The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1901-11-09

COLOMBIAN union. At any rate, he was
suspected of such a design, and this was
attributed to him as a crime. So those
two countries repudiated him, and he re-
tired to the troubled rule Of Colombia
Bolivar was ahead of his time. He really
had 10 leablic sentiment to work with,
such as Castro has. How strong the de-
centralizing sentiment was at and after
the time of Bolivar may be imagined
from the fact that after the dissolution Of
the union the sovereign states Of Vene-
zuela increased from six to twenty-one:
the new ones not made out of new terri
tory. but carved out Of the old states. In
New Granada every man of eighteen
years and upward was a sort of nom
descript sovereign, floating about at ran
dom, controlled by some higher law in
herent in himself. In all three nations
revolution succeeded revolution, and con-
stitution succeeded constitution with be-
wildering rapidity. Military dictators or
incompetent politicians alternated with
each other at the head OF affairs, and the
Colombian republic, for which Bolivar
labored and from which he and the advo-
Gates Of freedom all over the world lloped
for SO much, became in it's ruins scan
dal among governments and a stumbling
block to liberty. And So it has remained
In Venezuela, between Bolivar and
@I31anco, there interviewed state little
short OF political chaos. 70 the iron rule
of Blancol succeeded another period of
tumult and disorder; now with Castro
comes what? He has drawn the sword
OF Bolivar, but can he WELD it? The first
movement toward Capitalization appeared
in Colombia-modern Colombia-under the
leadership of DR.. Rafael Uunez in 1883,
and resulted in the rebellion of 1885 Aft
er the revolt was put down 4 centralized
republic was formed and the present con-
sitution of the country promulgated. Still
We heard nothing about the recreation of
4 Boliyar's republic. 1t is one of the most
curious anomalies of political history that
the unifcation sentiment should now APP
pear in the ranks Of the Liberals.
Had it been taken UP by the Conserva-
tives. it would have been logical; but the
Liberals constitute the party which tore
to pieces the old republic, and that party
always has been the champion of decen-
t1alization and segregation. 1T has been
the one and only Ineligible doctrine
which it has preached, the only reason
which it has assigned for its own exist
sence. Now, suddenly, we see the Liberals
of Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador
nlarshaling their forces for an armed at
tempt to overthrow the strongly central
lied government of Colombia, and at the
same time shouting for unification. How
largely this anomalous situation is due to
the genius of Castro in seeing the growth
o. the sentiment Of unificaticn and seiz-
ing upon it for his own ends, regardless
OF political traditions. is a question.
The president of Venezuela is So 1auded
by his friends and so vilified by his enc
mics That it hardly is possible at this dis
tance to get clear idea of his personali-
ty or his abilities. 1t looks as If the uni
Hcation issue was like gold dollar which
had been left lying in the street; the Lib
erals saw it first and picked it up before
the Conservatives could get to it. It did
+ not belong to the Liberals; it was SOME
thing against which they had always in
Weighed, but it was also a thing of which
they Immediately recognized the value
and OF which they proceeded to make Inn
mediate use.
The scheme for the establishment Of
the Colombian union is Of especial interest
in its connection with the canal question
The scheme Of an interoeeanic canal
across the isthmus Of Panama was. with
. s5,oi4ss ar, a part of the scheme for Co
lo-nbiasl union 1t was Bolivar who took
the l1rst serious move looking TO the build
Zig Of such a canal. and he took it at the
!! time when the struggle Of the nations OF
the union against Spain seemed least
hopeful OF success. AS soon as he had
been invested with dictatoriai powers for
the prosecution Of war. ne sent agents to
London to try and interest British cap
itaiists n the scheme. Money finally was
Pledged in London for the canal. but as
no maritime power could be found willing