The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1921-09-08
By JOHN DICKINSON SHERMAN.

pendence of Peru and Peru has been
celebrating the anniversary with pomp
and circumstance at its capital, Lima,
and elsewhere. Virtually all the lead
osIyE ing nations of the world, as well as
NKLEyAIN the smaller ones, were invited to par
NJ WA ticipate in the celebration. Most Of
w NJ them accepted and took part
NM NH The United States sent the battle
ES1p$NSH ships Oklahoma and Arizona and a
Y RAM x special embassy headed by Albert
@&D w Douglas. France Italy and Spain al
so sent battleships; the French EN-
bassy included General Mangn, the defender OF
Verdun Great Britain sent Gen. Lord Dundonald,
grandson Of that Lord Cochrane who played so
large part in the liberation Of Peru, Argentina
sent two batteshps, an embassy and a regiment
OF grenaders, the traditional descendants of the
troops which accompanied Gen. Jose de San Mar
tin, PeruS liberator. Eighteen nations sent EN-
bassies and thirteen others sent special missions
Possibly the principal feature Of the celebration
was the unveiiing of an equestrian statue of Gen.
Jose de San Martin, Q77S-1S5O), the Argentine
leader who was the leading figure in the campaign
for Peru's independence. San Martin was porn
In Argentine and served in Spain against the
French Q7931S11), attaining the rank of lieuten-
ant colonel. In 1912 he went to Buenos Aires and
Joined the patriots who declared Argentines indie
pendence in 1916 He did something new In
striking at the Spanish in Peru by marching over
the Andes TO Chile. He declined the Office OF
supreme director of Chile, after his march resulted
In that country's freedom. After his operations
had won Lima he was proclaimed supreme pro-
tectOr of Peru. He resigned the office in 1872 and
took no further part in South American affairs.
During the celebration the Peruvian government
issued a decree through President Leguia provid-
ing for the erection in Lima of a monument to
George Washington as
"A model of exemplary citizenship and in view
OF the fact that the political emancipation of the
United States the forerunner Of the ndepen-
dence of the Hspano-Amercan nations"
This action of the Peruvian government is we'll
taken and the decreeis based on historical truth.
The success of the American Revolution of 1916
and that of France of 1889 encouraged the hopes
of the Hispano-Amercan patriots who were
dreaming of liberty. These hopes became brighter
still upon the conquest of Spain by France in
1S07-S
Moreover the constitutions which were formed
IN South America during the protraced struggle
Cor independence from Spain often modelled
upon the Constitution of the United States 1t is
true however, that since 1880 constitutional devel-
opment in South America in general has been
away from the North American federal idea and
toward the sO-called unitary system in which
large powers are vested in the national govern
ment. In fact Mt present all the South American
exception of those of the Argentine Republic, Bra
I'll and Venezuela.
In the beginning Spain entrusted the government
of Spanish America to special agents of the throne
called viceroys and captains general Thus in IT'S
there were three vceroys in South America. One
In Bogaa controlled the northwest rhe yiceroyalty
of New Grenada. second in BuenOS Aires con-
trolled the southeast the viceroyalty of La Plata.
The third in Lima controlled large part of the
west the viceroyalty of Peru, one captain gen
era controlled Chile and another Venezuela Bra
I'll was Portuguese territory. Peru was the center
of Spanish power SO, when the provinces began
to break away from Spain, ii was those mt a dis
lance from Peru that first became free.
Venezuela was the first of the Spanish American
political divisions to declare It's independence from
Spain, in 1911. After the patriots under Simon
Bolivar had defeated the rOyalSts, a state known
as Great Colombia was established in the north:
in 1880 it broke into three states: Venezuela
Colombia and Ecuador
In 1916 the United Provinces Of La plata-the
historical antecedent of the Argentine Republic
adopted a declaration Of independence Then
came Peru and Bolivia BY 1881 there were in
Spanish America nine IndeI endent states: Ven
c2uela, Colombia, Ecuador Peru, Bolivia Chile
Paraguay, Uruguay and A~g,ntine. Since then
the history Of these independent states has been
marked by many revolutions and dctatorshlps
Since Lima was the center OF Spanish power In
America, the independence Of Peru was essential
to the continued independence Of the free states
Now in Peru although the Creoles (Amerlcan born
Spaniards) were dissatisfied the bulk of the pop
uatlon was not disloyal. Uprlsings in 1871 and
1914 resulted only in the defeat and execution of
the leaders. Stlll, in 1917 Gen. Joaquin de la