The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1900-05-19
AMBITIoN AND AYARIcE
Explain the Frequency Of Revolutions In
Latin-America

Explain the Frequency Of Revolutions IN.
Lattn-America.
In reply to an inquiry received
before coming to New York would
say that The frequent revolutions in
Central and South Ame-sca are gen
orally que to ambition or aYarice, and
when an outbreak occurs it may
usually be assumed that some presi.
dent is endeayoring to perpetuate his
authority, orthat some soldier OF poll
tician is not satisfied with the results.
Of an election. IF left to themselves
the people would never rebel. They
are loyal, patient and patriotic, and
while their partisanship is often dis
played in a more demonstrative man
ner than we are accustomed to in
North America, they will submit to
any amount Of oppression and mis-
government.
The Latin-American countries will
never enjoy civil liberty until the
people are educated and the differ
ence in caste is removed. 1t is quite
as natural for the peon to obey his
master as for the master to expect
obedience. That is the result of CEN
turtles of discipline, and until the
master is convinced that all men are
created equal, or the peon realizesthe
idle power that is concealed in his
hand, it will be difficult to change the
situation. Conditions throughout
South America are not much differ
ent from those that exist in the south
ern part Of the United States, only
the negroes have been deprived of
political rights, while the poems of
South America have never enjoyed
them.
The underlying causes of all revolu-
tionary disturbances, whateverth di-
rect pr~ovocation may be, are, first, the
lack of intelligence and education on
the part Of the people; second, their
inherited lack Of self-control; third,
the lack of integrity on the part Of the
leaders, which is due to centuries of
and corruption; and, finally,
to the failure of the more INTELLIGENT
classes to recognize the dignity of
labor.
Throughout all Latin-America are
two classes-the rich and the Door,
the employer and the employed. One
class is dependent upon the other
class for support, whether it comes di-
rectly as the profits upon the results
Of their labor in agricultural, mineral
or mechanical industries or in the
form Of taxes distributed as salaries
among the offieeholders. The Span
ish race consider manual labor de-
grading and mercantile enterprises in
vary bad taste. It is a disgrace even
to carry a package, no matter how
small it may be. Therefore they seek
their livelihood in the learned pro-
fessions, in the military service, and
particularly in politics. When the
faction to which they belong is de-
feated at the polls the oficeholders at
to retain their places by force,
or vice versa. When the outs are I'M
able to secure office by constitutional
they often resort to arms.
Usually they do not do much fighting
themselves, but they organize armies
from among the laboring classes, who
are tempted to enlist by a love of the
excitement or lust for plumber, or, as
is more often the case, are impressed
into the service against their will.
The constitutions of nearly all the
Latin-American republic prohibit
CONSUMPTION, but this provision is
easily evaded, and when the recruit
ing officers catch farmer boy they are
usually able to induce him to sign his
name to the list of volunteers if he can
write, or in the other case they sign it
for him.
81 send you another squad of vol
unteers," wrote a recruiting officer in
one Of the Central American coun-
tries to the general commanding some
years ago. "Piease return me the
ropes with which they + ted
W. E. Curtis, in Chicago Record.
In st. Petersburg.
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