The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-05-18

Dom Pedro III. emesror II Brazil. i
lyinx u the paint - dea&h in Jtaiy snd
hoyss Of Mn recovery are digit He
Il sixty three yezrs u ~ and has been
IN failing he.lsh for some yesrs. His
dessh kas scooriinx3y teen booked fos-
ward 10 BY tb< poopse II Brzxil - >
mot improbable event u the near
future. and The emperor hinreh has
done IN that Ne could - peepars for the
event by plaring the government IN
.nch shape tfst his ssaccsssos sih a.
eend TIE throne with no complications
70 esnharrsss him snd no fangIes 70
stssighfen.
There IL no Irving monarch who has
done more for his country, and their
i none whom his country can 80 poor
IL Afford - SPAR, Is Dom Pedro. His
reign has ieen long one He zscendei
the throne Efty-seven years ago, WHEN
he was hut child u six OF course.
the government vas for time in the
hands Of regency. but scon after
Pedro assumed personal direction Of
the affairs 81 the empire his breadth OF
mind and enlightened IDEAS Of govern
ment became apparent He instituted
reforms Of the most sweeping charsc-
TER, and IL may he said with truth that
he found Brazil the most illiherai Of
empires and viii leave II the most
liberal.
From the first his policy was TO In
crease the powers 81 the common peo-
pie and 10 make his government a
constitutional one. He gradually re-
ducesl the powers Of the nobility until
they we're upon the same plane polite
ally a. those who bore no titles. He
instituted gradual abolition Of slavery
which Is now about complete, and
which win place Brazil. the last great
and enlightened nation 10 uphold
slavery, among the nations which have
abolished and forever repudiated the
sccursed institution. He broke the
political power of the church and
made ID sub.erviens to the civil gov
eminent. He encouraged letters and
the arts and facilitated in every posi-
bic way the introduction Of improved
machinery into this country. His
financial policy has been . sound one
and during his reign vast sums have
been expended on public works in all
parts Of the empire. In short, he has
been model ruler and he has made
Brazil the most peaceful. the most
prosperous and the most progressive
country OF South America.
Its not 10 be wondered at that this
good emperor Is regarded with both
loyalty and affection by his subjects.
They look upon the record Of his long
reign with pride in their country and
| in him. Nor Is IL any wonder that
they look forward TO his approaching
end with doubts and misgivings- Al
his death the Brazilian crown will b
| placed upon the brow OF his daughter
the countess d'Eu. The countess Is in
every respect the opposite of her lib
eral and broad minded father. She i
an adherent OF the Jesuits, and il i
| not 10 he doubted that the beginning
OF her reign will mark the end of that
Religious liberty which has made Bra
all notable among the countries oi
Spanish America. She Is, moreover
completely under the influence of her
husband, Count d'Eu, who i thor
ough Bourbon, and who wiz do al
within his power to bring about re
action and 10 undo the good work that
has been done by Dom Pedro. The
only consolation in regarding the as
cent Of liberal throne by such 4
/ woman Is in the thought that the Bra
lillian people have progressed too fai
TO tolerate anything that looks like I
backward step. II their empress fail,
To fall in with their ideas, they vii
quietly set her aside and either call t.
the throne somebody in sympath,
with them or will abolish the thron,
altogether and run the government
themselves.
| Dom Pedro has always been firm
friend of the United States. and tn,
American people can sympathize viii
him in his Illness NJ with one who ha
been warm admirer OF their coantr,
and its institutions.