Taiban Valley news., 1921-09-09
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sy JoHN DICKINSON SHERMAN.

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6y JOHN DICKINSON SHERMAN.
@<ilS Is the centenary of the indie
pendence of Peru and Peru has been
celebrating the anniversary with pomp
and circumstance at its capital, Lima,
and elsewhere. Virtually all the lead
nssESN ing nations of the world as well as
MEESSSN the smaller ones, were invited to par
EF VNA ucipate in the celebration. Most OF
WI Hhg them accepted and took part.
NM IXT The United States sent the battle
XS1E4NSX ships Oklahoma and Arizona and Al
N1NSN% X special embassy headed by Albert
6SD W Douglas France, Italy and Spain al
so sent battleships the French em-
baSsJ included General Mangin the defender of
Ecrdun. Great Britain sent Gen Lord Dundonad,
grandson of that Lord Cochrane who played SD
large a part in the liberation Of Peru Argentina
sent two hattleships, an embassy and regiment
cf gfenadiers. the traditional descendants of the
troops which accompanied Gen Jose de San Mar
IN. Peru's liberator. Eighteen nations sent EN-
lssies and thirteen others sent special missions.
Possibly the principal feature of the celebration
the unveng of equestrian statue of Gen.
,Use de San Martin, Q77S1S50), the Argentine
leader who was the leading figure in the campaign
for Perus independence. San Martin was born
In Argentine and served in Spain against the
French Q7NlS11), attaining the rank of lieuen-
ant colonel In 1872 he went to Buenos Aires and
Joined the patriots who declared Argentne's indie
pendence in 1916 He did something 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 countrys freedom. After his operations
had won Lima, he was proclaimed supreme pro-
te, tor of Peru He resigned the Office In 1872 and
t"n' no further part in South American affairs.
During the celebration the Peruvian government
issued decree through President Leguia prOvid-
4
George Washington as
"A model of exemplary citizenship and in view
of the fact that the political emancipation of the
United States was the fOrerunner of the indepen-
dence of the HispanoAmerican nations"
This action of the Peruvian government is well
taken and the decree is based on historical truth.
The success of the American Revolution of 1776
and that of France of 1889 encouraged the hopes
of the HispanoAmercan patriots who were
dreaming of liberty. These hopes became brighter
still upon the conquest of Spain by France In
1913
Moreover. the constitutions which were formed
in South America during the protracted struggle
for independence from Spain were often modelled
upon the Constitution of the United States. 1t is
true. however, that since 1880 constitutional deve
Opment in South America in general has been
away from the North American federal idea and
toward the sO-caed unitary system in which
large powers are vested In the national govern
Iuent. III fact at present all the South American
constitutions are more or less unitary, with the
except on Of those of the Argentine Republic Bra
ziI 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 ITS
there were three vicerOys in South America. One
In Bogata controlled the northwest the vicerOyalty
OF New Grenada. second in Buenos Aires con-
trOlled the southeast, the vceroyaly of La Plata.
The third in Lima controlled a 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, it was those at a dis
tanoe from Peru that first became free.
Venezuela 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 rOyalists n state known
as Great Colombia was established in the north
in 1880 1t broke into three states: Venezuela
Colombia and Ecuador.
In 1916 the United Provinces of La Plata-the
historical antecedent Of the Argentine Republic
adopted declaration Of Independence Then
came Peru and Bolivia. BY 1881 there were I'm
Spanish America nine Independent states: Ven
czueia Colombia Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia Chile
Paraguay Uruguay and Argentine Since then
the history Of these Independent states has been
marked by many revolutions and dctatorshlDs
Since Lima was the center Of Spanish power In
Anerlcn, the Independence Of Peru was essential
g the continued independence of the free states
Now in Peru, although the CreOles (AmerIcan-bOrn
uIatlOn WINS not dslOyal. Uprlslngs in 1871 and
1914 resulted only In the defeat and execution of
he leaders still. In 1917 Gen. JOAQUIN de In