| Show n r IN COLOMBIA J I 2 r c o of t LO Land tho I I ji 2 Juliana Aro AI Frequent Fr 5 Were WeN It In III any nil other than one of ot the tho republics the tho present distresses situation In III Colombia would created widespread would hao itself felt In all ull the commercial und social conditions of ot life lite down there thon As 11 It Is of ot the people the peons the tho agricultural lI class view the tho Impending crisis with nn In imperturbability and coolness that i speak welt for their mixed Indian an un ancestry There Thera Is a I revolution That It II oil all There have been revolutions be before 1 fore Core As fur back as tho oldest In Inhabitant br habitant can remember and there tire nrc I t SOUK who can cun give reminiscences of ot tho thoat at Liberator Bolivar there have hae been beenS S revolutions m Judging from the history of ot South dining the tho lost last cen century tury a n revolution Is one of ot the necessities ons of at a n republican form torm of ot govern mint How can tho liberals tret power That Is one 01 of many odd arM features In South American politics It la Is al nl always ways the tho liberal party purt that la Is out the conservative party that Is In When Whenever ever nr a 11 ro revolution Is successful as hap ned In tho cose of at Castro In Venezuela I ela two years ago allo the conquering par party ty on Its accession to power modules Hi Its liberal program pro and becomes more or less Jells conservative ra while hII e vice vleo versa r I the defeated conservatives show n strong tendency to 10 tho liberal liberalIsm l Ism m of their opponents Vet Yot there Is Isn n 1 fundamental difference between the th two parties tho lIm difference that showed Itself In tho early history of ot our own political parties The con conservatives advocate a n centrAl lied government with a I greatly n ally modi fie liberty of ot action accorded to the thc states or departments as ns they are called under the present They believe In a 0 long ton I term of ot for tor tho th president who haft hM tho authority to appoint tho department governors Un Under der the conservatives ulso Iii EO tho church receives official recognition there certain restrictions placed upon tho liberty of ot tho press pres The liberals on the other hand hond have a n short term of ot office for tor the tho president state goer gover governors nors elected by the tho people no state church no limitations to tho tree free freedom dom of ot tho pron l rOIl speaking theno th o differences comprise tho two tWI political programs that are aro constantly before the people about which so many man revolutions waged not only In Colombia but butIn butIn In almost very every republic In South America With our sense o of ot political stability It Is difficult for tor on nn American to understand why there should be Lc such constant disturbances In countries whose governments are aro said to bo lIo pat patterned so o closely after our own Un Undoubtedly the founders of ot the Latin republic had the American system In view in the establishment of ot their own on governments But Dut ono one vital part of ot othas our system has been left lett out of ot the po political equipment of ot Colombia and Inviolable constitution back of ot tho executive und congress In Instead stead of ot one fixed con constitution each party has hils Its lis own con constitution In III reality a political plat form torm and on assuming tho reins of at government the old constitution gives way to the new ne There Is lit a complete chance c In n the fundamental law of oC th thu lund land with nil all the chaos that such a n radical transition Inevitably means i The fhe absence of ot a II fixed fixell constitution t r i although It has haR been tho source of ot end I 1 less mischief Is not the prime cause rau e for tor I the frequent revolutions In South b America Amerle That Is to be found In la the n r 1 themselves with the II peculiarities of ot the country Je I have only a slight realization realisation of ot the latter and jf ot tho people wo are equal ly Iy If f not more Ignorant Colombia Is I habitually set down as al a petty lic a 1 State Stille of ot dimensions Yeti ett Columba Is really a vast v st territory square miles In extent of ot which unfortunately only bout about Is l Inhabited That Is covers COers an anarea area rea equal to that of ot New 01 England New York New Delaware Maryland Ohio Indiana tN West Virginia Virginia Kentucky I Tennessee North Carolina and Georgia with u total tenon n population not much In of or greater New York oik Such an Un Immense territory BO sparsely populated and employing the th primitive pr methods of or communication Il naturally otter offers unbounded ell opportunities ties to the revolutionary Then the people peo la ate are politically apathetic They Thoy hae Inherited th the carefree Joyous dis disposition position of ot tho mixed with the quiet content and Indifference of or the South American Theirs U fj essentially t n 1 homo life with a 1 tendency almost patriarchal In Its 19 strong family association its slight Interest In the outside world Is un unknown unknown known to tn the Colombian the northerner who ho has hils tasted tho hospital hospitality ity It of or a I Colombian household Is Im Impressed pressed Instead by the he finds find there the friendliness i ithe the easY refinement and absence of ot I worry or Irritability that character tho thu relations A Colombian may never hustle Ho III may never at nt attempt tempt to t In a day business that thu t occupy him for tor a n week but hi ho hohas has a II great Ireat capacity for tor quiet enjoy m nt mil His circle Is II his world The Interests that absorb him aro con contained In his home It ho Iw steps liteM out outside outside side the bounds bound l of ot these Interest It Is Isto I to tale take part In some Home fiesta or church festival Indeed the tho church forms torms nn an essential feature tea lure In any uny political of o nodal sketch of ot the Colombian republic It Is present In almost every public or consideration in a 11 way WI that would bt be dl for tor us liS to measure or I A revolution Is always of ot tho most moat vital Importance to 10 tho wel faro of ot the tho church chuNh In Colombia It is that u Il people BO 50 peculiarly arly peace and amicable almost pastoral pAS lorn In character should be co o har hu harassed assed with continued military upheavals als The effect ct of thu Iho latter ou on the development Is obvious Co Colombia Colombia lombia although seWed settled the first In III probably known the leist I ut of ot any ny cOlin coun country try Ir on ithe American continent Her lIer retarded r growth Is due to no lack of ot advantages cs offered to 10 the Investor On the tho contrary tho mineral mineraI and agri agricultural cultural wealth of at the republic Is In Inexhaustible exhaustible while commercially owing to Us III geographical position Colombia should hold n commanding place In Routh and ond Central America In the tho time of or the tho Spanish occupancy this was realized but today todo the tho reverse Is 19 true Colombia In IK being outstripped by nil lilt her neighbors In the tho business of ot tho world Her mines aro Idle her fertile fields nelds yield n barren harvest her hugo huge waterways aro by b the tho keels of ot commerce her ports port I nrc open only to a I pigmy trade and the reason for tor It nit nil Is found In one OM word War It la hard liard to remember a n time when there thero hits has not been n 1 revolution or tho fear at ct ono one In Colombia When Wh n one OM party IB 10 In hi power the other party Is scheming to dislodge it and an that can bo done Ilone only through a I military revo While the majority of ot the peo people plo are absorbed In their agricultural pursuits or enjoying their fiestas for tor forgetting getting nil all about the Intricacies and nn woes of ot government n a handful of rest restless less statesmen srn n the unquenchable minority start a 0 guerilla warfare In pome mountain fastness of ot the republic They Ther meet with a 1 series of successes the government Is alarmed troops are called out steamboats and railroads are appropriated for tor their service thoro li Is marching countermarching nit all allover over tho country countr peons aro drafted In Into to the th rich planters are oro roused from their arcadian reveries and asked to the sinews of ot war for tor foreigners eigners Ii merchants gather nth r up their belongings b and look wistfully seaward and behold there therole Is tv n revolution I It seem to bo he a 1 perfectly natural state of ot things The Theonder wonder Is when them is not n revolution But Dut this time the trouble appears to have III overstepped te the bounds of ot the or ordinary revolution There rumors and predictions of a n hItter bitter International al conflict in which the United States may mil finally bo be compelled to tc toke take n hand The Tho trouble seems 8 to be that Cutro the successful Cul leader of at nn an In Insurgent outbreak In his hl own on country Is apparently looking for tor other worlds to conquer He has taken up the 6 dUS OP OF AKI ON ii t 1 tr tri i A A AA A 6 o jr grievances of ot tho Colombian blan liberals and has that the Marroquin government Is III not what It should be Is quite Intolerable to Venezuela It is III difficult for tor a 0 to deter determine mine what the quarrel Is h all about to find a C rational explanation for tor the tho ter terrible denunciations both countries have been heen flinging ot each ach others heads for tor forthe the two months One thing Is II probable however Just no as soon as all either government succeeds In raising the tho necessary funds fund there will he bo less talk and a more fighting unless In tho mean time a wholesome Oread of ot In Interference ence on the tho part of ot tho th United States acts as nil n I quietus on these ar ardent ardent dent spirits New York Tribune |
