RIVAL COMIC OPERA REPUBLICS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 7330, 7 June 1913, Page 8

RIVAL COMIC OPERA REPUBLICS.

CENTRAL AND S(OUTH AMERICAN COUNTRIES WHICH ARE LEU BY UNCONSCIOUS HUMORISTS.

GREAT BRITAIN’S POSITION

Mexico, despite the frequent Insurrections, has done little to cause us trouble of recent years—which is more than can bo said of most Central and South American republics. In general, the Latin-American republics are almost of a comic opera nature. Take, for instance, tlio remarkable Republic of Ecuador. It possesses a most expensive army, of which the greatest distinction would bo to bo termed a private. The regular force consists of less than 4000 men, of whom actually 3465 arc officers, moulding 17 generals and 57 colonels! Tlio smaller nations have a delightful method of spending all the money they can lav hands on, and then repudiating their debts. It is really most amusing to note how these republics raise their loans from trusting European capitalists. 'When the defaulting republic requires more capital it develops a ■conscience. Then agi elahourato scheme is solemnly entered into by which it is made known that the country is tardily about to enter_ upon the path of rectitude. All this is' SIMPLY D|ONE TO REASSURE CAPITALISTS in Europe, for as soon as tho required loan is obtained the country snaps its fingers at its bondholders. It is frequently a source of astonishment to tho average man that the South American republics possess such enormously powerful war vessels. As a matter of fact, tho biggest battleships in the world aro owned by Brazil, and tho biggest man-of-war over undertaken- was recently constructed for Brazil. The reason is that these fiery little nations aro intensely jealous of each other, and that any moment may sec an outbreak of hostilities. It is only when there is no political upheaval in the land itself that a republic has any time to pay to its neighbours, so that in general the big battleships are kept on show. Occasionally they also tako part in an insurrection in Brazil, whore the enormously powerful Tyne-built man-of-war Minas Geraes.

■WAS CONTROLLED BY THE MUTINEERS.

It would bo impossible to_ state accurately the exact cost in which we have been involved by tho misdeeds of the fiery American republics. For instance, take Venezuela, which practically speaking, was liberated from the power of Spain by moans of a battalion of British soldiers who led tho people in tho fight for their liberty. Some thirteen years ago Venezuela claimed a part of British Guiana, with tho result that England almost came to blows with tho United States, the matter finally being settled by arbitration. Thoro is always some sort of insurrection taking place in this republic, and about a dozen times the nation actually has seized British ships. TO COLLECT SMALL FEES. Argentina is in a somewhat peculiar position among the republics of America. She is about tho most prosperous and advanced of tho nations, and, for all practical purposes, is a British possession, so far as tho proprietorship of tho industries of tho country are concerned. Tdio whole of the Argentine Republic is dependent upon British corporations and British capital. Groat Britain owns practically everything of value in the country, from tho great railways down to the enormous eattlo farms. In some respects the Argentine Republic is more British than many of her colonies, in everything but name. There are an enormous number of millions of British capital invested there, while the most responsible individuals in the State are British. Several of tho nations of Central and South America would be only too pleased to become portions of the British Empire. Almost without exception they possess great natural wealth and enormous resourscs; their troubles are simply duo to the fact that, their inhabitants are UTTERLY INCAPABLE OF SELFGOVERNMENT, not being in possession of those distinguishing qualities which have made Englishmen tho greatest rulers in "the history of mankind. Wo cannot rule them, however, owing to the jealous manner in which the United States regards the “Monroe doctrine.”

Some years ago Chili wished England to accept a gift of tho country, and to make tho people Britons. Almost unanimously the Senate of Deputies voted in favour of the offer, and Senor Ana do Selba was deputed to apply formally for the inclusion of Chili within the British Empire. Owing to tho complications which would have ensued the British Government decided that it was impossible to accede to the request, the refusal being phrased in the politest possible manner.

Chili, however, was not prepared to accept the reply as final, and once again tried to achieve her object. Sho sent over her chief diplomat, Don Alvaraz, with a specially prepared case. Once again in most unmistakable terms tho Government refused the oiler, with the result that for a time tho RELATIONS WITH CHILI BECAME DECIDEDLY STRAINED. At this juncture it is interesting to state what would have boon the result of annexation had no difficulties arisen. At that time Chili was in a decidedly good position for a South American republic, as it had a revenue of about six and three-quarter millions, with ,a yearly surplus of about a quarter of a million. By annexing the country England would have added to the Empire 276,000 square miles and a population of about three and a quarter millions of people. Nicaragua, mado a somewhat similar offer to which tho Foreign Office paid considerably moro attention. A formal petition was presented from the Governor of tho country asking the British to annex tho whole of it, taking over both the revenue and the debts, and planting the Union Jack at Greytown. Tho intention was that tho British should run a canal through the country, joining the Atlantic to the Pacific, and so add a moro important Gibraltar to our possessions. To this request of the little nation, however, a reply was sent declining tho offer. Still, as the result of it, we have the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty, which prohibits the United States from over fortifying tho canal.