The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-03-26

regiment from the cattle plains of the
interior 81 Venezuela that was made up
60 "a great extent Of half civilized men
vino asked for nothing hut the privilege
OF looting and destroying any town or
fort that might fall into their hands
His forCe was still further increased by
every ruffian and jailbiri in the country.
10 desperate and depraved were his
men that even the Spaniaris nicknamed
them the -Infcrn1l Division
Prom tho beginning TO the end ~ his
career Bolivar had To fight against the
di-,oyalty and the incompetence Of the
men who profes-ed to work with him.
While he Succeeded in securing the high
s.st offics IN the gift of the people. there
Wa a constant effort Of those whom he
had as- Sted 10 undermine his influence.
n u generally believed that the attempts
that were made to assasainate him we're
"onsplracies formed among those whom
he trusted and even SantAnder. who pro-
tossed tho greatest friendship for him.
WAS never cleared Of at least q know ledge
~ the attempt on his life At BoRotA. Paez.
~ho Aftsrward became President 81, Ven
.zu"la was his bitter enemy. yet he never
failsd To testify in public TO the great
0.-'-its of the I.berator.
Bolivar failure a. a statesman was due
to a great extent to his lack of admins
,ratIya training and Co the fact that he had
no reliable tools with which tn work. He
waS ps-pstuaily reforming or recon
-triIcting the government hut nothing
stable ever came 81 IL. In the drafting
nf constitutions n. showed skill. aud all
things considered u was wonderful that
he devoid ~ he was ~ legal education,
shnuli have. been able 20 have turned ont
two such productions a. the ConstItu-
tipn- NJ .ucuta and ~ Bolivia. The lat
ter. which - balieyed to have been en-
tirev ms handiWork was a strange
patchwork made M 81 Greek and Roman
ideas with an admiNuur- ~ British com
mon laws and the United states Consti-
tuition.
While he was vain and ambitious, IL
-s,efns Drobsbl. from his course 81 action
that he did no, %eek tho title of Emperor
althraIgn he aimed AZ an empire in all hut
name FROM the earliest days 81 his s'Ica
c,---..- ~. wa- eager for compliments and
trrnpn-trattrns Il every sort Has power
90 swallowing haitery seemed Io have
-..lrhnd IT, height IN his progress through
point tn IN, career that his -chemes and
aspirations began 10 exceed the bounds
II rea- IN
When re had arpadv undertaken what
wa- Imprarticrt Ole m MS decision 10 unite
V"nrzIela New Granada and Quito IN on"
Republic ut Colombia. he contemplated
o close federation including Colombia,
Peru and Bolivia He wanted To sweep
CuIls and Argentina into the sphere n has
influence. hut those countries refused To
entertain such propositions. and Bolivar
waz compelled 10 abandon his schemes
HIS vanity too must have been the cause
that prevented him from realizing that
Their of hiz vast schemes were chlmeras
He wa- always referring 20 the hetero-
gen.pus character Of the peoples ~ the
S-iani-n COLONIES. vet he would not see the
yrra, differences among the VeneZuelans
GranadiAns. EclIadorians and Peruvisns.
and the impracricability of a federation
- all these countries. He apparently
looked upon himself as capable Of holding
tho whole together from above. He saw
~ last that this was impossible. and then
n. stilI hop..d "a hold together the greater
Colombia. and ia the end he realized that
this TOO was beyond his power.
H.. saved Peru and Bolivia from the
cont nuad rule # Spain. and his services
TO the cause ~ independence are acknowl-
edged in both ~ these countries, hut the
eaknesS ~ his hold upon them IL shown
nv tho collapse 81 his institutions as soon
a. ha had taken his departure. Had he
.ric~acded IN the face % all diffcuities in
leaving hahind him = south America. or
oy.n Colombia. united and well gov
ar,aJ no name IN history. Mr.. Petre
thinks would nave heen too great to com
p,re hlrn with He failed. however. and
IeS, a. no foresaW must bs tho case. q
century II revolution and misr'Ile to fol-
low him
The y hole ~ the latter part Of hrs career
r,s n gradual t-llusionment In one
= hIs last letters written September
Isln. D.. s.ii thai he had grave doubts 81
the stability ~ the Government and that
he had no desire 10 return to the Presi-
deu,v He Vas borne down 10y sickness.
dtzlppolntmsnt and the frequent blows
inflicted On his pride by the news u the
hatred ~ him m Venezuela. his native
country He d'.i at the little seaside
village IT santa Marta IN the forty eighth
ya,r Of hi- life Twelve years later his
enemy. Paez. then ~ the head II affairs
IN venezuela. attempted TO atone for his
treatment ~ Bolivar by causing his body
10 l.a removed to Caracas and buried with
great honor IN the cathedral there. but
the. heart wa- left preserved IN an urn m
the cathedral at Santa Marta In 1852
the body was again removed 20 the Ma
tionaI Pantheon and Deposited in tomb
-Irrnnunted 10y q statue ~ Bolivar erected
by Guzman Blanco. the Venezuelan Presi-
dent who styled himself the -IllustTiOus
American. Regeneration 81 the Republic
Although he b-gan his active life ~ n
rich man. he died almost a pauper. Few
men had greater opportunities TO enrich
themselves fewer more honestly refused
to take advantage of>tbeir opportunities.
Unlike the South American President Of
the present days. he laid up no nesteGg
in Europe IN provide for the time when his
position IN hia own country should no
longer be tenabIe Peru's oneT Of =