The South American States

The coudition oí the South American sontinent, taken as a whole, is not a satist'actory one, wliatever way we view it. Politically, it is split up into a nnniber of. separate states, few of which possess any real political vitality, and nearly all of 'which are too poor to obtain any atable posifcion as trailers arnong the nations of the world. The same dominanee of the soldiery which has nearly destroyed Old Spain has helped to prevent bith'erto the development of most of those ofi'shoots fi-om lier which form the states of Central and Soutli America, There is, to all appearauce, an absence of the capaeity for creatiug solidly-based civil insiifriitions in the Spauish race, and, although these Spanish colonies have all thrown off the yoke of the mother country, thoy have made next to no progresa in the art of self-government. Mot ono of them all can sliow an orderly, well-knit systom of anthority, such as Prescott, for instauce, says - no doubt with exaggeration - the Incas oí Peru or the Aztccs of Mexico possessed. The Spaniard of America is civilly a degradsd being, through the superstitions which have so long molded the quality of his mjnd, and the mixed races anc natives whom he has called into being o subdued have never risen to the position of tlie peaceful, order-loving citizons o free states. Therefore we. flnd continua wars going on, brigandage 'and muivlei rii'e, in even the most promising of the states, and an absence of any progres worthy of the narne in every Spunish re public save one. Public offices are flllec through corruption, and integrity and fair dealing are qualities almost un kuown. Wheii contrasted with th Unitecl States, the utter backwartlnesi? o 11 South American states comes witli tartling forcé on the mind of the politial student. The very beginnings of ife which society evinces there serve ut to suggest, as it were, the corruption which makes one almost despair of these tates ever developing iito healthy poticul organizations. Chili alone among he Spanish states of Soutli America has made real progresa in the art of self"overnment, and has been blessed with