Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-07-04

tence to redress the bslancs OF the old
the belief of enthusiastic liberals in Eu-
rope was that people might revolt
against tyrRnt kings, but would
never rise il instruction against
duly elected presidents OF their own
choice. In Mexico and other Americ an
republics this gro wing prophecy has been
singulsrly nullided. Revolt after revolt
has followed election after election.
Revolutions, civil wars, reputation Of
debt, insolvency, anarchy, have been the
melancholy incidents of republiesuisu
in the new continent, especially in the
south. There are of course other causes.
The climate is sultry, and heats IN Il p
blood. The race ia Spanish, aud given At
once to fiery rashuess ard iIs of iudnl-
ence. There is q residum of aborinal
Indians, entirely uneducated, and mix
ed race with the vices of two continents.
These causes are at the bottom of the
mischief, but republicanism has not prov
ed itself cure.
Ii we survey the whole American con
tinent We see five bright spots where law
Ii INDICATED, order maintained, pros
perity pre- Rressive, and liberty secured
These are epublios-United States, Chill,
and the Argentine confederation. Two
are nRrohies-Causda and Brazl. o.
the republics il must be said that two Of
them are the most conservative and the
least democratic in the world. Chill has
a restricted suffrage, and is practically
ruled by its aristocracy. The constitu
ton of the United States bristles, as MIR.
Bryce points out, with strong securities
against the impulses of the peOple--se
curities that many liberals would like
to see adopted here. Brazil, the only
monarchy in South America, has had a
history differing in almost every respect
from that of the neighborinE republics.
1t has had only two emperors since 1924,
while some of the republics have had
twenty or thirty political adyenturers
called presidents, IL has made steady
progress in every espect, ana within the
last few years nave decreed the entire
abolition of slavery. As to Europe, the
republican system can boast of Switzsr
land as an old and respectable instance
Of people happy under elected rulers.
But then the Swiss are an exceptional
people in an exceptional position, and
the preservation of their independence
for the ages has been due TO physical
circumstances and peculiar qual-
les of race rather than to their
political institutions. Frsnoe remains.
1t is a republic and has been so now for
eighteen years-having had ten years
trial of the same form of government in
the last century, and four years expert
ment from lS4S to 1852. It's permanent
success, however, is not yet proved. We
should like to see one Of its duly elected
presidents fulfill his legal term of Office
and hand over his power ia DULY elected
successor. That interesting incident of
republican institutions has not yet been
transacted in Paris, and if General Bou-
LANCER succeeds, may never come 70 pass.
II cannot be said therefore that republi-
oanism can congratulate itself greatly on
its present position in the World. In
theory it is a beautiful form of govern
ment. The idea is that a wise people
elect the best man to rule them and sup
ply him with a parliame of wise coun.
selors; that worth, not birth, governs the
gift of offices, and that honesty, not rank,
receives respect IL this vision realiz I'd
Once upon a time lord mayor of Lon
den cancelled an invitation TO minister
from Honduras because that little state
had not paid its debts Had the same
principle of prohibition been applied in
Paris recently there would have been at
least six Banquo chairs among the seats
set for the thirteen republics. We can
not therefore say that public virtue and
American republicanism are exactly the
same thing; and though monarchial in
situations are often oalled tffete they
seem to foster both here and across the
seas old fashioned ideas of personal hon
or, public order, steady progress, and
financial morality.