New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-01
"REPUBLrCs..
Mr.. sEwARD's REFLECTIONS on Aef,,vAs.
DOS HOLLOW SHAM OF REPRE-.
SENTATIVE GOVERNMENT.

DOS HOLLOW SHAM OF REPRE-.
SENTATIVE GOVERNMENT.
To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: year ago we liberated the Phn.nn,,.
Islanders from Spanish rule During sev.~.,
months past have been trying to pber.,.
them also from a native military despotisr,
which they described as worse than snan,.h
tyranny
Many we'll meaning and some learned ma,
among us have preferred to believe that On,
troops and ships were engaged In a work M.
OF liberation, but Of oppression. and were crush.
ing n free republic" seeking Independence
Now that the pretended fabric Of governmer,
Is crumbllng. It's captured leaders and deludsd
followers cheerfuy admit that they were seek
ing power and plumber after the ancient Malay
fashion. and that their 80 called republic" wa.
merely a sham to catch American sympathes
1t was neither elective nor representative Its
leaders chose each other and represented M,
body but themselves.
II IL 10 be hoped that this experience will M.
be lost upon u.s. for shall probably have IA
deal with other pretenders besides Ag,iinaIdo.
Military and political Adventures In variou.
parts Of the world have learned that the word
with which to beguile ia Is republic" We hav.
republic Of our own, which We say and believe
IL the best government in the world II Is
natural enough that we should sympathlze with
other efforts in the same direction. But every
military conspiracy or oigarchy gang Of rob-
bers does not become a republic merely by call
ing itself one
Nine Roland, when they dragged her past
the statue OF Liberty to the guillotine *.
claimed: 20 Liberty, how many crimes ara
committed in thy name" II II so with IN.
hay heaa
vilanies. and doubtless there will be more here.
after. masqueradlng under that benign It'll.
From the Reign Of Terror in France down to II.
latest revolution in Spanish America, every
modern attempt To usurp power has sought to
wear that specious disguise.
We need to he more chary ~ our sympath,s
and more discriminating IN our judgment az to
real republics and sham ones. Our own republic
and that Of Switzerland the two most sue
cessful examples In history. Both were the slow
product Of centuries Of experience in the art OF
popular government. Here. in our own land be.
ginning with the election of local magistrates
and representatives. we learned, first, how to
govern townships, then counties. colonies and
States, and, finally, the great federation Of for.
ty-five self governing republics which constitute
our Union.
The lack Of the habit Of orderly participates
in the work Of seif-government is what has req
dered republics unstable in Europe and in Spar.
ish America. The requirement OF that habit Is
the essential step toward a stable republic any.
where.
We shall doubtless be urged during the mex.
few years to withdraw the protecting care Of
our troops and ships from one and another Of
the lands newly brought under our flag. Moth
ing could harm them more than such with
drawal: It would simply deliver them over 10
anarchy and despotism. But If we can main
tain peace and law and order among them
we can educate them how to choose local mag
strates and representatives how to hold cleo
tions and to acquiesce in their results. how to
avoid faction fights and armed conflicts. then
neither our precepts nor our example will be
dsregarded by them. They will be apt and
willing scholars but they have yet TO spend
good deal OF time at school il they are ever u
be graduated in the shape OF real and matured
republics FREDERICK w. SEWARD.
Montrose- on the Hudson Nov. 80. 1899.