Evening star., 1933-07-30
BY GASTON NERvAL.

"OR the fourth consecutive ami
l. yersary, Perus national day has
found a different chief execu-
i tive at the head of the Peruvian
government. On July %, 1880.
Dictator-President Augusta B. Leguia
was still, and literally, reigning over
the country, in the midst Of his fourth
presidential term. The following year
the celebrations of the Peruvian ma
tional anniversary were presided over
by Provisional President Samanez
Ocampo, after a series of short-lived,
transitory governments which followed
the overthrow of the Leguia dictator
ship by Col Sanchez Cerro. July %.
1882, found Col. Sanchez Cerro, this
time constitutionally elected, at the
helm of the Peruvian ship Of state. But
July %, this year, found still another
man in the presidential chair. San
chez Cerro having been removed from
the scene by an assassin's bullet, Gen.
Oscar r. Benavides is completing his
term.
This fact illustrates the trying and
exciting period through which the Pc
ruvian Republic has gone in the past
few years. Begun as part OF the gen.
eral wave of reaction against absolute
ism which, precipitated by the world
economic depression, swept Latin Amer
lea in 1880 and 1881. this chapter has
undoubtedly been the most eventful
one in contemporary Peruvian history.
In August, 1880, the autocratic H.
year rule of Leguia was brought to a
dramatic end by the armed uprising
of the southern military forces. under
Col. Sanchez Cerro. Overwhelmingly
supported by the people, the rebellion
had no major difficulty in rendering
Leguia powerless and in sending him
tional penitentiary to pay for his po-
litical errors and maladministration Of
the public funds.
Sanchez Cerro Hailed.
At first Sanchez Cerro was, of course,
hailed as the savior of the country. The
old conservative elements praised him
for the restoration of public liberties
and the end Of a personalistic dicator-
ship.
The middle class-the professionals,
the business men, the intellectuals, the
liberals and all independent groups
welcomed him as their deliverer from
an odious regime which had tramp1ed
down individual liberties and almost
monopolized business activities.
Finally, the more radical elements,
the sectors of the left, which. during
the II years of the dictatorship, had
lived literally under the ground"
were no less enthusiastic and optimistic
in their hopes for the future. They
we're confident that Sanchez Cerro,
succeeding a regime of absolutism and
new order. in which social justice and
modern trends for the naturalization
of natural resources would be given
greater consideration.
But this optimism did not last long.
Soon Sanchez Cerro began to give the
impression that his success amounted
only to a change of masters for the
Peruvian people.
He prolonged martial law throughout
the republic, maintained press censor
ship, and even had recourse to the same
old methods that the deposed ruler,
Leguia. had employed for many years
to stifle public opposition. Political
"detenidos" again began to leave
Peruvian ports. and others went to fill
anew the prison of San Lorenzo.
Naturally, it was not long before his
popularity began to wane. The first
signs of discomfort came in the form
Of strikes Of workingmen and students,
Wnlch In some cases resulted IN violence
and bloodshed. And when rumors Of
his political ambitions were confirmed
by his announcement that he intended
to stand for election as Constitutional
President for the regular five-year
term. public opposition reached its
climax. The outcome of an election
held under the direction of the same
person who was to be the chief candi-
date was. Of course, not difficult to
ascertain in advance
Forced to Flee Country.
Two armed uprisings-one in the
southern metropolis Of Arequipa and
another in the northern region-fnally
forced Provisional President Sanchez
Cerro to hand in his resignation and
flee the country.
His est from Peru. however, was fol-
lowed by a series of internal upsets
which demoralized the country and
offered fertile ground for the propaga-
ton of radical tendencies. Three sub
sequent armed uprisings resulted in an
equal number Of changes in the execu-
tive. It was not until the colorless
regime of Samanez Ocampo had sue
ceeded in restoring governmental sta