Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-29

In this congress an invitation which had
come from Argentina TO join that repGb-
lie was brought up. But the congressman
assembled and decided to give a negative
answer TO this invitation. and declared
that IL was the national will that their
country should in future constitute a dis
tinct and independent nation. which in
honor OF the liberator. they named Ro-
livia. Gen Bolivar was also proclaimed
first president. and he himself wrote the
constitution. which. in part resemhled
the North American document
IL Is not the Fourth. but the esth IL
July that marks the anniversary NJ the
birth OF freedom in Peru. There in ttat
land where the remarka BILE Incan ciViliZa-
tion nourished before the coming az the
Spaniard the principles OF liberty are a.
strongly upheld as they are in the United
States. IL Is a far cry from the sun
worShipers and their peculiar system ~
social democracy 10 organized modern
republic government. but such has been
he history of Peru.
After the conquest by the indomi;ahis
Pizarrn. Peru, because of its riclss. was
the most favored Of the Spanish colonies.
Lima. its capital. was the seat 81 tile vics
royalty. where in regal splendor the rep
resentatives of the King OF Spain gov
erned all his American subjects.
1t was natural that this stronghold
should be tie last to fall before the co..
horts OF liberty. As a matter 81 FAT liz,
power of Spain had been 50 efectT'ly
destroyed throughout all of South Amer
lea by this time that tttie eVorf was
necessary to Dust the Spanish ,iceroy
from his seat of power.
With San Martin and Bolivar moving on
Lima at tie same time the viceregat
court collapsed such Spanish forces a.
were still In arms were allowed to ca
pitulate and the last Spanish flag flying
in South America was lowered.
Brazil as is well known. was = Portu-
guese colony, and the circumstances con-
corning the declaration OF the independ-
ence Of that country are peculiar. II IS
hardly to be expected that a crown prince
Should actively interest himself in estab-
fishing representative government, Yet
this is what Dom Pedro. heir 10 the
crown Of Portugal, did in Brazil In fact,
he SO interested himself in the affairs OF
the colonists when he was in Brazil that
his royal .atler recalled him.
But the people, with whom he was ex-
tremely popular. advised him 10 disohey.
Having at heart the interests of the col.
ony he disregarded his fathers summons:
and, on the 7th of September, lS,,,
he procla lined the independence Of Bra
I'll. giving TO that country the day which
she now celebrates as analogous TO the
North American Independence day.
Mexico also has her liberty day. In this
case il is tie 18th Of September. for. IN
that date. Hidalgo. the priest who. besides
the religious principles he taught pro-
claimed to his people the right of liberty
and the pursuit Of happiness In the
presidents palace In Mexico there Is hung
a liberty bell. the prototype of the one
so jealousy guarded in Philadelphia The
Mexican bell originally hung in the tower
Of the little church where Hdago
preached: and. VIXEN he was threaten
with betrayal he rang IT both 10 warn
those who were cooperating with him IN
the cause of liberty and az a tocsin which
was TO proclaim Mexico's independence 10
the world
Each year on the night of September
Is this bell is again rung by the Presi-
dent Of Mexico. At the same time. he
gives. az 1t is called, the cry OF dolores.
which translated Is in substance: Long
live America and death to bad govern
ment,"
Mexico has passed through many
changes of government. and has expert
enced numerous political vicissitudes since
that famous day, but. no matter what
has been the character OF the govern
ment. the 18th Of September has re-
manned the great national holiday except
during that brief period when Macmillan
OF Austria occupied the throne.
So 1t Is seen that these Latin Ameri-
can countries celebrate the Fourth OF
July" They commemorate the days when
their own patriots, animated by the same
American brothers, determined no longer
to submit TO the exactions OF a petulant
tyranny. A feeling Of brotherhood should
spring from these circumstances to ami
mate the peoples of all the American
republics.
The citizen OF the United States who
finds himself in one of the capitals OF a
Latin American republic when a national
holiday is being celebrated Ia stirred by
a curious mixture of emotions. Upon
hearing in sonorous Spanish those pre-
cepts of liberty and freedom which have
formed the text OF Fourth of July ora
tons from his earliest childhood. he real
ICES the kinship OF all Americans. And.
IL he be far away, his mind will bark
back to the 'doings' in his own little
town.
The glare Of red fire and the smell OF
burnt powder and paper VIII turn his
heart in longing to the folks back home.
And he may picture to himself. perhaps
the coming Of that day when all the ma
tons OF the western continent shall join
in one great celebration in honor Of those
men who first raised the call OF freedom
in their native lancs-a day that would
be an international Fourth OF July
GRANVILLE FORTEScCE