The Washington herald., 1912-06-30

manuel nOIlned the Pope that II would
be necessary for him to enter the Ponti-
1cial States for the purpose OF main
tanning order. When the Holy Father
refused to permit this, the Sandman
troops appeared before the walls Of
Rome. which surrendered with barely a
show OF resistance. On the next cav
the remnant OF French Zouaves, after
marching into the Square % st. Peter
and there receiving the Papal blessing,
marched out. and with their departure
the temporal power OF the Pope came,
to an end.
On the occasion Of the annual celebra-
ton in Rome. the Corso Is draped IN
flags, and immense scanoldings are made
ready on the Pincian for elaborate and
beautiful fireworks inS the evening. Out
beyond St Peters, in the morning. there
is a great military review by the King.
in an immense field under Monte Mario.
The Queen also is present
A picturesque feature OF the festival
is the appearance. in parade, Of many
red-shirted veterans who, distinguished
by this costume, fought with Garibaldi
for italian liberty.
Belong to Republics.
Properly speaking. however. indepen-
dence days belong to republics. In
America there was no fewer than twenty
republics. and every one OF them has its
equivalent Of our Fourth OF July. The
Independence Day OF Brazil falls on Sep
tember I: that Of Uruguay on May 8:
that Of Chile on September Is: that OF
Colombia on July %: that Of Haiti on
January !. and that OF Cuba on February
2Ethis being the anniversary Of the
beginning Of the final struggle which
brought freedom to the tight little isle,
thanks to our interference in its behalf.
OF
riotic priest named Hidalgo. who. on the
sixteenth day Of September 1910. declared
from his pulpit the independence Of his
country, appealing to the men Of his
flock to drive out the hated Spaniard. He
managed to organize a pretty fair sort
OF revolution, but was finally beaten, he
and three other leaders Of the movement
being shot a. Chihuahua, and their heads
exposed on poles to the view Of the popu-
lace. Later on. however. the heads were
buried with much pOmp and ceremony in
the Cathedral Of the City OF Mexico. For
the seeds Of liberty planted by Hidalgo
took root and grew. and, Spanish mis-
government continuing. freedom was even
tually achieved.
year. there is high festival all over Mex
leo. with cockfghts and buIlfghts. inumi-
nations, and fireworks. Every city. town.
and village puts on its gayest attire, and
gives itself up TO merriment. the day be-
ing ushered in with music by military
bands.
south American Struggle Bitter.
We are accustomed to think Of our
cwn revolution as a prolonged and
dreadful struggle. but in no respect did
{. compare with what the South Ameri-
can republics We're obliged 10 go through
in trying to throw on the Spanish yoke
The fight they made was marked by
numerous ruthless massaCres of the pa
triots. and by frequent wholesale
slaughtcrings OF their women and chill
dren- Cruel as always, the Spaniards
customarily gave no quarter. numbering
al prisoners outright, and the great
Bolivar was actually compelled. as a
measure Of military retaliation, TO do
the same thing
Bolivar was a man OF position and
large private means who gave up every
thing he had in the world for the pur-
pose Of driving Spanish authority out
Of SOUTH America. He was the Wash
iHgton not merely OF one republic. but
Of several. taking up the leadership for
liberty first in one Latin American coun-
try and then in another. Though suffer
ing many reverses he never lost heart
the turning point Of his military career
being marked by his crossing Of the
Andes, which was an exploit vastly
more tremendous than NapOleOn's cross
ing the Alps.
Earthquake Destroyed Caracas.
Even the forces Of nature seemed to be
against Bolivar. Hardly had he accom-
plshed a successful revolution in Vene-
zuela. driving the Spanlards out, when
there came a frightfuI earthquake which
almost entirely destroyed the city Of
20 IL
people that the disaster was attributable
to their own impiety in upsetIiuy the
existing order OF things-Spanish con-
troll. meaning largely clerical con-
trOl-and the SPaniards, taking ad-
ran;age Of the opportunity. returned.
thereupon gratifying their lust for re-
verge by a long series Of massacres, IN
which neither women nor children were
spared.
Eventually. however. all Of South
America gained its freedom-the most
picturesque incident OF the struggle, per
harS, being the capture in Venezuela, OF
three war ships by a troop OF cavalry
Such thing. surely. was never heard
Of tsfOre, nor Is likely to be again.
The war ships in question, three gun
boats, were lying in the Apure River
keeping a lookout for the rebel Gen.
Paez. who was expected to make his
appearance on the lAt bank OF the
stream. But. being warned. the force
under Paez crossed the river higher up
and marched down the right bank. All
that was noticed beforehand on the day
of the disaster was a few men taking
OF their clothes and going in swimming.
What could be more harmless? But
about fifty OF these swimmers, entering
the water at different points, made their
way unobserved to the flagship. with
machetes in their teeth, and climbing
upon her deck. captured her almost with
out resistanCe-thereupon training her
guns upon the other two vessels, which
surrendered
King Was Playmate.
A story is told to the effect that Simon
Bolivar, when he was a child Of seven.
had for a playmate in Spain, a boy Of
about his own age named Ferdinand.
the future Spanish King. One day. while
engaged in a game OF battledore and
shuttleCOCk, a stroke by young Bolivar
knocked the cap from Ferd!nand's head
an old nurse. who witnessed
the occurrence, and who was deemed a
declared that some day Boil
var would knock the crown from the
Kings head. Which feat he certainly
did accomplish. so far as South America
was concerned.
RENE BACHE.
ProIonEinE numcn Life.