The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-18
ACRE
Rodrisues Aries
Cannot Become a
KING,
Nor Can His Thrlv-
ing Community at

~ r ORD has gone forth that the
Independent State OF Acre
has ceased to exist - in fact.
NV never did exist. and thus ends
:" the last attempt TO form new
nation while you wait. land
never before occupied; come one. come
ALL" In medieval times such things sue
ceeded well. but now they do not seem to
go" There seems TO be no spot of land
the globe now where an entrprising
adventurer can retire and set up gov
eminent of his own--not an island in the
seas or an UNEMPLOYED recess on any con-
tinent The nations have divided up the
surface of the earth between them.
Places of which they have not actually
taken possession by raising their flags
and establishing governments they calm
/ ~ have appropriated by sitting in council
and making free use of a ruler and blue
pencil And these lines are drawn not
only over continents. but over oceans, 80
that If an enterprising man upon whom
civilization bears too hard gathers about
him a party OF choice spirits and goes of
to discover an island and be king there.
he wakes up one morning to ind that he
is a trespasser on property already appro-
priated. even though he should have been
the first TO see the island
There was the island of Trinidad. lying
Off the coast OF Brazil, which never had
been occupied by any government, and, as
Tar AS COhlu be Iounu out, belonged 10 no
nation. Some years ago the Baron Hard
ing-Iiickey conceived the idea OF settling
the place and establishing an Independent
principality there. He advertised for inn
migrants, proclaimed himself Prince Of
Trinidad, established "Chanceiry' IN
New York. and offered decorations To
those VINO should help him to colonize HIS
new domains. Then. to his surprise. Bra
iii said that the island belonged to her
and always had England. too, put up
claim. and the prince became a baron
again.
Away up on the northwest border OF
Brazil where the coastiess republic OF
Bolivia touches the great South American
republic was founded the independent
state of Acre For years there has been
boundary dispute between Brazil and
Bolivia. IL was one OK those comfortable
boundary disputes which lie sleeping IN
official plgeouhoies and nobody cares
about, because nobody except few In
dians live In the debatable land ana the
region is only partly explored. The Bo-
HViHn boundary question slept as soundly
as did the Alaska boundary dispute until
the latter was awakened rudcly by the
discovery Of gold In the l<londike. SO the
sleeping Bolivian boundary question the
other day was kicked ont OF it, warm bod
by the discovery that large quantities OF
rubber were being sent down the Amazon
from place called Acre. The region uf
the Amazon Is the greatest rubber prodgc-
Ing territory in the world Along an the
tributaries Of that mighty river every body
is engaged In the production of rubber
which Sc sent tn small boats 70 Manaos
there TO be shipped on steamers 70 Para.
at the Amazous mouth, and from Para
the round. fat cakes are sent all over the
world 20 become the mackintoshes aud
bicycle tires % commerce.
But the amount OF rubber which eamo
there not composed 81 natives began 10
excite curiosity and the attention of the
government WAS attracted. "Acfe--Acrc--
where IL Acre." and there was great
hauling out OF maps 40 Rio Janeiro. The
Acre river VAS found and The place lo-
Gated. and DO, II was in the dchatablc
land, which. st had been agreed between
the governments 81 Brazil and Bolivia
should be occupied BY neither nation uutA
the boundary had been settled.
It was learned that an enterrrisiug
spanisrd, Bodrisues Aries. had heatd
somehow ef This debatahle region and
that there the rubber trees grsW BRA great
abundance What S. home without "A
rubber plante" said Aries And, gather
Ing Is few followers about aim. he pane-
trated To- the region and set up in bust
ness. He was Joined b. others until he
had a community % i9ele people about
him, AN uubFknDWn ta Bolivia ara HraE4t
HE established his own government ard
eel himself up as The head cf tho Frse
State OF Acre When he vas discovered
and told that he was violating the ul0dus
vNendI between Bolivia and Brazil he did
not get ont. and now the Brazilian gov
eminent has sent four river gunboats and
a force OF soldiers 10 see about g. The
people who have gathered about Aries are
said go be from 1u parts ~ the world and
90 be an uDrily Dot.
Il is mot easy 10 get 10 Acre. The expo
HFsf