CENTRAL AMERICA.

The first diet of the Greater Republic of Central America, organized under the treaty of Amapala of June 20, 1895 (Vol. 5, p. 676), and comprising the three republics of Honduras, Nicaragua, and Salvador, met in San Salvador on September 15. At present all energies are being centred in an effort to induce Guatemala and Costa Rica to enter the confederation. If the necessary consent of their legislatures to such a step is once secured, a federal constitution will be adopted and, the five states will be collectively known as the Republic of Central America.

Formal recognition of the Greater Republic of Central America was given by the United States on December 23, when President Cleveland officially received Señor J. D. Rodriguez as envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the new government.

It will be remembered that under the provisions of the treaty of Amapala, the autonomy of the several states is preserved, and the union has to do only with matters affecting foreign relations. The entrance by the United States into diplomatic intercourse with the new government leaves, therefore, wholly unaffected the responsibility of each of the several republics to the United States.

SOUTH AMERICAN REPUBLICS.

Brazil. A commercial and financial distress verging upon panic was reported in Brazil at the beginning of October. A government commission was appointed, with the minister of finance as chairman, to study measures of relief. By the end of the month considerable improvement in the situation was noted.

An uprising of negro religious fanatics in the latter part of November caused much disturbance in the state of Bahia, necessitating the dispatch of federal troops to the scene. The trouble is rumored to have been fomented by the monarchist faction. Bands of the rebels invaded several villages and committed many acts of oppression; but finally, about December 7, the government troops fell in with them near Joazeiro, and signally defeated them with a loss of 150 killed, the federal loss being reported as ten killed.

Owing to illness, President de Moraes has retired (it is said only temporarily) from office, allowing the functions of the chief executive to devolve upon Dr. Pereira, the vice-president.

PEREIRA, DR. MANUEL VICTORINO, acting president of Brazil, was born in the state of Bahia January 30, 1854, the son of a cabinetmaker. His successful career is a glorious tribute to energy, thrift, and perseverance, for he was even obliged to earn money to pay for his own education. Entering the College of Medicine in 1871, he was graduated with honors in 1876, and later won a professorship in a competitive examination. He then made a tour of the hospitals of Germany, France, Italy, and Switzerland. Upon his return he was made president of the Medical College of Bahia, and to-day he is considered the most skilled physician in Brazil. His public career embraces the editorship of the Diario de Bahia, in which capacity he deserves much credit for the campaign that abolished chattel slavery; a governorship of Bahia; and a membership in the senate, where his eloquence immediately made him well known. He was elected vice-president in 1894 (Vol. 4, p. 67). President Pereira's personal popularity is very great, and he pledged himself on taking office to an uncompromisingly American policy.

Chile. A serious political crisis has arisen in this republic; but it is difficult from the confusion of newspaper dispatches to gather the exact truth. The trouble seems to be connected with the refusal of President Errazuriz to accede to certain demands for reform made by the liberals in the chamber of deputies. It is also aggravated by the deficit of $8,000,000, which the finance minister in October estimated for the current year, and by personal differences between the president and some members of his cabinet regarding appointments. On November 7 the cabinet resigned; and after some delay President Errazuriz succeeded in forming another, whose policy was declared to be one of peace and harmony with all foreign nations. The new government is pledged to protect carefully the liberties of the people, and to refrain absolutely from interference in all elections. The abolition of the Railway Engineering Commission, whose duty it was to investigate government roads, was the first step taken in the way of greater economy in public administration.

In December the situation was reported as still strained, presenting a practical deadlock between the president and the chamber of deputies, the latter holding out for the liberal reforms demanded. It was just such a deadlock which preceded the overthrow of President Balmaceda a few years ago (Vol. 1. pp. 66, 174).

Ecuador. Following the example of Chile and Venezuela, a movement is on foot for the adoption of the gold standard of currency in Ecuador. President Alfaro early in October presented a bill to the national convention, providing for a gold basis, the premium not to exceed 100 per cent.

In November an executive decree was issued, expelling

the Jesuits from the country, on account of their alleged active support of the conservative party, which President Alfaro had to overthrow in order to secure control of the government.

Peru. A serious Indian uprising under an old chief named Jacobo, was reported from the district around Huanta, Peru, early in November. Colonel Parra, an experienced Indian fighter, was sent with a column of troops to suppress the disorder. On November 11 a desperate battle was fought at Huanta, where the Indians had taken a stand. It was only after about 500 Indians had been killed, that Colonel Parra succeeded in capturing the town, the Indians retreating to their strongholds in the neighboring mountains.

Uruguay. A rigid press censorship maintained by the government makes it exceedingly difficult, in the absence of official reports, to trace the history of the revolutionary movement started in the latter part of November for the overthrow of the government of President Borda of Uruguay. The leader of the revolt was General Saraiva, who a few years ago attained notoriety as commander of the insurgents in. Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (Saraiva's portrait will be found on page 637 of Volume 4). It was from Rio Grande do Sul that the insurgents in the present trouble marched across the frontier into Uruguay.

For a time the proportions of the rebellion were alarming. Dispatches of November 29 announced that Saraiva had defeated and taken prisoner General Muniz, the Uruguayan commander; on December 4 two further disasters were reported on the side of the government-the defeat of the federal cavalry by Saraiva, the Fourth regiment being half annihilated and Major Rodriguez the Uruguayan leader, slain; and the repulse of a column of government troops under Colonel Alcoba. The popular alarm at Montevideo was further aggravated by the discovery in that city of a depot in which many dynamite bombs had been stored.

However, a few days later, December 4, the government troops were reported to have inflicted a decisive defeat upon General Saraiva; and on the 8th it was announced that the rebellion had practically been sup pressed.

GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. General Political Situation.-The last quarter of 1896 has seen little political activity. The usual lull has awaited the session of parliament. Conservative and unionist utterances have proclaimed the disorganization and practical annihilation of the liberals. The liberals, grieved and indignant, rejoin that they have the same

life which in the last session prevented their opponents with their enormous majority from carrying the pet measure of the cabinet. Probably, however, the enormous majority defeated itself by over-confidence and by a greedy grasp of more than any English party could carry at once. The signs are that in the approaching session the unionists will show a more business-like leadership, a winnowed set of measures, and a more compact advance.

Of the liberal program

for the session, nothing is made public; but there are vague predictions that the leading features will be home rule, church disestablishment, and reforms in the upper house.

Lord Rosebery's Retirement.-The most important political event, the retirement of the liberal leader, occurred in the first days of the quarter and was noticed in the preceding issue (p. 611). It was hailed by the conservative organs as a fatal blow; but as yet no disastrous results appear, no division in the liberal ranks, no revolt from the party platform, not even any personal antagonism. The chief cause of this retirement is easily seen in the difficulty and delicacy of the leader's relations to Mr. Gladstone. For a while Lord Rosebery, brilliant in wit, polished in sarcasm, agile in debate, may in the ranks render service less hampered than he could at this juncture as commander. On the continent his retirement is regarded as a victory for the European concert and for the policy of inaction in Turkey-no great victory, since it remains as evident as before that, whatever may be Mr.

Gladstone's position, England cannot move alone to coerce Turkey, and that England cannot avoid moving on that desirable path when a majority of the powers give consent.

Liberal Reorganization.-From some of the liberals there is a call for a complete reorganization of the party to meet present issues. Others see no occasion for immediate change. This question can have no definite decision till the leadership is determined. The next leader in the lords will doubtless be either the Earl of Kimberley or Earl Spencer, the first the more probable. Later, Lord Rosebery may again be seen at the head. In the commons, though Mr. H. Campbell-Bannerman, Mr. Asquith, Mr. Morley, and Sir H. Fowler have some advocates, Sir William Harcourt has overwhelmingly the preference both in the house and in the country, by reason of his tried devotedness, his intellectual directness and cogency, his brilliancy in debate, his business faculty, his promptness, vigilance, and skill as a tactical leader. The announcement in October that he was about to retire from public life, he is understood to have explicitly denied.

The National Liberal Federation League is reported to be contemplating radical changes in the whole internal management of the party, whose enactment is to be attempted in face of the opposition of the present executive committee.

The Educational Controversy.-The English school system continues as a chief theme for discussion throughout the country. The Church of England-finding its voluntary schools, which are supported largely by subscription, increasingly unable to furnish an education equal to that in the board schools, which, being unsectarian and therefore under government management, receive large grants from public funds-has been for many months agitating for a change that shall bring relief. In this agitation the Anglicans are aided by the Roman Catholics, and to a large extent by the Wesleyans. As their demand unfortunately involves heavy grants of government money without government control of its expenditure-a purely sectarian use of the people's money-it naturally meets strong antagonism. The other denominations, Congregationalists, Baptists, etc., do not approve of any attempt by the government to teach their special doctrines to their children, and are quite content with the excellent board schools which the public money supports. In these schools almost universally, a general Christianity is inculcated, the Christianity common to almost all de

Vol. 6-59.