The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1912-03-25
GREECE AND BOLIVIA TODAY
CELEBRATE INDEPENDENCE DAY

Ninety-one years ago today, at
Patras, Prince Alexander Hypsilantes,
who had been chosen chief Of the prin-
cipaI secret society of revolutionists,
proclaimed Greese a free and indepen-
dent nation, and called upon all pa
triotic Hellenes to flock to his stand
ard and throw Off the hated Turkish
yoke. Although the war for fndepen-
dence that followed was disastrous to
the Greeks, and Alexander was forced
to flee to Austria, the day has ever
since been celebrated by the Greeks.
For eight years the struggle continued,
the atrocities and inhuman crue1ties
of the Moslems winning for Greece the
sympathy of the civilized world. From
many lands the friends of liberty flock
ed to Greece, Lord Byron being among
the soldiers of freedom who enlisted
under her banners. Great Britain.
Russia and France interfered in behalf
Of the Greeks. and in 1929 the Porte
was compelled, 2 by the treaty of
Adrianople, to acknowledge the indie
pendence of Greece Prince Otto Of
Bavaria, a scion of a royal family of
madmen, reigned from 1888 until fifty
years ago, when he was expelled from
the kingdoms Forty-nine years ago
this month George 1, Of the Danish
royal house, was offered the throne
Of the Hellenes, and he has managed
to. hold on to the lucrative position,
despite many plots against him. Just
now, however, his position is far from
secure, and his throne, like those Of
his brother monarchs Of Servia and
Bulgaria, is lettering before the as
saults of powerful military enemies.
Today the Bolivians are celebrating
the beginning of their war for indie
that the first shot was fired in the
warfare that continued until all of
South America had cast off the gall
ing yoke of Spain. The first and the
last blood spilled in the struggle OF
the Spanish colonies of South America
for freedom was shed on Bolivian soil.
It was on March %, 1909, that the citi-
zens of La Paz arose in their might
and invited the Spanish authorities to
go hence, which they did after some
fighting that bore no relation to comic
Opera-unless narrow street filled
with dead and dying people may be
considered comic. The first to begin
to gain freedom. For sixteen years
the war continued, and it was not
until 1925 that Gen. Sucre, the patriot
leader, routed the last of the Spanish
army and compelled them to abandon
the country. The name of Bolivia was
of Gen. Simon Bolivar, the George
Washington of South America, who
had aided the insurrectionists in their
war for liberty.
Lest we forget, it was just a year
ago today that a fire broke out in the
Asch building, New York, resulting in
the death of 147 persons, mostly work
ing girls employed in the factory of
the Triangle Shirtwaist Company.
Since then Isaac Harris and Max
Blanck, proprietors of the factory,
have been acquitted of the charge Of
manslaughter. So far as discovered,
here was no human responsibility for
the holocaust and the terrible loss of
life, which seems by the authorities to
have been classed with earthquakes,
floods and such disasters as purely
an "act of Cod Strange and incom-
prehensihle as it may seem, some of
the relatives and friends of the vic
Tins are alleged ITO have become an
archlsts. \
Annunc'ation or Lady Day is OBJ
served today, and is festival COM
memoratirg the tidinvs brought to
Mary by the angel Gabriel, as set forth
in the twenty-siNth verse Of the first
chapter Of Luke. It's origin is sup
posed to date from the fourth or fifth
century.
Today Is the birthday anniversary of
John Williams. in 1882: of
Gen. Elwell S. Otis, military officer,
founder Of the Fort Leavenwortn
School of Infantry and Cavalry, and
military governor Of the Philippines,
in 1898, and Stephen Colwell, author
and fina meier in 1900