Diario las Américas Newspaper, March 21, 1954, Page 25

president. Yiese events in the North stimulated leaders in South America. Men began to speak of liberty and independence, first in whispers and then in loud mur- murs. News came to Chile of a re- volt in Venezuela and O'Higgins knew that Miranda had returned. Buenos Aires had declared its in- dependence, and on September 18, 1810, a Junta of six members was formed to govern Chile. That same afternoon a messenger left for Buenos Aires with the news — “September 18, 1810, is Chile’s greatest day.” The Junta was not yet ready to break relations with Spain, however. Meanwhile, O’Higgins was still on his farm working quietly for independence. He helped to or- ganize the militia in his province, but had no active part in the gov- ernment at Santiago. Although O'Higgins had hoped to be given command of a regiment, he was put second in command of the militia from his own vicinity. But this dis- appointment did not affect his work for his country. Later O’Higgins was one of the most active and distinguished mem- bers of Congress, not only because of his fortune but because of his famous father. He vas well prepar- ed by education, and the hardships that he had endured had given him a sense of justice and the courage to fight for what he believed. Although O/’Higgins’ military training was scanty, he was coura- geous and made a good soldier. When Spanish troops from Peru invaded Chile near Concepcién in March 1813, he was ready to fight and did so well in the first battles that he was soon promoted to col- onel. The fighting went on month after month. The enemy attacked with fury, but O’Higgins’ army fought back valiantly, winning sev- eral towns. In the middle of Octo- ber, the battle was joined at Roble. When the Patriots, outnumbered by the Royalists, were falling back and the battle seemed lost, O’Hig- gins snatched up the sword of a fallen soldier, waved it over his head and cried, “Live with honor or die with glory! Let the brave follow me!” His horse was killed and he was wounded in the leg, but he led his men to victory. News of O’Higgins’ military suc- Bernardo O'higgins Junta put him in command of the Patriot army. At Rancagua it fought thirty-six hours against su- perior forces with a courage that amazed even the enemy. Although the battle ended in defeat, it is one of the heroic stories of Chile’s fight for freedom. Throughout Chile the Royalists were regaining much of the ground they had lost earlier. O’Higgins took his mother and sister and many of the troops and made the perilous trip over the Andes to join his old friend San Martin at Mendoza and continue the war for independence. From there he went on to Buenos Aires, where he work- ed for the cause, then returned to Mendoza to make ready for the march to Chile. At last, late in January 1817, the Patroit army. was ready to attempt what many thought was impossible—to cross the Andes from Argentina and at- tack the Royalist forces in Chile. Amid the cheers of the people, San Martin’s army marched out of Mendoza. O’Higgins commanded one division. It took more than two weeks to cross the Andes, for the troops had to climb day after day until they reached passes more than two miles above sea level. A cold wind blew, and it was hard to breathe in the high altitudes. Then men could advance but slowly over dangerous paths, often along the edge of gla- ciers and precipices. Far above them rose many snowy peaks—not a single line, but a great rampart of mountains. It was bitter at night, even though the season was sum- mer. Some of the men died because of the hardships of the march. Fin- ally the army was through the passes and could descend on the Chilean side to the slopes of Cha- cabuco, not far from Santiago. Here the enemy was in sight. The plans had been carefully worked out. O’Higgins in command of one wing was to threaten the enemy forces and thus hold them while General Soler, an Argentine, attacked their left flank and rear- guard. But when O’Higgins saw the enemy before him he knew it would defended. He forgot San Martin’s orders and instead of a mere thrgat he launched an attack. Once again he repeated the cry, “Live with honor or die with glory! Let the brave follow me!” and charged. The enemy struck back fiercely, but San Martin and Soler quickly came to his aid and routed them. : Two days later, on February 14, 1817, the people of Santiago cheered themselves hoarse when San Martin and O’Higgins rode into the city. Because San Martin wished to liberate Peru, O'Higgins by vote of a town meeting, be- came the supreme Director of Chi- le. There were other battles, and it was not until April 5, 1818, at the battle of Maipu, that Spa- nish rule in Chile was at last brok- en. Here again O'Higgins showed himself a courageous soldier. Al- though his right arm was broken and he was in bed with fever, he could not bear to remain there uncertain about how the battle was progressing. He got out of bed, assembled the poorly arm- ed and inadequately trained tro- ops left in the town, and rode off to join San Martin. His forces, coming at that moment, helped save the day, and the victory quelled the fear that Spanish tro- ops would occupy Santiago. O’Higgins turned to the difficult task of building a nation. One of the first things was to restore law and order. So he appointed police, established courts to try and appointed night watchmen. Always interested in agriculture, he encouraged people to improve methods of farming, and had ca- nals built to irrigate the parched lands. He established markets and encouraged trade with other coun- tries. O'Higgins knew that there must be educated people to build a democracy, and throughout the country schools were opened. Pu- blic libraries were founded, and to encourage people to read more, books and magazines were sent through the mail without postage. However, he dared not give all on within the borders of his coun- try. The Spanish army in Peru would be a constant threat. Peru must be liberated. With firm determination he ap- pealed to the Chilean people for funds to organize a fleet and a new army to free the Peruvians from Spanish domination. The gen- erous response of the citizens was another act of cooperation bet- ween American countries; Chile- ans did not forget that San Mar- tin had brought_an army from Argentina to help free their na- tion. O’Higgins- engaged the services of the celebrated English admiral, Lord Cochrane, and placed him in command of the new Chilean fleet. San Martin was named comman- der-in-chief of the Argentine and Chilean forces which joined with Bolivar’s army coming down from the North and the Peruvian pa- triots. It;was not long before Chile shoy d the results of O'Higgins reforms. Wages were higher, prices were lower, trade had increased, and times were good. Yet there were many who objected to the reforms. Others accused him of planning to keep his office perma- nently. There was jealousy too, among the different political par- ties. Rumors and suspicion and jealousy increased and developed into strong opposition. Several pro- vinces of the country threatened to declare their independence of when O’Higgins tried to control Santiago.. Things became wose the election of delegates to draw up a constitution. At last, on Ja- nuary 28, 1823, an assembly of citizens of Santiago met to de- au} WAM ‘“WoreUSISAI sty purw same cool courage «with which he had met the enemy on the battle- field, O'Higgins now faced his pe- ople, handed over his sword, and stripped from his breast the ribbon showing his rank. Turning to the assembled citizens, he said: “Now I am a plain citizen. Dur- ing my administration I have exer- cised vast authority. I may have that they have been the result of the diffieult times in which I took over the government and not the expression of bad intentions. I am ready to answer any charges that you may make against me. And df these mistakes have caused misfor- tunes that cannot be purged ex- cept with my blood, avenge them as you as you wish. Here is my breast.” “When the assembly cried, “We have nothing against you. Long live O’Higgins!”” he continued, “I well knew that in justice it was impossible to accuse me of op- posing the interests of my govern- ment intentionally. There is no longer any need for.my presence here.” Then on July 17, 1823, with his mother and sister he left for Peru. He never saw Chile again. The people of Peru gave him a warm welcome, and presented him with a large farm in gratitude for hjs aid in their struggle for independence. There he and his mother and sister settled down to much the same kind of life they had enjoyed at Canteras. He entertained people from many countries, but of all the visitors the most welcome were those who brought news of his homeland. The man who had spent so many years fighting for independence could not rest peacefully in his home until the last Spanish troops were driven from Peru. In command of a Colombian division in Peru he fought at Ayacucho, the last battle of the Wars of Independence in South America. In 1835 O’Higgins’ mother died, and soon afterward his own healthe began to fail. He had always hoped sometime to return to Chile, and now he had a great longing to see his country again. He was about to sail when an attack of a heart ailment finally caused his death on Octgber 24, 1842. In the Avenida Bernardo O’Hig- gins, a beautiful parkway in San- tiego, the people of Chile erected a monument in memory of the man who had spent his life in the cause of independence. And Washington, Bernardo O'Higgins, surrounded by other great Ameri- cans who worked or fought for freedom, is honored as the nation- cess reached Santiago, and the be easy to take the heights they his attention to what was going made mistakes, but believe me al hero of Chile. hree Haitian Folk Tales By Philipps Thoby-Marcelin and Pierre Marcelin English, Spanish The legend of the wind All night long the wind blew, ransacking the garden of Man Si, Ti Jean’s mother. At daybreak, Ti Jean got up and opened the door. All the cornstalks, all the banana trees, were flat on the ground, | where they were stuck like strands . of wet -hair. Ti Jean said to his mother:‘“Man Si, I know where the wind lives. His home is in that cave yonder - in the mountain. He is sleeping Cae Pie (Reprinted from Amériacs, monthly magazine published by the Pan American Union in and Portuguese). right now and I am going to take advantage of it to stop up the entrance to the cave. Then he won't be able to come and ransack vour garden any more.” ; Well, Ti Jean made a big cork, he loaded it on his shoulder, and then started out. He walked a long time. He walked, he walked, and he walked. Finally he arrived at the wind’s cave. The wind woke up and saw the cork. He flung himself down at Ti Jean’s feet. “Don’t do that, Ti Jean! I beg you, don’t do that! I’ll give you a magic hen. All you have to do is ask her for gold and she will lay you as much of it as you want.” “Well,” said Ti Jean, “give me that hen.” The wind gave him the hen. And Ti Jean happily started home. He walked a long time. A long, long time. Soon night came. Ti Jean was tired and his feet hurt. Finally he came to a cabin where an old woman lived. “Good evening, grandmother,” he said, “I am tired. May I sleep here?” “Of course Ti Jean,” she answer- ed, kindly, “you may sleep here. Take my bed.” The old woman had an honest face. Ti Jean entrusted his hen DOMINGO, 21 DE MARZO DE 1954. to her and warned her to be very careful not to let anyone steal it. “This is a hen that lays gold,” he said. Ti Jean went to bed. He slept until the following morning.When he woke up, the old woman gave him another hen that looked just like his. Ti Jean did not notice the trick. He thanked the old wo- man, went on his way again, and finally arrived home. “Did you stop up the wind?” ask- ed his mother. “No, Man Si,” replied Ti Jean. “He gave me a hen that lays gold.” “Don’t tell me!” said Man Si, astonished. She commanded the hen to lay, but the hen only pruduced dung. Ti Jean was furious. “Man Si,” he said, “the wind has tricked me. Tomorrow I am going to stop up the entrance to his cave.” And so the following day he went to the mountain. The wind flung himself down at his feet again. “Don’t do that, Ti Jean! I beg you, don’t do that! I'll give you a magic donkey. All you have to do is ask him for gold, and he'll give you as much as you want.” Ti Jean looked him straight in the eye. He saw that the wind was not lying. “Well,” he said, “give me that donkey.” The wind gave the donkey t Ti Jean. Ti Jean was happy. He started back home. He walked a long, long .time. Soon night. came: ° and Ti Jean was tired. Hiss feet hurt. He stopped again at the old woman’s house. HEMISFERIO “Good evening, grandmother. I am tired. May I sleep here again?” “Why yes, Ti Jean, ou may sleep here. Take my bed.” Ti Jean entrusted his donkey to her and warned her to be very careful not to let anyone steal it. “This is a donkey that makes gold,” he said. Ti Jean went to bed. He slept until the following morning.When he woke up the old woman gave him back a donkey that looked exactly like his. Ti Jean did not notice any difference. He thanked the old woman and went back home. “Man Si.” he. said as he entered the cabin, “I didn’t stop up the wind’s cave. He gave me a donkey that makes gold.” “Let’s see,’ said Ti Jean’s mo- ther suspiciously. The donkey only made dung. Ti Jean was furious. “Man Si”, he said, “tomorrow I am going to stop up the wind’s cave. This time I will really do it, because the wind tricked me again.” The next day the wind flung | himself’ down again at his feet. ‘Don’t do that, Ti Jean! I beg you, don’t do that! I'll give you ' a magic wand. All you have to do is say ‘Tikiti’ to it and it will give you diamonds —as many as you want.” “Well,” said Ti Jean, “give me the wand. But so much the worse for you if you are tricking me this time.” He ‘left; stopped at the old wo- man’s. to sleep, and entrusted his wand to: her. “This time, grandmother,” he said, “be very careful. Whoever owns this wand has only to say ‘Tikiti’ to it and it will give him as many diamonds as he wishes.” “What are you worried about?” returned the old woman. “You en- tructed a hen to me, then a don- key. Didn’t I give them back to you?” “That's true,” admitted Ti Jean. He lay down and it was not long before he was asleep. Soon “Tikiti!” Instead of giving her diamonds, the wand threw itself upon the old woman and beat her furiously. The old woman began to scream, Ti Jean woke up. “What's the matter, mother?” he asked. “Save me Ti’ Jean, save me!” she cried. “I just said “Tikiti” to (Continued on page 14)— grand- Pag. 13