The New York herald., 1921-04-20


wrought in conviction ana conservation
Each OF these national heroes. when
his military tasks were finished. pre-
ferred retirement and the repose OF pri-
vate life. Each was promptly called 10
civic construction and administration
through which alone the triumphs for
which men sacrifice and die may be
commemorated with the outstanding
monuments OF permanent institutions.
Gifts OF the Liberations.
1T Is not too much TO say that out
of the liberations wrought by Washing
ton and Bolivar grew the republican
constitutional, system which is America's S
gift 10 mankind. Our constitutions are
the models after which are fashioned
the fundamental laws OF world won to
democracy. Whether they looked to
the North or South. or whether the
beacon fire was pan-American, in the
new world burned the great torch to
light the way to constitutional freedom
and hope was assured by outstanding
example.
These things are said with due defer
ence to the older civilizations and the
longer established systems from which
all America came. and to which we may
trace back the Inspiration which gave
conception TO the institutions of free
dom to which we are dedicated. 1t Is
fine to be able to say that new world
temples of liberty were not wrought in
destruction of the old. We speak his
torically of revolution. when in reality
we mean severance and freedom for evo-
luton. The world isn't calling to-day
for destruction, II needs reconstruction.
where the test OF justice is applied to
the things which We're as well as the
things which are to be.
"The western continents afforded a
favoring soil for marvellous develop
ments. God had bestowed with limitless
bounty. Nature was prodigal with her
offerings. The Americas held their
virgin riches, conserved against the day
when science. intellect and spiritual am
fields for new endeavors. new sites for
new construction. new opportunities for
new enterprises.
Trade was calling learning en-
couraged. the adventuring navigators
explored and wherever they touched they
stood only at some gateway. never
dreaming OF the reality. We do not
measure the possibilities of the Americas
even now, though more than four cen
turtles have come and gone. But the
great coincidence was in discovery re-
vealing the opportunity for planting
new States and trying new methods at
the very time when the human mind was
opening, or reopening. to new truths,
new conceptions and new motives.
InterIocked with Old World.
Perhaps the miracle was in the di-
vine plan and the new world marvel
was an inevitable part Of the supreme
scheme for developing civilization. But
we were, when Washington and Bolivar
uttered American aspirations and bat
tied for them, and are now so inter-
locked with the old world from which
our founders came that independence
does not make for aloofness. but the
developments of civilization have
brought us more closely together.
Where ours has been the greater for
tune. ours has become greater respon-
sibillty and the endurance of our insti-
tutions Is not less important than their
creation.
Liberty without security would be a
barren boast, and inspiration without
stabilization would challenge every
claim of democracy. Nothing the Ameri-
cas- can do, nothing Pan-America may
aspire to do, will surpass the contribu-
ton OF our youth and resources and our
steadfast allegiance to our newer insti-
tutions to help steady the world and
prove the right of present day civriza-
tion to go on.
Probably we see to-day the engross-
ing drama OF mankind on the world
stage as intimately as Gen. Bolivar saw
the struggles of South America only a
little more than a century ago. He
could meet the problems of that day
and look we'll TO the future with sucn
xyi1f "a frI ~
claims him liberator. and we join to-day
to do reverence to his memory. Perhaps
our greatest tribute lies In noting the
world. war wea-ied, but more free than
ever before, and resolving that where
liberty inspires, peace and justice are
the supreme fulfilment.
The struggles for independence in
North and South America had differing
backgrounds. The colonies north of the
Rio Grande had developed under liberal
institutions. They had enjoyed a large
measure of autonomy and self-direction.
Their grievances against European dom
ination were small compared to the
grievances of the South American colo
nies. North American colonies revolted
against the exasperating assumption of
a reactionary king; South America
against the tyrannies of vicious, des-
potic, perpetual and self-perpetuating
system Where the North American col
onies were irked by minor impositions.
those OF the southern continent lived
under a grinding oppression that sought
to extract every particle of wealth that
could be taken without literally de-
stroying the capacity to produce more.
'"The South American revolution was
a desperate attempt 10 escape at what
ever cost from n state OF intolerable.
unlivable oppression. Union and indepen-
dent greatness were possible following