San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-08-01
NOT MUCH REPUBLICAN.

this country, beyond any reasonable
doubt. that they have no love fol
republicanism. Whatever may be
said of the peoples of these so-called
republics, their leaders are only in.
tent upon personal agrandizement
and the pushing of private ambitions
and fortunes. The affairs of each OF
these small principalities are domi-
mated by some leading family to
which the rest yield subsurvience.
The leaders of the revolutions, which
have become chronic In these states,
are the creatures or the representa-
tives of these families, and the war
for precedence is waged with varying
fortunes. Government by the people
is not considered. Such government
as would be predicated upon the ex-
pressed will of majorityis unknown
and by the leaders undesired. The
people of these states are plundered
by their dictators without mercy, and
it Is not to the interest of these lead
ers that any stable order should be
established. The revenues of the
country are practically sequestered
by each revolutionary leader, who, in
turn, secures a foothold on the necks
of the people. Officials become
suddenly rich under such conditions
and aspire to larger power, and thus
the succession of revolutionist as
pirants is continually provided for.
The whole feeling of those who have
any real voice in the conduct and
direction of affairs is anti-republican
All their inclination, tendency and
movement are toward dictatorial
powers and individual supremacy.
The name is republican, but the
spirit is monarchical, and monarchy
of the most absolute and despotic
kind. The insane jealousy of the
chiefs of one party towards any who
may possibly aspire in the future to
honors or leadership, is manifested
in assassination, arbitrary arrest
followed by imprisonment and ban
ishment, or such degradation of per-
son and deprivation of estate as rem
ders the obnoxious party harmless.
So also, assassination becomes the
instrument of revenge against the
oppressor and life is held q cheap
thing; society becomes insecure, trade
values become unsettled, and the
whole country in a chronic state of
revolution. The difficulty of estab-
fishing treaties and fixing relations
with such peoples can only be too
apparent. Out of this condition
arises the trouble 30 certain
to be experienced in all at
tempted arrangements for Pan-Amer-
lean relations. Mexico is coming out
Of these conditions, under the able,
wise, moderate and firm administra-
ton of President Diaz. Her example
may in time affect the governments
Of San Salvador, Guatemala, Nicara-
qua, Honduras and Costa Rica; but,
at present the example of the United
States seems lost upon the Central
American republics. Their affilia-
tions are with the old world govern
ments and the old world merchants,
and their preference is for old world
methods and old world aristocracies.
The cultivation of closer relations
with the Central American states
may have the effect of rouslng the
people to take more positive hold of
public affairs, and remove from place
those troublesome spirits who are
bent on the conquest of rivals, and
securing their places by usurpation
and cruelty attempt to preserve them
by the removal and destruction of all
who oppose their pretensions. These
people are Latin and not Saxon in
their race affiliations and in their
ideas of government aud personal ex-
erclse of power. They know nothing
of representative government, and
their leaders are not DESTROYS that
they should. To republicanize the
Central American republics will be a
matter requiring time and the exer-
else of great patience and wisdom.
His Well Runs Gold and Silver.
From the Pixies Peak Herald.