University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1910-10-13
TENDENCY TOWARD REPUBLICS

twenty-five are republics, and it is
only within the last fortnight that the
Hast of this number became republic
This was when the Kingdom of Por
ltugal was overthrown and republic
Established in it's stead.
There are only twelve kings in the
world today, although the idea exists
that the majority of the people Of the
world are ruled by sovereigns bear
ing this title. Seven empires are
numbered among the worlds govern.
ments, Of which many are virtually
kingdoms. The countries styling
themselves empires are, Abysynia,
Austria Hungary, Germany, India, Ko,
rea Russia and China. OF these Aus
tria-Hungary, Russia and Germany are
the only real empires, in the strictest
political meaning of the word, and
India is ruled by the King. of England,
who is styled Emperor of India.
A century and half ago the world
had not known a republic. with the
possible exception of the so-called
Roman Republic which was in reality
an empire. Today there are twenty
| five nations under a republican form
OF government. OF these twenty-one
are in the Americas, three, France,
Switzerland and Portugal, on the
Continent of Europe, and Liberia in
Africa. In all of these countries, how
ever, the idea of popular government
is not carried out as it is in the United
States, but classes control the votes
and therefore the governments. In
many countries, such as Mexico, the
president has almost supreme power,
much more in many cases than have
the supposedly absolute monarchs of
other countries.
The conception of government is
changing in all countries. The divine
right theory is now maintained but by
a few countries, the most famous is
that Of Germany. In all countries
even the most ancient of Europe and
Asia. the idea Of popular sovereignty
is growing The Young Turks" move
ment for the subjects of the Sultan,
and Russia has overthrown the auto
cratic power Of the czar within the
last few years. Representative as
semblies, of more Or less power, are
springing up in all countries, and
within a century the people Of the
world will probably be their own rul-
ers.
The United States was the first
country to demonstrate to the world
the practicability Of republican gov
eminent and successfully to advocate
popular sovereignty, and it was the
example Of this country that was fol-
lowed by the Latin-American coun-
tries in their construction Of republi-
can governments. 1t has been stated
that the government of the United
States was the ougrowth of the evo-
luton of the government of other
countries, and while this is partly true,
the larger part Of the government of
this country originated in the minds
'of the early Americans, and was
brought into existence by the peculiar
requirements which conditions in the
early days of this country made nee
essary. so in reality the nation Of the
United States is the real parent of
republican government, and was the
originator of the movement, so soon
followed by the attempts Of the French
in their Revolution of 1892, and which
has grown and created new republics
every few decades until now there
are twenty-five and the number will
be ever increasing.
FORTNIGHTLY CLUB PROGRAM