Graham guardian., 1901-02-15

Revolution is perennial institution
in Central and South America. The
southern republic that does not have
its uprising once year feels that II is
losing something, II is not always nee
essary that there should be just cause
for political upheaval, but only that
some general may experience banker
ing for the executive Office, or that
some president may wish TO become a
dictator.
In such cases the agitator gathers a
following, issues proclamation and
seizes the reins of government, II he
can. He kills az many of his enemies
as he can, in the name of the republic,
and holds sway until some other fellow
comes along and Gusts him. Or, if un-
successful after few skirmishes, fees
the country and later is found starting
revolution in some neighboring state.
The revolutions are not joking mat
ters, however, for those engaged in
them. They mean business while they
last and are usually attended with
scenes of butchery and the utmost tyr
amy. They cause great deal OF
trouble for the United States govern
ment, too, as the upstart revolutionist
leaders usually think it Is incumbent
| upon them to tread upon Uncle Sans
coat tails at some stage of the game,
says the Chicago Chronicle.
Revolutions have been so frequent in
Central and South America in recent
/ hny IrnlyaI hzr fhic
government as matter of course, The
United States consul telegraphs the
state department that a revolution has
! broken out. The secretary of state,
with sigh of WEAKNESS, walks over to
the navy department and asks that a
ship be sent to the port nearest the
scene of the trouble. The navy depart
ment complies, and the senior naval
officer brushes up on the instructions
made and provided for such cases. He
knows just what he will have to do,
for if he has been long upon the sta
tion he has been through many such
| instructions.
| He lands few marines and then de-
votes the rest of his time to seeing to
IL that the belligerents do not ransack
the American legations and consulates
and seize American merchant vessels
I'm their search for fleeing oficials.
The weaker parties often make break
for protection under the folds of the
American flag when affairs become
critical. and it requires great deal OF
watchfuness to prevent the pursuers
from violating the right Of asylum.
They are not always successful in
this. foi The victorious generals have
way OF shooting their victims first and
| then discovering afterward that they
have nfringed the rights of neutrality.
Profuse apologies and a salute to the
American flag and damages follow.
But that does not help the Gcad man.
It has long been study with officials
of this government what il is in the
makeup of the Central and South
American peoples which renders them
so susceptible to the charms of the rev.
olutionist. or course, mosf Of the gov
ernments are bad enough, but there are
Few instances where taking up arms
has bettered conditions among these
nery little republics. 1t seems to be
from a natural inborn desire to fight
and TO make trouble. AS soon as the
killing is over they dwell together
again, the opposing sides, in brotherly
love until the next revolt comes along,
and likely as not the contending par
ties then swap positions and fight
against the men they fought for be-
Rore.
The tendency to such disturbances
heems to be inherent in the blood of the
Eatin-American people. This is prob
ably in part due to their excitable tenn
perament. But men who have studied
khe question are inclined to think 1t is
No still larger degree attributable to
aheir race history and tradition, Their
governments are often republics in
name only.
One difficulty with the South Amer
lean peoples is that they have under
taken to erect republics upon the civil
eAw of imperial Rome and upon mon
Archical traditions. They have framed
superstructures in the shape of writ
cen constitutions, modelled, in many in
BUdnCes, blleT the COISlllui iul Ol (Hc
United States, but their po,itica! edi.
fees have failed to withstand the stress
of time because their foundations havo
been faulty.
The list of revolutions might be ex-
tended almost indefinitely, The his
tory OF South America consists of little
else. They are all of the same gci-; raI
character A so-called presi ieni at
tains power, perhaps by means of
more OF less farcical election. He rules
his country as q veritable monarch an
I'll some military rival can gather about
him enough disaffected soldiers to war
rant him in attempting to seize the
chief executive office. Then comes he
revolution. Sometimes it is successful,
sometimes it is not, but it makes little
difference to the people of the country
who are not in the immediate following
Of enc rival or the other.