The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1921-09-30
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D. JOHN olcklMsoM SHERMAN.


oy JOHN DICKINSON sAGaMAN.
~AHIS II. thu centenary Of the inde-
pendence Of Peru and Peru has been
celebrating the anniversary with pomp
and circumstance Mt its capital. Lima.
and elsewhere Virtually all the lead
.e<NsM Ing nations Of the world. NJ well -
AENSSN the smaller Ones were invited to par.
6Xf WA ticpate In the celebration. Most OF
0M E them accepted and took part.
MA Nh The United States sent the battle
NzrkSSN ships Oklahoma and Arizona and
VT8SHk special embassy headed by Albert
w Douglas. France. Italy and Spain al
40 sent battleshIps; the French en-
bassy included General Msngin. the defender OF
Verdun Great Britain sent Gen. Lord Dundonaih,
grandson Of that Lord Cochrane who played DO
large q part In the liberation Of Peru. Argentina
cent two battleships an embassy and a regiment
Of grenadiers, the traditional descendants OF the
troops which accompanied Gen. Jose de San mar
tin, Peru's uberator. Eighteen nations sent en-
bassies and thirteen others sent special missions
Possibly the principal feature Of the celebration
was the unwilling Of an equestrian statue OF Gen.
Jose de San Martin, (177S-1s50). the Argentine
leader who was the leading figure In the campaign
for Perus independence. San Martin was dorm
in Argentine and served In Spain against the
French (1793 1811), attaining the rank OF iieuten-
ant colonel. In 1912 he went to Buenos Aires ana
Joined the patriots who declared Argentne's inde-
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 proclaimed supreme pro-
tector Of Peru. He resigned the Office In 1922 and
took no further part In South American affairs
During the celebration the Peruvian government
issued decree through President Leguia provid-
ing for the erection In Lima OF monument TO
George Washington
"A model Of exemplary citizenship and in view
Of the fact that the political emancipation Of the
United States the forerunner Of the indepen-
dence Of the Hispano-American nations"
This action OF the Peruvian government Is well
taken and the decree Is based historical truth.
The success Of the american Revolution of 1776
and that Of France of 1889 encouraged the hopes
Of the Hispano American patriots who were
dreaming of liberty. These hopes became brighter
still upon the conquest of Spain by France In
1908.
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 devel-
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 vested In the national govern
Inent. In fact at present all the South American
constitutions are more less unitary. with the
exception eff those of the Argentine Republic, Bra
zi and Venezuela.
In the beginning Spain entrusted the government
Of Spanish America special agents of the throne
called viceroys and captains general. Thus In ITS
there were three vceroys in South America. One
In Bogata controlled the northwest the viceroyaty
of New Grenada second in Buenos Aires con
trolIed the southeast the viceroyalty Of La Plata
The third in Lima controlled large part Of tn,
west the viceroyaty of Peru. One captain gen
eral controlled Chile and another Venezuela. Bra
zi was Portuguese territory Peru was the center
of Spanish power. So, when the provinces begar
to break away from Spain, It was those at a dis
lance from Peru that first became free.
Venezuela the first of the Spanish American
political divisions to declare its independence from
Spain, in 1871 After the patriots under Simon
Bolivar had defeated the royalists, state known
us Great Colombia was established In the north
in 1880 ii broke into three states: Venezuela
Colombia and Ecuador
In 1876 The United Provinces of La Plata-th
historioel anie"cdent OF the Argentine Republl
adopted a declaration of independence The
anu bolivia. by 1881 there were
Spanish America nine independent stntes: Vel
eZuela Colombia, Ecuador. Peru, Bolivia Chill
Paraguay Uruguay and Argentine Since the
the history Of these Independent states has bee
marked by many revolutions and dlctatorshIps
Since Lima the center of Spanish mower
America. the Independence of Peru was essentI
TO the continued Independence OF the free state
Now In Peru. although the Creoles (American-bo
6paniarslsl dissatisfied the bulk OF the no
uiafton dsIoyal. Uprlsings In 1871 n,
1914 resulted only In the defeat and execution
the leaders Siii in 1917 Cen Joaquin de