New-York tribune., 1889-12-23
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inces, under the Crown, on the basis of fedora
ton. measure designed TO create rational
system OF local government. This movement had
been zeafously cultivated by two popular Liberals.
joaquin Nabuco and Jose Marianne, and as the
latter perhaps the most popular man in the
Province, there general inclination 10 join
! the movement until he had decided upon his own
course On the 17tl after stipuating certain con-
ditons, which have not transpired here, he finally
announced his adhesion, and after him came the
multitude.
In Bahia, however. the overthrow OF the Mon
arehy was not easily accomplished. Bahia
was the original capital of Brazil, and is still the
seat of the Brazilian archbishopric The Province
has always been strongly Catholic, ardently at
tached to the Crown and less inclined TO listen
to progressive ideas than any other in the Empire.
No republican has ever counted upon the CO.
operation of this province in any scheme for
throwing the Empire, and the result has not dis
appointed any one When the news first reached
Bahia it was treated with doubt and indifference.
On the 9Th, however, a formal demand was made
by the Provisional Government for the adhesion
of the Province in the revolutionary movement.
popular meeting was held at the presidential
palace. and the municipal council assembled later
in the day. and at both resolutions adopted
declaring that Bahia would not desert the Mon
archy and join In any movement so irregular and
dsorderly as the one proposed This position
probably had slight influence in Fastening the
expulsion of the Imperial family from Rio the
night following and in causing the total suppress
sion of private kilograms to the North for a time.
The news of the Emperor's departure on the 18th.
however, appears to have completely smothered
all ideas of resistance. On the 18th Provisional
Governor appointed from Rio. was formally sworn
in and took charge of the Government. the mill
tary taking a prominent part in the ceremony
and subsequent manfestati tions. Vague reports
have been received here that conflict occurred
in that city, but we have yet no confirmation
of them In fact, far as we have any definite
news, not one life has been lost in this great
revolution, either here or in the Provinces. The
Monarchy has been crushed like an egg-shell. and
with quite as little effort
THE WORK OF REORGANIZING BEGUN.
The complete overthrow of the Monarchy so
suddenly and so easily, coupled with the total
absence of all resistance, oven opposition. has
left the Provisional Government in a very favor
able position for the reorganization of the po-
litical institutions of the country. Had there
been any resistance, then the task would not only
have been difficult. but it would have been pro-
longed and perhaps seriously complicated. From
the outset the ! Provisional Ministers have
been able TO devote themselves quite as fully to
the routine business of the Departments and TO
the work of reorganization as though no revolu-
tion had occurred. Aside from the DEGREES already
sent forward, by which the Empire is transformed
into federation of States under republican form
of government and provision made for the decent
support of the deposed monarch in exile, the Pro-
vsi0nal Government has been active in reorganiz-
ing the Provinces, States under Governors OF its
own selection, and in destroying all traces OF the
Empire Governors and chiefs Of police have
been appointed for all the States though the de-
sign is that these officials shall in future be pro-
vided by the States themselves, the provincial
assemblies have all been dismissed, and the COM
mission for preparing a civil code for the Empire
has been abolished on the ground that this work
will in the future devOlve upon each State for
itself.
DESTROYING REMINDERS OF THE EMPIRE.
In the matter of destroying all visible traces Of
the Empire, the provisional authorities have been
displaying a weakness, if not animus, which Is
not altogether in keeping with their preceding
acts The Imperial coat-0f-arms and flag first
claimed attention: the former being ordered down
from all public and private buildings, together
with the word Imperial" which was so uni
versally used Still further, the Government has
unwisely and ungenerously ordered that the
Dom Pedro H. Railway shall be known here
a1ter as Une EStrdue ue Ic1TO NthtIdl w Dlalh
Brazil Central Railroad, and that the Pedro III
College" shall be changed to the ugly title of
Institute Nacional de Instruccao Secundaria'
National Institute of Secondary Instruction..
As the Emperor took great interest in both
these undertakings and as the retention of his
name could have no political significance what
ever, it would have been a just and graceful
tribute to his memory to have retained the old
titles In Santos and in other cities, the streets
and squares named after members of the Imperial
family were at once rechristened, and here in Rio
we are anticipating a similar procedure from day
to day. The question of the new flag, however, has
been difficult to settle. Ii was easy TO dis
card the crown, but some of the republican agita-
tors demanded more. One of them had brought out
n flag from Paris, which servle copy Of
the Stars and Stripes green and yellow stripes
with white stars twenty on a blue field. The
Brazilian colors are not bright enough for such a
flag and the impression it made not at all
pleasing. The military men, apparently, did not
want so radical change, and on the 10Th de-
cree no A. issued specifying that the new
flag should comprise a green field with yellow
lozenge in the centre las in the old flag, but that
the imperial coat-of-arms on the lozenge should
be substituted by a blue celestial sphere bearing
twenty-one stars copied from the astronomical
position of the stars about the Southern Cross,
and crossed by white band bearing the words
"Ordem Progresso." Soon after the new flag
made its appearance the Government gave way
in the face of adverse criticism and ridicule-
some comparing the celestial sphere to plum
pudding with the raisins at the bottom"-and de-
creed another flag The last is described as the
old flag with star in place of the crown, but
even yet there appears to be much uncertainty
about it, Just now it is reported that the flag Of
November 10 will be eventually selected.
UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE DECREED.
Since the first decree defining the form ana