Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-01-28
FACTS ABOUT COLOMBIA.
Political Progress in the other United
States.
From the P1itadeyphia Times

From The PhilddelphiG Times,
New YORK, Jan. 2l.-Our relations
with the United States of Colombia have
become so close that few words about
its new form of government is worth re-
peatinG. EX-MayOr Jacobs, of Louisville,
Kentucky, has gone down there as our
Minister. W. u. Scruggs, who was APP
pointed by Gen. Grant and has been there
for number of years, has returned home
and has just been visiting New ork. lie
gives an interesting view of that country
and It's future. He passed Mr. Jacobs. his
successor, on the lsthmus and outlined to
him some of his experiences in that cOun-
try. 81 cannot better give an idea of the
new condition of affairs in the United
States of Colombia" said MIR. ScrugGs,
than by contrasting the old Constitution
with the one now in force. When these
States were first formed into Republic
by the convention held at Rio Negro in
1853 suffrage was made universal. state
sovereignty was made SO supreme that
secession or civil war was recognized as a
| belligerent right and all tCnures OF Office
were short. Instructions became 80
frequent under the license by which they
were officially recognized in the COnstitu-
ton that the most patriotic citizens OF the
Republic saw the necessity of many
changes in the laws. On y OV. ID a con-
ventlon of delegates met at BOgOta, and
when left there month later the Con-
stitutiOn of the Colombian States had been
completely changed. II has been modelled
IN many vital particulars on our own Con-
stitution.
INITIATING OUR CONSTITUTION.
''The first thing done was TO repeal the
old form entire, aud then they proceeded
to make a new one. Instead of the Presi-
dent being elected by the State Leglsla-
lures for term of two years, he is to be
voted for through popular electors, as in
our country, and for a term OF six years.
| Senators are also elected for the same
time. AS a check on State sovereignty
| the State in which BOgota, the capital, is
located is made a Federal district under
the control of Congress, just like our Dis
| trict OF Columbia, while Panama, the
| theatre of so many outbreaks, is reduced
| TO Territorial appendage, presided over
/ by an appointed Governor. Heretofore
| the Republic has suffered more from its
! judiciary than anything else. The Judges
were elected for short terms aud seldom
rose above the level OF politicians. This is
all changed under the new order Of things,
/ The judiciary is made national and ap.
| pointed for life, with the consent Of the
! Senate.
THE OTHER REFORMS.
Naturally suffrage has been curtailed
| so as to depend on property and educa-
| tional qualifications. This makes the
third movement in this direction in South
America. Many years ago the suffrage
was similarly restricted in Brazil, which
is an empire only in name, and the came
! thing was tried later in Chill, with ap-
| parently good results. 1t is hard to state
precisely what amount Of the population
| will be deprived of the suffrage by the new
act, but fancy not less tnan 20 per cent.
II really embraces the ignorant and irres-
! pOnsible element, which has made revolu.
| tlOns pastlme. DR.. Rafael Nunez, Just
| elected for SIX years, IS succeeding him.
| self. He is a distinguished scholar and
statesman. thoroughly patriotic and
widely esteemed. tie is not a COnserva-
tive. This means in Columbia a friend OF
| the old church supremacy in government.
! Then again he is not "A Liberal. This ina
plies a foe of church influence In every
/ form. But midway between the two he
! sits as a Conservative, believing that
after correcting certain organic plumbers
in the Constitution ali sectional and re-
! hgIOus disputes will quietly ADJUST them
! gpIVQg -