The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1879-06-13
SPANISH AMERICAN REPUBLICS.
How a Mexican Governor Count. tn

How a Mexican Governor Counts the
Votes.
The triangular duel between the Re-
publics of Peru, Chilli, and Bolivia, has
drawn public attention to the singular
forms of government prevalent on the
South American continent. Republics
they are not, although they are called by
that name: neither are they governments
of a mOnarchical hereditary type. The
governments of these hybrid cOmmuni-
ties may be described as military despot-
isms, with Republican forms, tempered
by frequent revolutions. The May num-
Der of the International Review" has
very interesting article on the subject,
under the name Of American AutocratS, ~
by Felix L. Oswald Mr. Oswald's au.
tocrats are sometimes beneticcnt, or, as
he calls them, liberal, sometimes malevn-
lent and bloodthirsty: but all are irresis-
tibly comic, and their rule IA caricature
of Republican institutions as praCticctl
in the Northern half OF the American
Continent.
POrtirio Diaz, the ruling despot OF
Mexico, has introduced simplicity into
the working of the Mexican electoral
laws which it is impossible to improve
upon. On recent occasion, having
need of "A four-fifth vote of particular
| Mexican province, he wrote to one Ofthe
provincial Governors ito take such sum
mary measures as the occasion required
| He was Obeved, and favorable vote was
returned to the omnipotent ruler of Mex
leo. The desired result was thus achiev
ed. The provincial Governor informed
| Porfirio DiaZ that since his conviction
| of the loyal sentiments of his State haG
enabled him to foresee the issue of the
progress of counting votes, he had taker
the liberty to omit the ceremony alto
gether." POrfiriO DiaZ administer!
the financial departments of Mexico will
similar absence of ceremony. On be
ing pressed lately by our agent, Mr.. Eos
ter, for an indemnity, he wrote to another
provincial Governor that money must bC
forwarded before the end of the month
and he added, ''the gods have mercy up
on your hide if must help you to col
lect it,
The Government of the State of Guate
mala is administered by military re
| gulator, Vicente Granados, who nomin
ates and disposes President at his owl
will and pleasure. His method of silenc
ing opposition in the Chamber of De
puties is rather high-handed. On ont
occasion he dashed into the house ant
inflicted personal castigation on a recall
citrant Deputy. At another time, h,
| lOOh all GU udlly lOIClDlc ulclIlOO vi sup
pressing opposition at public meetin.
called to anImadvert on his rule. Vicent
Granados ordered a regiment of soldier
tO the place of the intended meeting, ant
as the would-be protesting gentlemen
arrived, they were summarily arrested
Manuel Prado, of Peru, rules Peru il
a manner somewhat similar to that o
his friend IN Guatemala. He also set
up and pulls down Presidents, and OF
one occasion varied the usual monoton,
of the process by shooting candidate
who had the temerity to oppose his can
didate.
The cases we have cited give an ide
of the so-called Republican Government
of South America at the present time
What they have been. is only to wei
known, and Mr.. Oswald, in his shOr
sketch, cites many examples of thei
capriciOus character. The ultimat
destiny of these South American Repuh
lies is a difficult problem to unravel
The Spanish American race appear t.
have lost even the traditions of selfgOy
eminent, and seems to prefer Dictator
ship to any other form of rule. Provid
ed the forms of free institutions are pre-
served the South Americans are evidentl,
quite Indifferent to the substance of lit
erty. The only thing that the inhabitant
of the South American Republics ar
unanimous upon is that the Dictator TO
the time being shall be one Ofthemselves