory over
which DR.. Francia erected the most arbitrary
of modern despotisms in 1914 embraces about
eighty -four thousand square miles, little
more than the combined extent of the New
population before the war of about one million.
A large majority of the people are the pure
blooded descendants of the Guarani tribe Of
Indians, the intensely developed spirit OF
caste which exists having prevented the
general intermixture of the Spanish and
aboriginal races which so largely prevails in
other sections of South America.
AI,bonob tba oountru 10 nna of ra M RI hla
fertility, and capable of being rendered ex-
ceedingly productive, the exclusive system of
DIR. Francia and his successor, Lopez, has re-
strained immigration and the arts of peace,
thereby keeping the country in a condition
but little in advance of that found by Ssbas-.
tian Cabot, the first European to visi. it, when
he sailed up the Parana in 1926. The
long -protraoted war which Lopez has
maintained against the combined forces of
Brazil, Uruguay, and the Argentine Con-
federation, has exhausted its resources,
nearly every man in the country
having been impressed into the army, and OF
late many of the most grievous burdens of tho
contest, including that of actual service in the
trenches, having fallen upon the women. In
the state of desolation which will prevail after
the final termination of the war by the over
throw of Lopez, with the complete demoraliza-
tion of the inhabitants, and the utter prostra-
tion of all their industries, Paraguay will either
drag out a dead alive existence for years, or
fall prey to civil strife and the contentious of
ambitious foreigners, unless the allies com
plete their work by taking it in hand and
thoroughly reconstructing it.
What South America needs most is consoli-
dation of territory and oentraliz alton of power.
These are the only remedies for the grievous
Ills which have afflicted the greater portion of
the continent since the Spanish yoke was
thrown off piecemeal, and not in lump by
concert of action among all the colonies.
Brazil has magnificent extent of territory, a
large and industrious population, and the only
stable government south of the Isthmus, II
we except the small colonies of Great Britain,
France, and Holland, en- the coast of Guiana.
Although her government is monarchical in
form, the firm rule Of Dom Pedro III is
worth far more to humanity than
the anarchy which reproaches the name OF
republicanism throughout the rest Of the CON
tinent. Under Brazilian rule Paraguay can
be made prosperous, productive, and satisfied.
Therefore, why not let Brazil gobble her up,
and put an end to the matter at oncef Or, il
the advocates OF republican institutions for all
mankind, Including the giants OF Terra del
.a-. ..,5 &ha horaa thiavas of the Cam auoh0