Ecuador : its ancient and modern history, topography and natural resources, industries and social development . which was headed by General Eloy years desultory fighting between the rival forcesdisturbed the troubled republic, and as a result ofthe final battle the Government forces were over-come, and President Cordero abandoned his officeand escaped from the country. Alfaro was a born Radical and anti-clerical, andhad entered the political arena at an early and penniless at one time, he had to endureconsiderable privations. His career was typical ofthat of the peculiar cl
Ecuador : its ancient and modern history, topography and natural resources, industries and social development . which was headed by General Eloy years desultory fighting between the rival forcesdisturbed the troubled republic, and as a result ofthe final battle the Government forces were over-come, and President Cordero abandoned his officeand escaped from the country. Alfaro was a born Radical and anti-clerical, andhad entered the political arena at an early and penniless at one time, he had to endureconsiderable privations. His career was typical ofthat of the peculiar class of Latin American adminis-trator, whose meteoric or bloodstained periods ofpower succeed each other with such frequency inCentral and South America. Alfaro appears to havebeen animated by a hatred of the somewhat corruptand retrograde priestcraft which controlled thecountry. Upon his victory he assumed dictatorialpowers as supreme head of the republic, and con-tinued in that administrative capacity until, inFebruary, 1897, it was declared that he was electedPresident. But the election was by no mean§. <on o3 < < o was oz Q THE REPUBLIC 85 accepted unquestioned by the country, and a seriesof revolutions against Alfaros administration plungedthe unhappy community into strife and bloodshedfor several years. These risings were due in largepart to the intrigues of the clericals, whose powershad been greatly curtailed by Alfaro, the influenceof the clergy being thwarted whenever possible, aninfluence, unfortunately, too often exercised in evilpractices. During this period the contract for thecompletion of the Guayaquil-Quito railway wassigned, a progressive step of great value to thecountry. In August, 1901, General Alfaro handedover his office to General Leonidas Plaza, who hadbeen elected to succeed him and who was thePresidents chosen candidate. The anti-clerical policy inaugurated by Alfaro wascontinued by President Plaza. The law permittingcivil marriage, also divo
Size: 1343px × 1862px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookpublisherlondo, bookyear1914
