HOW SPAIN LOST SOUTH AMERICA

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 193, 18 September 1909, Page 4

HOW SPAIN LOST SOUTH AMERICA

i On 25th May, 1910, will be inaugu-1 rated at Buenos Ayros a series of celebrations of the centennial of South American independency, or, to "be more exact, of the one-hundredth anniversary of the revolution which resulted in the emancipation of the countries of South America from Spanish domination. The story oT how this came about if of special interest to-day, when Spain ie lighting for life both at dioiuo and abroad. It is well told in the American Review of Reviews. THE PRINCIPLE OF SELFGOVERNMENT.

"The first signs of revolution manifested themselves simultaneously at the two extremities and at the centre of the South American continent in 1809. In 1810 all of the Spanish-American colonies 'rose in rebellion as by one inherent impulse, and asserted the principle of self-government—the germ of their independence and their freedom.' Six years later (1814-1810) most of these revolutions had .been subdued. The United Provinces of the Rio de la Plata alone held their ground, and 'after having expelled from their territory the former dominators, proclaimed in the face of the whole world their own independence, and gave to the conquered colonies the signal for the supreme combat by making common cause with them.'

" 'ln 1817 the Argentine revolutionists decided on a plan of campaign, of policy, and of continental emancipation; it took the offensive and changed the ,-esult of the struggle; it crossed the Andes and conquered Chili, and jointly with her gained command of the Pacific, liberated Peru, and carried her arms e> the Equator, contributing to the success of the revolution in Colombia.' THE LOSS OF PERTT

"This vigorous impulse was felt as far as the extreme north of the southern continent, which described a similar evolution to the Argentine, crossed -the Andes, and converged towards the centre, where the two emancipating forces effected a junction as had been agreed. " 'The struggle now became circumscribed within the mountain regions of Peru, the last refuge of Spanish domination, already mortally wounded in the battles of Chacabuco and Maipou, of Carabobo and Boyaca. From that time South American independence ceased to be a military and a political problem, and became merely a question of time and effort. In fact and of right the Spanish-American colonies were free, freed by themselves without foreign aid, having struggled single-handed against the combined Powers of the whole globe; and from the colonial chaos arose a new organised world.'

THE MONROE DOCTRINE. "During the progress of these events the United States in the northern continent had recognised the independence of the new republics, and in 1823 had proclaimed the Monroe Doctrine, establishing a new principle of international law with the formula, 'America for the Americans.' Free England, wliien in tile beginning had favored the revolution, began in ISIB to side with Spain; but Washington diplomats interfered in favor of the complete emancipation of tho revolting colonies, and Lafayette, supporting this vjew, declared to his Government that 'any opposition made to the independence of the New World 'might allliet humanity, but could not put that independence in peril.' The attitude of the United States, supported by England, turned the diplomatic scales; and at the Congress of Verona (1823) the English Prime Minister, Canning, declared:— " 'The battle has 'been fierce, but it is won. The nail is clinched. Spanish America is seclorum naacitur ordol' CAUSES OF THE REVOLUTION.

"The causes of the revolution are not far to seek. Spain and Portugal carried their feudal absolutism to their colonies, but could not plant there heir system of privileged aristocracy and social inequality. The good and the bad seed alike fructified by cultivation in a ncv soil, the natural product being democracy. It was a rebel world that grew up under the auspices of absolutism. Spanish America was regained as the personal property of the monarch, by virtue of the Bull of Alexander Vi. Thus the colonics were merely united to the nation by allegiance to a common sovereign. When the monarch disappeared, his power lapsed to his vassals, the logical and legal result being the separation of the colony from tho Mother Country.

THREE GREAT NAMES. "Three names stand out prominently in the annals of America—Washington, Bolivar, and San Martin: Washington, leader of the democracy of the north; Bolivar and San Martin, the emancipators of the southern half of the continent. San Martin's invaluable contributions to the success of the SpanishAmerican revolution, with his crowning achievement of the passage of the Andes (February, 1817), rightly place him among the most honored of his'countrvmen. His crossing Of the Andes is ranked by historians and military scientists alike with the passage of the Alps by Hannibal and Napoleon.

THE STORY OF SAN MARTIN. "Born 25th February, 1778, at Yapeyu, in Misioues, he at the age of eight went with his family to Spain. In due time he entered Spain's army and fought under her flag fo r twenty years. T:i London he and Bolivar took an oath to work out the cause of emancipation in South America, and in January, 1812, San Martin, accompanied by Alvenr and Zapiola, embarked on the George Canning for the Rio de la Plata. "During the three following years San Martin matured his plans for Ihe invasion of Chili via the Andes, which separate like a mighty barrier the pampas of Argentina from the smiling vi"'.vs of Chili. 'What disturbs mv

■' i« is unt tlio strength of tho, cuemv, l.'.u how to pass those immense mountains,' hv is reported to have said as lie pasted on their snow-clad summits. The Crand Cordillera is accessible solely by certain passes ranging from flOOOft to 12.000 ft above sea-level. All the troops, guns, ami. carriages had to lie mmratert. on mule-back, and the marching was necessarily in single file. San Martin's I operations covered a front of 1300 miles. I THE TEHRIRLH CHAMPION. | "'His plan was to invade Chili by the passes of I'spallata and Los l'ntus. in order to attaek the enemy's forces in the centre, to charge on their main body, and to seize at once the capital, I thus terminating the campaign by a single coup. . . . To attain bis lined it was necessary to hide his real point of attack, to direct his marches 'so as to take the enemy between two! fires, and by converging roads to concentrate his army at a giveil time. . . On one and the same day Chili was conquered both in the north and in the south (12th February, 1817).' J "San Martin's achievement astounded .Spain. One Spanish writer termed the I hero 'the terrible champion of 'American Independence,' and acclaimed the passage of the Andes as 'one of the most glorious feats the world lias seen. Events in South, America now received a sudden impulse; and one of the direct results of San Martin's success was the invasion of New Crannda by Bolivar in 181!) and the founding of Colombia."— Public Opinion,