The Bolivar Centenary On Wednesday the world honoured one of
those few natural leaders of men who have earned the proud title of " Liberator." Simon Bolivar, born at Caracas in July, 1783, died on December 17th, 1830, at Colombia. His fame rests on the establishment of the independence of the Spanish-speaking nations of America which had revolted from Imperial $pain. Colombia, Venezuela, Eeuador, Peru, and Bolivia owe their existence to him. His visit to London, whither he came to plead for Venezuelan independence, fills an interesting page in English history. He was not, however, merely a lighter and a propagandist. Most of the Constitutions and fundamental laws of Spanish-America to-day are due to the inspiration which he derived from France. But the gulf between theory and practice appalled him and he died a disappointed man. His ideal of a society of democratic nations is one that has much in common with the League, and the League Assembly in September did well to pass a resolution acclaiming him as one of the pioneers of a world-order.
Previous page
