Experiences indicated in these pages are not merely incidental and exceptional but prove by repeated journeys to be really characteristic.
We first visited the Empire of Brazil when Dom Pedro was at his best; then in the critical period following the revolution; last when the era of discord had culminated and the first civilian President was peacefully elected. The short but severe apprenticeship in self government transformed a Latin Empire into a settled Republic in eight years. Now for three years the rapid advance in things which pertain to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," has been so quiet and steady as to pass unnoticed.
The eleven years' history of this sister Republic is full of hope for Porto Rico, Cuba and the Philippines. The New York Evening Post, June 26th, 1900, says: "Under republican institutions individual effort has been stimulated and rapid development has gone forward in the wilds of the Amazon as it has in the coast regions of Brazil." But nearly six years of military government were necessary before it was practicable to elect a civilian President.
The English expectation of a collapse of a Brazilian Republic was not given up until about 1896.
Great Britain's equipment for ruling other nations is so far in advance of the United States that any thought of our copying her methods is as absurd as it would be to expect England to set up a self-governing Republic. The St. James Gazette of June 26th, 1900 expresses the opinion that China is "teaching America the impossibility of a great trading nation avoiding Imperialism," and adds "America's experience will teach her that it is not the desire to grab distant lands, but unavoidable destiny that drives Great Britain ever forward. Washington has no choice but to protect the imperilled American citizens and having once interfered in China to protect her interests she will never be able to shake from her shoes the dust of the Celestial Empire." When Edwin H. Conger was Minister to Brazil the United States in protecting American shipping ended the Brazilian Republic's most serious revolt. But the United States interference in Brazilian affairs went no further.
Little as the United States has otherwise done for Brazil the expressed feeling is "Our greatest wish is to model the new Brazilian Republic according to the Constitution of the United States and to develop and consolidate our friendship and commercial relations with that incomparable Nation."
H. M. H.
PLAINFIELD, N. J.
AUGUST, 1900.
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。