The morning call., 1893-09-18
THE CONFLICT IN BRAZIL,

The peSding conflict in Brazil has no
worldwide Importance. 1t is merely the
fermentation of the elements which we're
reused to activity by the transition of the
country from an empire to a republic. 1t
was hardly 10 Oe expected that country
of 140O0, 600 people could change their
form of government and their institutions
without some friction.
To outsiders it appears that Marshal
Deodoro FOnseca, who was chosen Presi-
dent. in 1889. when the Emperor Dom
Pedro II was dethroned. was a man of
ability and honest purpose. But his term
was spent in ouelling or endeavoring to
Quell instructions. They wore him out,
and he resigned, in 1891, when he had
three years still TO serve, and he was
succeeded in an orderly legal way by Vice
President Floriano PeixotO. He found
the same obstacles in his path. and, like
his predecessor. spent his time in conduct
ing civil war. The latest incident in the
war is his retirement from the city of Rio
in consequence of the occupation of the
haTbOr by an insurgent squadron.
Whether this involves his final overthrow
remains to be seen.
The trouble with Brazil is its enormous
size and the want Of unity among its peo-
pie. 1t Is nearly as large as the United
States. and the greater portion of its area
is arabic. The various States of which il
consists are empires in themselves, and
have little or no affinity with their sister
States. When the old regime was over
thrown several of these resolved To set up
for themselves and severed their connec-
tion with Brazil. One of these was the
province Of Rio GIande do Sui, which ex-
PEELED the agents of the Rio Government
and has carried on a war for independence
ever since. Another was the enormous
province of NJ alto Crosse, which is as large
as Alaska, and abounds in gold, iron and
all manner of agricultural products This
province communicates with the outside
world by the Paraguay, and has no COM
mercial intercourse with Brazil proper. 1t
declared its independence and its 100, 900
inhabitants announced their intention of
becoming one Of the sovereign nations of
the world. The example has been fol-
lowed by other provinces. and bloody wars
would be raging if the belligerents could
get at each other.
1t is possible that PeiXoto or his sue
cessor may succeed In reunitlng the dis
jecta membra of the empire, but the
chances are that he will not. When the
War of Independence ended in this coun-
try it was found difficult task to induce
the thirteen Independent colonies to form
In a consolidated republic. Large conces-
sions had to be made to luie recacitrant
States into the Union. And this though
the States were all on a narrow strip bor-
dering on the ocean, and were within such
easy access of each other that during the
war armies had marched from end to end
OF the strip. Indeed, there were many
levelheadeC men who doubted very seri-
ously when the constitutional convention
was In session whether the divergent in
terests of the several States could ever be
reconciled. The obstacles in the way of
union are more formidable in Brazil.
MattO Grosso's interests are more closely
allied with those Of Bolivia or Paraguay
than they are with those of Brazil, and the
people of the valley Of the Amazon have
little in common, save the accident of con-
sanguinity, with the people OF Minas
Geraes and Espiritu Santo. There is O.
stage in the evolution of communities
where the centrifugal force is irresistible,
and each community seeks destiny of its
own. The subsequent stage, where GEN.
tripetal force acquires power, only comes
into play afterward. South America is
in the former stage. Half dozen inde-
pendent States now divide the territory