Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-24
BRAzIL'S BOULANGER.
Da FOnseca's Similarity TO the French
FuEitive-NOI I-Educated Man
or n POlitician-DOm Pedro's
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM re THE DIsPArcH.I


Democratic Tendencies.
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM rc THE DIsPArcH.i
NEW YORK, November 23.-A. S.
Belens, a native, and until within two
years resident, Of Brazil, said to-day that
while the news of the revolution did not
surprise him, the fact that General De Fon-
SEGA had become the head of the Provisional
Government was almost incredible. 1t
seems that the General was not only un-
known as a politician or a diplomat, but
that he was not even at the head of the
army. His full name is Deodoro Da
Fonseca. He is not well-edu-
Gated man, and has had no ex-
perience whatever in politics. During
the war with Paraguay ne made an excel
lent record as a subordinate commander,
and became popular with his brother Off
GERS. After the war, General Da Fonseea
adopted much the same plan as did Bou-
LANCER in France.
The other men are wholly unknown to
Brazilians in this city. They ask each
other who is this Benjamin Constant? Who
are the others? The logical answer is
that they are creatures of General
Da Fonseca-men whom he can de-
pend upon, but who have never
attained reputation outside their clubs.
The active Republicans in Brazil are a
small majority. Nevertheless, he believes
that the Republic has come to stay.
In the first place Dom Pedro has
acquiesced, and that weakened any ef
fort that may be made to reinaugurate
the old regime. Second, the conservative
leaders are too old to make any resistance.
Third, the general population is too litter
ate to appreciate at once the difference be-
tween a republic and an empire, and the
army will represent to them the ruling
force and its character.
The fall of Dom Pedro has brought out
many stories concerning him.. During his
long reign he has had at one time and
another good deal of property. 1t has all
gone A large part of it went to establish
and endow institutions of a charitable
character, such as orphan asylums, schools,
etc. At the present time he is absolutely
dependent for living upon the generosity
of the Provisional Government of Brazil.
He was a man easily imposed
upon, and many a humbug lived
well upon his bene6cence. It has
been widely known that he had democratic
tendencies, but just how they manifested
themselves has not always been clear. For
one thing, he was accustomed to give pub
lie audience once every week. The audience
chamber was large hall, filed with chairs. IF
ON the day of audience q tramp presented
himself first, he was conducted to the front
seat, and so through the list The Emperor
followed vigorously the rule of listening
first to the man who had the first seat, no
matter how important might be the person
age next in order.
Perhaps this unique Emperor's strangest
exhibition occurred in Rio de Janeiro. He
attended a performance at a theater.
In the course of the evening the
orchestra played the "Marseillaise.
The Emperor arose in his box
and remained standing until the close Of the
piece-a tribute to republicanism that as
suredlv would not have been given by any
other Emperor in the world.