The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-02-18
INVASION
WITH WARSH|PS
Would Establish New Nation
Of Power In Treasure
Land of Amazon.

several decades, and it has persistently
prevailed against the various efforts Of
Brazil to establish dominance within
the boundaries of this little known ter
ritory north Of the Amazon river. The
purpose Of Brezet is to strengthen the
hold Of the Counanians by enlisting
foreign capital for commercial and ad-
ministrative developments and not by
force of arms to occupy a region within
which another power is in controM
The ambitions of the Counanians are
described in a diplomatic paper called
red book No. 3, of which a copy is on
file in the department of state at
Washington, and there is much in that
little pamphlet TO appeal to Americans.
The territory within the contested re-
gion of Counani involves a total area
of half million square miles.
Region Known as Ell Dorado.
Legends have it that Counani is the
ancient region known to the people of
Europe as Ell Dorado The monks who
originally entered the region created
extensive agricultural centers up to
the time of their expulsion and set the
natives to cultivating cacao, coffee, etc.
The territory has been claimed by both
France and Brazil, but has really new
er been occupied or actually governed
by either of these claimants. 1t was
because of this unsettled condition that
the native Counanians in 1874 pro-
claimed their independence and estab-
lished a government of their own. The
first president, NJ. Chaton, was elected
by the people. He drafted for them a
constitution which bears his name. NJ.
Chaton died in 1880. Paul Cartier
succeeded to the presidency.
In 1885 a commission was dispatched
to Cayenne. This deputation was COM
posed of Counani leaders and was Of
ficially received and entertained by the
governor of French Guiana. M. Car
tier was succeeded in 1886 by Jules
Gros, and under this executive the
primitive constitution of the country
was modified. During this time nei-
ther the Counanian declaration Of in
dependence nor the internal acts Of au-
thority were in any way questioned
by the rival claimants. The Counani-
ans accepted this silence as a recogni-
ton of their rights.
Jules Gros died in 1891, and the cleo
ton which followed in 1892 resulted in
Adolphe Brezet's being raised to the
presidency. NJ. Brezet had lived in
the Amazon district since 1876 and had
h. Of ha Trdior,
iation. In 1894 NJ. Brezet resigned Of
fee. His successor remained at the
head of affairs for only year. The
grand council did not appoint another
president, but conferred virtually those
powers upon the ranking officer of the
council, NJ. Franken.
"Mapa Incident"
This brings us down to the "Mapa
incident" of May Is, 1895, due to the
discovery of the rich deposits Of gold
and precious stones. AS consequence
of this conflict between the French and
the Brazilians, the claimants decided
to leave to arbitration the question of
their rights. Accordingly, the protocol
of April 10, 1897, was signed, and this
later gave birth to the decree known
uner the name of the Bern arbitra-
ton. In this adjustment Of the ter
ritory Of Counani, the Counanians were
not invited to participate, and they
therefore declined to be Influenced by
the decree or to recognize any impair
ment of their independence and SOW
ereignty over the land.
general election was ordered in
Counani in January, 1901, just one
month after the decree Of Bern, and on
Feb. 1, 1901, Brezet was reelected chief
of the government of the free state.
Agreeably to accepted custom, he
adopted an Indian name and is there
known as Uayana Assn.
Without going into the particulars of
the subsequent history Of Counani it is
enough to say that the various armed
expeditions have been successfully re-
PEELED by the natives of the free state,
and their government Of themselves for
thirty-six years has been in full force
and effective. The Brazilians have
claimed dominance by occupancy of
the territory of Aricary, but the Couna-
mans declare that these officials have
exercised no real authority and have
therefore been without force or effect
in adding value to the Brazilian claim
of control. In opposition to this the
Counanians affirm the existence Of q
national government, regularly estab-
nshed, which has been able to prevent
t all efforts Of Brazil toward occupancy
of the land.
5 Forests Very Valuable.
} The forest lands of Counani are very
S rich in rubber trees, ebony and mahog
any, and the soil responds profusely tc
cultivation. The lower part Of the
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