Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-07-23

issued a proclamation to the effect that they would conduct the government un- til new president could be elected, but the thousands who had become electri- fled by the magnetic name of Pierola had decided not to wait for the pres ident, but to put their new idol at the head of affairs without delay.
 Before morning there had been col hsion between Pierola s adherents and a body of loyal troops. The loyalists were defeated and the entire city, with the exception of the palace wherein the ministry was intrenched, was ill the hands of the revolutionists. Next day the city of Callao declared for Pierola, and so did the ships in the harbor. Be- fore three days had rolled away the ministry had yielded and Pierola was declared dictator of Peru. Then came the war with Chile, resulting in Peru vian defeat and the sweeping of PierOla and his adherents from control. For years after that he was an exile. Later he returned at the head of an army of enthusiastic adherents and was again made the chief executive This time he was dominant for even a shorter pc riod than before, being again sent into exile, disgraced and discredited.
 Three or four months ago he struck for supreme power again and won. For more than three years he had been at work in the Peruvian highlands organ iZing an army of mountaineers, and so we'll did he do his work that when his men met the regular troops ill brief engagement, news of which was cabled A mo ot fhn ln ulars, though numbering twice as many as the insurgents, were easily defeated, and Pierola marched to the palace over the bodies of 200 slain.
 So far as his power for organization and his personal magnetism are con- cerned Pierola is the sort of man to whom the title ''The Napoleon of South America" may be fittingly applied. But he has not yet achieved anything Napoleonic ill the way of conquest out side his own country, doubtless because he has never yet had all the people of Peru at his back. He has thrice defeated his opponents ill military contest, it is ! true, but he has never had majority of voters and he has never had the con- servative elements of the Peruvian body polite with him either.
 Nicolas de Pierola is said to be a charming man and to make friends as fast as he makes acquaintances Every time that he has been ill power he has made the beginnings of a broader policy than any adopted by his predecessors i'll | the presidential chair, but every time his broadened policy has been neutral ized by opposing factions of men who | claimed his sweeping pronunciamentos to be really evidences of a mind unbal- | anced by success at arms and filled with l chimerical schemes. It iG true, indeed, that he is, first of all, military man and that while he has shown what may be termed positive genius for the or. ganization of an army and the conduct of quick, decisive campaign he has l never yet demonstrated his ability tC carry forward the affairs of civil gov. ernment satisfactorily. His friends claim that this is true only because he has never yet had proper opportunity | and that if he can but maintain himself
 long enough to secure that opportunity he will now be able to prove his abili
 ties as chief executive as thoroughly an6 conclusively as he has already proved his military power.
 With the mountaineers of Peru Pier
 ola is popular almost beyond belief
 Nothing has ever happened to lesser their love for him or shake their con
 fidence ill his integrity and his ability
 They are by all odds the best fighters il
 Peru, and who has not their adherence cannot hope to win in Peruvian civi
 war.