The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-11-30
BLOTTED OUT.
The New South American Re-
public of Acre
Did Not Live Long Enough to
Get on the Map.
BOLIVIA AND BRAZIL
Crushed the Infant Government
Crushed the Infant Government
Between Them.
The Officials Have All Fled the
Country.

Country.
New York, Nov. So.-A special to the
Times from Washington, D. c., says:
The announcement of the existence of
the Acre Republic and the news OF us
extinction came almost simultaneously.
was not crushed until August, 1900
From time to time stray newspaper
articles have mentioned runors that the
people of Acre had declared republic;
but the first positive news 10 lnaL erect
was contained in recent Denver dis
patch declaring that Acre had sent
minister to this country. II the minister
has come in good faith, he is doomed TO
disappointment. The republic of Boil
via has conquered his country and wiped
out its short-hved government.
This statement has just been made by
the Bolivian minister to the United
States Senior Don Fernando B. Guacha-
liza who has returned to Washington and
is staying temporarily at the Gordon,
preparatory to establishing a legation
The lack of information about the
short history of the republic of Acre is
due chiefly to its remoteness from the
settled portions of South America There
are large tracts of the great continent
which have never been settled and are
little known and there are said to be
large sections which have never been ex-
p1ored.
The Acre country has not been settled
never been explored The explorers
found that it was a great rubber coun-
try and that led to its speedy settlement.
It is far away from the thiclxly popula-
ted portions of both Bolivia and Brazil,
but especially Bolivia. The country is
but especially Bolivia and Brazil, but
but especially Bolivia The country is
on the border of Bolivia and Brazil, but
it lies within Bolivia territory. 1t was
settled by Brazilians interested in rub
Der. The Bolivian minister, however, has
declared positively that there was no
boundary dispute between the two coun-
tries.
According to his account Of the rebel
lion, the people of Acre became restless
under the Bolivian system of taxation.
The complaint arose wholly from the
upper classes They complained of the
heavy taxes, which they declared bur-
densome to the growing rubber industry.
It was claimed that the business inter
ests of Acre were suffering by reason OF
it. Apparently all efforts to induce Boil
ivia to change her system of taxation or
modify it in the interests Of Acre failed
and at last, in December OF last year,
the business men of Acre met in conven-
ton and determined to throw off the
authority of Bolivia They proclaimed an
Independent republic. The leader of the
movement was a Spaniard named Gal
vez, and he was chosen first president of
Acre.
This rebellion differed vastly from the
ordinary South American revolutions
Such revolutions are generally in the in
terestS of some politician who desires to
make himself president by overthrowing
the existing administration This re-
bellion was a secession of a part of the
Bolivian republic and an attempt to Gre
ate a new government
Galvez and his government, apparently,
were unable to raise army of any i'm
portance. They had a good opportunity,
because the Acre region was so far away
country through which troops must march
was so difficult that it would be months.
before the Bolivians could have army
on the scene of sufficient size to put down
the rebellion Either they did nothing or
in sympathy with the re6eiiion and the
business men who were at the head of it
could not form sufficient army by them
selves. Whatever the reason the fighting
force of Acre was small.
After acting as president of Acre for
three or four months, Galvez gave up the
office and went back to his country. He
has since died at Madrid; Rodriguez Aries
vas his successor, and Aries was, next to
Galvez, the head and front of the revolu-
ton He was a Brazilian. Brazil sent
troops to the border as soon as she heard
of the rebellion, but not with any inten-
ton Of aiding the rebels The object of
terests, Acre being her frontier. The
Brazilian troops remained there for some
time and there We're several clashes be-
tween the soldiers and the people of Acre,
but no battles of any consequence.
The Bolivian army reached Acre in the
summer and began the work of restoring
the country to its allegiance. This was
a simple matter as far as the actual fight
ing was concerned, owing to feeble prep
arations of Acre, but the country is so
large that it some time before order
was entirely restored. Aries fled to Brazil
and the other leaders of the revolt also
made their escape after offering some in
effectual resistance to the BOlivians. On
August is. the rebellion was finally crush
ed. The Bolivian soldiers still remain in
possession, in order to make sure that no
new attempt at rebellion is made.
Senior Guachalia has knowledge of
Henry w Phillips, who is said to be the
minister of Acre to the United States He
did not figure among the leaders of the
revolution said he, land never heard
his name before
Assistant Secretary Gridler says that
the state department knows nothing
whatever of the Acre republic, nor of Mr..
Phillips.
It may be that the Acre rebels. all
though their government has been over
thrown, are still keeping up some show
of armed force and hope to be recognized
as belligerents by some other country and
that this accounts for, Mr. Phillips mis-
sion The Bolivian minister, however, is
convinced that the rebellion is utterly
crushed.
If the Acre insurgents desired recogni-
ton 1t seems that Brazil would be the
most hopeful quarter to which to appeal
but the minister says that Brazil has
not only not recognized them, but has in
all respects acted in a way most friendly
to Bolivia