New-York tribune., 1901-08-03
THE PASSING THRONG.

"It is unfortunate that the people OF the United
States do not better understand the South Ameri-
cans said SehOr Perez. active
SENIOR PEREZ sympathizer with the Liberal
ON COLOMBIA. party in the Republic of Co
ombia, yesterday. You think
that are anxious TO fight 10 engage in constant
revolutions This is not We simply struggle
against the Clerical party to obtain freedom of
thought and action. We should rather die than
endure physical and moral slavery. Colombia is a
and is more than double the size OF Spain and
Portugal On the Atlantic ocean IL mas coast line
ment is republican the main basis OF the con-
model of the United States of America The
ecutive power is exercised by the President and
four ministers or secretarios In 1871 the war OF
independence began. and struggle was begun
with Spain, which lasted until lIl In 1878 Bolivar
effected union between Ecuador, Venezuela and
Colombia. but this federation lasted only eleven
now exist had their origin We first believed in the
Spanish method of government, or rather in the
Conservatives, was composed chiefly Of the Jesuits
but was supported by priests Of all denomia2sGns
These believed in free institutions progress In
every respect-railrOads, teegraphs, 1ree ana COM
pulsory education, and so on.
Whether or not Colombia should embrace ad-
vancing civilization he continued. has been the
principal bone of contention be-
COIOMBIANS tween the two parties for the last
A PEACEFUL. seventy-fve years not only In Co
PEOPLE lombia but in Ecuador. Venezuela
Peru Bolivia and elsewhere in
South America. In the Argentine Republic and In
Mexico the Clerical element has been overcome suf-
ficiently TO admit OF enlightened advancement in
those countries But In Colombia and Venezuela
the Clericals resist the establishment Of free
institutions They know that If education be-
and contributions to the Church. They want the
masses to be kept In an ignorant state in order that
their tyranny, and so We night We have hoped for
a better state of things. but We have been forced
o v.
There is a more peaceful people in the world
than the Coombians but we are now desperate.
and would rather die than submit the caprices
and crueltes OF the CleriCals The NeneZuelans are
not naturally so peaceful as the Colombians Tweu-
ty years ago the Liberals who had been in power
for twenty-four years. lost control of the govern
ment This would never have happened but for the
treaChery of president. who sold himself to the
Conservatives, Clericals. in order make sure
his own succession. He pledged himself TO look
after their interests If they would supply him with
arms and ammunition with which TO kill his former
9dherents. The head or the Conservatives is the
Pope. We have no regular leader. because best
men are constantly being killed In battle. Our old
tGGaSSeel was HeheraI vargas santos, VINO Is now
elshty-two years old. and so inftrm that he
now commander chief of our armies He has
fought steadily at the head of our troops since the
present revolution began two years ago Last April
ne issued a peace manifesto. when the fighting
ceased temporarily We asked at that time that
Cercals continued to shoot and imprson our lead
ers and sympathizers. Because OF this tyranny We
Know XII she present strength of the Conservative
OF government army should say 1t numbers
Iuly understand the recent operations II is nee
eSsary TO know that there Is Liberal party In
ECUADOR, NeneZuea and Colombia, and an opposing
c93hservatVe or Clerical party in the same coun-
tres tres, rms Is natural because seventy-dve years
ago the three countries were one Thus the I IN
eral party of one country helps its sympathIzers In
ahojher- 50 II Is with tha. CONSERVATIVES When
the large number OF ClericaIs or government srnn
pathizers, entered Venezuela on July 2S thaI- uysr
11ttaSKed 1ad and completely routed by the combined
Venezuelan and Colombian Liberal armies who had
concentrated their forces In border Stat. ~
b beieZueia Or course. General Uribe-Trribe had a
VA M, IN the victory over the ClericaIs although he
,Ga 10 oe present al 1.e battle This Confiict ends
the revolution In Venezuela e''us