New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-02
PRESIDENTS IN DANGER.
CONsPIRACIEs AGAINST THE RULERS OF
SOUTHERN REPUBLICS.

A YEARS RECORD SHOWS ONE ASSASSINATION
ONE MARROW ESCAPE AND SEVERAL
OTHER UNSUCCESSFUL. ArTTMPrs-
AN oBsnRvER.s NOTES
It SO happened that was in the city OK monte
video last August when the President OF oru-
guov General Borda. was killed by the bullet
of an assassin, and that was in the city OK no
do yaneiro last month when the President OF
Rrazu DR. Moraes barely escaped ASSASSINATION
at the hands Of n conspirator armed with Dag
rer and revolver and that while at Rio heaiu
Of the ATTEMPT upon the life of the President Oh
Mexico General Diaz and OF the UNSUCCESSFUL
nlot 10 kill the President of Guatemala, Generai
Rarrios and of the perilous situation or the
President OF Ecuador General Alfaro who has
twice this year been marked for murder ana
since I came to New-York l have heard OF the
arrest of a part of the gang of consplrators
CHARGED with designs upon the life of the newly
elected President Of Venezuela, General An
drade. as also of a conspiracy in Colombia, and
another in Honduras besides the one In Mica
ragua against President Zelaya
In nearly all the countries through which
travelled. from the Rio de Ia Plata in the south
to the Rio Grande in the north. there was tax
Of conspiracies TO cut short the career OF men
holding the Office Of President in American re-
publics.
A SINGULAR STATE OF THINGS
It Is a singular state Of things, for the Presi-
dents of these republican countries are chosen
by the people who live in them. In every case
II ,s provided that they shall be elected by
majority of the voters but, then. Ii Is TO De SAID
that I was led to believe that this provision.
nj
them. Is very often recklessly disregardcd. l
heard OF one President who gained his office by
revolution. and of another who gained it by cor
r,Inting the army and Of another who seized
n In the nighttime when the watchdog5 were
asleep The history Of the countries | have WIS.,
tied this year Is full Of extravagant Incidents,
plenty of which are CORY.
When I spoke Of this to an intelligent native
Of Uruguay whom l met in Montevideo he told
me in an impetuous manner. that the North
Americans Of the United States were debarred
from any criticism in the matter. as they them
selves sometimes disposed of their own Presl-
dents by shooting them: and he illustrated his
remark by mentioning the names OF Lincoln and
Garfield / tried to explain to him that these
two cases could not be brought into comparison
with the others that had been spoken OF. These
Presidents Of the United States were not the
victims OF a widespread conspiracy. as was the
late President OF Uruguay. or as had been so
many other Presidents in South and Central
America The murder OF Abraham Lincoln was
a deed for which It's perpetrator alone was re-
sponsible and the same thing can be said OF
the murder OF General Garfield. In neither case
was the assassin backed up by any portion OF
the people Of the United States. In each case
the criminal deed met with universal reproba-
tion. The two assassns OF Presidents in the
United States had no sympathizers; they did not
act in the name Of any organized community OF
plotters; they were not the representatives Of
any political party. In neither OF the cases
which he had mentioned was revolution the re-
suit OF President-kng.
DIFFERENCE IN URUGUAY.
II Is different in Uruguay, for example. where
for over year President Borda had knowledge
Of the existence of extensive conspiracy
against his life. in which many army officers
and politicians were implicated.
1t is possible that the explanation contained
in my remarks upon the assassinations of Lin
coin and Garfield made an impression upon my
Uruguayan acquaintance; but, even after he
had listened TO me attentively. he expressed the
opinion which he had formerly entertained
about violent occurrences in the politics OF the
United States.
When | was in Montevdeo, near the end of
August last, at the time of the murder Of Pres
ident Borda. | was greatly surprised by the alb
sence OF excitement over the tragedy. The daily
life Of the city proceeded in the ordinary way
The gayetcs OF the people were but slightly in
terruptcd. 1T was Wednesday. August 30 the
day OF the celebration Of the seventy second an
nversary OF the independence Of Uruguay. The
news Of the incident did not put q stop to the