The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-05-31

OF the wars between small states and
great nations. The siege of Troy.
whether mythical or otherwise. gave
the world a host OF heroes and series
or adventures il could not well do witE-
out: Carthage has left behind a few i'm
perishable names Rome has left many
ana has served as an example and u
warning for centuries; Spain has shown
us what a great nation should not be.
ana, particularly In her treatment OF
the Netherlands. aroused a people who
afterward caused her great distress.
while the partition OF Poland has di-
rected the eyes Of the world TO a possi-
bic menace In the aggressions OF great
country like Russia. From these cita-
tions out az the old worlds experiences
IL may be seen that the Beers have li-
tic to\bope for or TO encourage them in
the way OF precedent. IL we turn 10 the
new world. however. we find more hope
fui conditions from which 10 draw au-
guries for their future. particularly I'm
the dissolution of SPANS great colonies
In Mexico. Central and South America.
Al the time Spain was engaged In
carrying the lnquisition into Holland
and striving 10 crush her brave people
she was the conceded proprietor OF the
greater portion OF America south of
Florida. The great navigators like CO.
lumbus, Vespucci and the PInzones, and
cruel conauistadorcs like Cortes, Pizar-
ro and DE Soto had added TO her orig
inai territory vastly more i'm Americi.
than was then held by all the recognlz-
cd powers combined.
The settlements formed there grew
and nourished owing 10 the discoveries
OF gold in the West Indies, Peru and
Mexico. and for 900 years Spain held
these countries in a grip OF death Semi
annually galleons made the voyages
between the colonies and the mother
country laden to the gunwales with
gold. silver, spices and precious woods.
These were the frequent objects OF at
tack by English. Dutch and French pri-
vateers. and many millions were divert
ed from their destination in Spain to
the Golfers OF her enemies. But still
she held the colonies true to their ale
glance until the period when Napoleon
Bonaparte invaded Spain and placed
his brother Joseph upon the throne.
This was in 1908, and, though the
former king. the dissolute Ferdi-
nand. was a second Nero by ma
ture and had no regard for the
liberties OF his subjects either at home
or abroad. still the colonists found in
the imposition OF a new regime and
foreign sovereign excuse for revolts
against the mother country. The flame
OF revolution ragged throughout all the
southern colonies. In Mexico the patriot
priest Hidalgo led the first outbreak.
beginning a civil war which lasted
many years. The same year Grille de-
clared her independence. Venezuela
followed in 1871. again was in revolt in
1913 under Bolivar. and. after a pro-
tracted conflict with varying success,
the republic OF Colombia. embracing
New Granada. Venezuela and Ecuador
was established in 1919. Meanwhile the
revolution was fiercely raging In Mex
leo, and in 1921 the shackles OF slavery
were broken, never TO be replaced.
IL is perhaps quite natural that. while
the little folks of Europe have rarely
received assistance from their big
brothers In their struggles for freedom,
and IL was only In the new world that
lothers similarly situated were enabled
TO achieve their Independence by friend
ly aid, the eyes OF the struggling Beers
are turned this way as to a last forlorn
hope.
But sentiment Is one thing. and diplo-
macy is another. As matters are now