Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-02-13
The New ReDubIic.

The New Republic.
Speaking of the sudden and pea cefu
! transition of Brazil from monarchy to
republic, the Chicago Inter Ocean says:
1T Is difficult to believe that the En-.
| pire of Brazil has really become the Re-
| public of Brazil 4 nation shall be born
In day said the old Hebrew seer. but
| here we have the fifth nation of the globe.
| In territorial extent, effecting In a few
hours, and without the sacrifice of a single
| life, a revolution as great as that which.
a century ago, not only drenched France
in blood but shook all Europe from foun-
| dation to turret No wonder the repre-
sentatiyes of Brazil in New York and
| Washington can not bring themselves to
| believe that such an oyerturning has ac-
tually occurred 1t must seem to them
| a hideous nightmare, or rather more like
Jack Cade madness that we'll consider
ed and permanent political reconstruction.
| Perhaps they are right about it although
the news from Rio de Janeiro goes to show
general acquiescence in the change The
Emperor himself, the good Dom Pedro,
shows no disposition to thwart the wishes
of the people, and the provinces, or states,
| all concur, with one exception, in the
change. The army and navy are said to
be on the side of the republic.
| We have said that Brazil ranks fifth In
area among the nations of the world, Great
Britain, Russia China, United States and
Brazil being the FIVE. This vast country
extends $500 miles from west to east and
$500 from north to south, with coast
line of 300 miles, and total area of
/ 2,252,029 square miles. 1t can boast
| the most extensive trade of productive
soil in one connected body ever united
under one government. The resources
have hardly begun to be developed. 1t
raises vast quantities of coffee 1t has for
a long time exported good deal of tim
Der, including the India rubber gum. But
for the most part the resources of that
country are still undeveloped The Portu-
guese took possession of it as long ago as
1900, and early began its settlement 1t
has never received the boon of immigra-
ton from any other country, and for little
| Portugal to undertake to go up and
possess" great Brazil was much like one
| pioneer stalking off and keeping for him
self and his children an entire county
| With the gradual elevation of its interior
as the Andes are approached, and the fac
ilities for transportation afforded by the
Amazon and It's many branches, that coun-
| try may become, and that in the near fut-
ure, prime factor In the production of
grain and general agricultural products.
The only state which has not given in its
| adherence to the new order Of government
is Bahia. 1t is second in population, and
in manufacturing industry occupies first
rank. There is probably no danger of any
! armed resistance to the general purpose of
the country. If it shall be found that the
republic meets with popular favor through
Brazil, as a whole, it is not to be feared
that any one province or state will resist
the CURRENT but if on the other hand the
new order of things is mushroom BAHIA
will enjoy an honorable distinction.
1t is now nearly four hundred years since
Brazil began to have history based, ger
minally, on Europe, Portugal being then
a ve1y enterprising nation and quick to
If it lacked the gold and silver of the Pa
cfc coast, so attractive to Spain, it had
| something still more precious, diamonds.
In this sort of riches it occupies the very
front rank in the family OF nations But
the most remarkable thing about Brazil is
its exemption from the ravages of war. 1t
is true that In the earlier days Of its colo
NAL existence the jealousy and cupidity
of the English, the Dntch, and the Span
iards disturbed some coast settlements,
but war has been almost unknown to its
history. The fortunes of the NapoleOnic
war drove John VI. of Portugal to Brazil
as heaven of retreat from French Invaders.
His court accompanied him That was in
1903 He staid there twelve years, dur
ing which time he raised Brazil to the rank
of a kingdom instead of a colony with its
SOVnrai crntv no less than that of POrtu oral
| vested in his family Two years later his
Pedro, yielding to the pressure of public
pendence of Brazil, taking to himself the
| title of Europeror. The King of Portugal
| did not object to the arrangement, the af-
fair being consummated In 1925. The new
Emperor did not give satisfaction, and six
| years later he abdicated In favor of his
young son and namesake, then only five
years old For about ten years a regency
held the reins of government when the
was thus imbued with the idea that he was
| Emperor by the grace of the people and
not by virtue of any royal prerogative. The
only considerable war the country has ever
had was with Paraguay from 1856! to 1870,
when with the clip of the Argentine Re-
public is was completely successful. 1t was
and the surprise is that the war was of SO
long duration. Brazil may be said to have
never known the horrors of the battlefield,
and if its past foreshadows its future the
present revolution. whether successful OF
not, will continue to move to the music of
the violin rather than the drum"