New-York tribune., 1891-12-20
ELECTIONS IN COLOMBIA.
A VIGOROUS CONTEST OVER The PREH'
DENCY.
PECULIAR METHODS OF NoMISATToy-A Dfv1DED
PoLuoAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS BOARDS
CAREFULLY sELEcrED-DAS3ER OF
CIVIL WAR

POLITICAL NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. boAhDs
CAREFULLY sELEcrrD-DAS5ER OF
CIVIL WAR
The fears lately expressed in ielcgrnms from she
Republic OF Colombia OF possible disorders In eonse
auence Of the excitement ocoasioncd By Presidenua
election there have been caused To some ex'snt
by the peculiar circumstances under which the com
try Is governed and by recent action on the pan
Of several OF the prominent political leaders.
on December > held the first election since
1896 in which II wHs possible for hose opposed %
or dissatisfied with the present Government to contest
at the hallotbox the right OF the Nunez regms o
rule or mlsrue the country for a longer period rhs
Presidential term is for six years, and the success
Of the government party has placed Dr. kalaei Nuhss
at the head Of affairs for third consecutive term.
To those who have kept themselves informed OF the
eyer VARYING phascs OF south American politics IL win
be needless 10 remark upon the vast change IN
Colombia which followed the triumph Of the Govern
ment party IN the civl war Of ls7o ihe hsdiosss
and Igsident Liberals, who suffered defeat ID INA.
memorable contest, claim that the struggle oid ho'
originate in the usual way OF revolution whefe 'ho
outs.o either leaders or parties, appear 10 afa's
for place and power. but tlat II was the resui' VI
deliberate and welorganIzed plan on the part OF the
Government 10 overthrow the Consultation OF hio
Negro-that adopted after the triumph OF the MOS
qliera rcv0lution--and the distinctive pohucl INST"
tutons which had grown up under iS a"e'ons-
To the accomplishment of this purpose, IL i chumeo.
the actual President DR.. Rafael Nunez ana ms
PERSONAL following. the Conservative party. and
a portion OF the Liberal party, were pieased'
and this purpose revealed In al clear
ness when the strenuous resistance OF ,no
di,sdent Liberals and Radicals WAS finally peaten
down. The Constitution of Rio Negro was declares
null and void and that OF 1856 took its place Inc
Federal character OF the Government was destroyca.
and strong central Government established, WIN
supreme authority at Bogota. The sovereign e'a'es
became mere departments, no longer eiecting s%en
President as before. but the Departmental ann'n.'-
tration was conhded to governors appointed oy 'hs
central power ut Bogoa. State military ershi]auos
we're not permitted under the new regime 30 'na'
the executive arm at the capital would NOT DO
hammered I'm any needed efforts for the common
wsal NV the action OF any Indifferent or hostile
entities I'm the country itself. The change ifom 'no
Federal 10 this centralized system OF SoVefpme"',
IN addition 10 the greater sohoar"y ~
strength which Il afforded To inc N"''""'
Government was particularly insisted upon ms
ogsrpe a more secure meas OF eteoung TO
r,rms IN the MANAGEMENT OF the country's nnahca'
affairs and In other important departments Oh eio
public administration. not the least prominent o' VINES
was the necessity OF securing Internal uahquih" a'~
maintaining social and personal guarantees W "s."
threatened and disturbed by revolutions "hon "a'
State Governments could nOt always ~
promptly and enicaciousy ,,
that this sweeping change In the form Of Govenmeh'
v,s accompaned by others Of retrograde character.
unworthy OF country claiming TO be hepuoio' a"
which were unnecessary 10 the attainment OF inc Gnu
desired some Of these the IMPRESSION Oi hoo
speech and the abolition Of the freedom OF inc oresN
the reunion of Church and state ana the sunleonon %
National education to the control Of the former e
ras,r,,oD Of Church propcrties which had been con-
escated n quarter Of century before. and the agree
ment to gay a large yearly sum 10 the Church ss
sot NJ penaltv for confscated properties which had
heen sold during the interim; new laws relating 70
marriage and Others which might be mentioned.
Whatever may be thought Of the retrograde steps
taken unhestatngly by the new mandatorles on 'hs
country and which perhaps may be- regaNed ~
merely transtory in their character. they nave oeen
universally submitted to- and the country has enjoyed
profound peace for half d dozen years someshs
after all to boast OF In country where the reVoif
tionary elements in former years have seriously ne
taried it's progress Administrative affairs have been
carried on with hmness and vigor some Efforts nave
been made at financial REFORM many public improve
ments have been Initiated and the country has nd
vanced fairly I'm the path OF progress. The author
ables advocate Of the new departure In Coiomoa
Dr. Rafael Nunez has been crowned by his adherenx
and admires as the " Ttular President OF the Re
public sort Of life appointment. with all sorts OF
distinctions and honOrs connected herewith. Among
others. the socaled National party seems to maintain
his name at the head Of their Presidential ticket so
long rs he desires it, and his ambition seems to be
constant and permanent quantity. with one or oulr
Of his strongest political allies as Vice President his
usual practice at the beginning Of term Is TO take
the oaths OF Office. remain at the Capital for few
weeks then retire to his residence at La Cabreva.
Cartagena, when the yicePpsdcnt serves out the
remainder of the term. This sort OF pubic service
has its advantages In more ways than for while
the honors and emouments Of the high station are his.
the duties and responsibilities are largely imposed
upon the actual incumbent at Bogoa.
AT the beginning OF the canvass, II so IL may be
termed In the present Presidential campaign In Colon
bia tie position Of political parties was very simple.
The Radicals. hostile to Nunez always OF late years.
were ont Of the contest far any candidate Of their
own was concerned and held themselves ready TO make
capita. out Of aus possible dyls.on ~ the ranks oi ue
IA candidate alleging that the elections were entirely
under Government control and whether they won or
lost the dny Their Candidate Noui DC counted Out
Their Central Directory cOunseiled absolute abstentlOn
from any Interest In me contest on ne part ol tieir
followers But some divisions had occurred III TIE
Government party, and two tickets were early put n
the he.u; one characterized as OIhc,al' asa ocarIs
tis names OF Dfs. NuheL ana SaV, tne olier an ui,
olncial ticket. which was headed by Dr. Nunez ald
General yeleI BOth tickets IL Is claimed, had at the
beginning the tsfh or express approval VI ue utuar
Pesdeut' and early In tie conhct he declared his In
entoE ~ mnintan neuttaiity "a between them 30 Lar
tickets were OF Conservative origin, the gentlemen
occupying the second pace on both being DISTINGUISHED
members Of the Conservative party the chief support
OF the NuncZ Administrator OF The two Caro- repre-
sented tine ultra, aud Nclez the progressive wings OK
the party. caro-. distinguished scholar and writer,
bat IN no important man Oi action or Of CON-
mandIDg administrative ability, l. credited with ths
authorship 70 onscerable S4tent OF te Consutnuon
1885, and the purpose Of his administration would 10
evidently government the rigorous lines VI that dQcu.
ment and the uccentustOn Of the situation IL had
created. Velez, successful military leader In various
campaigns has proved his capacity In Tie msnagenent
OF public affairs IN several important Ofnces Is
progressive and liberal Conservative who believes that
repression and coercion longer essential elements
TO successful administration ana VINO claims that the
financial and administrative reforms promised have not
been carried out and il will be The duty Of his GOV ern-
ment TO fulfil these pledges of the National party 70
which he claims to belong
The electoral contest at first was carried on In
mild and gOOd-natured way became what
gArded as an unimpOrtant family quarrel and efforts
vera made for some time to effect compromise ana
unite die party IN power upon single ticket When
this failed the hght waXed warmer. and