176 Hispanic America
that exist in the Dominican Republic shall have passed—
and may the day of their elimination be hastened—she will
proceed with the normal development of her political, in-
tellectual, and economic life.
Although Brazil does not belong properly to Spanish
America, we may not pass her by unnoticed. This great
country, during the nineteenth century, has reached a high
degree of culture by reason of the wealth of her territory
and the vitality and activity of her people and. the strength
of her traditions. The monarchy of the old days was not
reactionary, but progressive; and under the republic, there
has been an improvement in public administration and a
notable development of skill in diplomatic affairs. As we
know, Brazil has attained an exceptional international po-
sition during the last phase of her history.
The sketch I have presented is positive proof that
democracy has been a working factor in the history of
Spanish America. These new peoples have perhaps intro-
duced premature reforms into their political structure, but,
roughly speaking, consolidation of nationality and demo-
cratic organization went parallel among them. Besides the
democratic principle, we must deem one of the features of
Spanish-American culture to be an ideal of international
justice. America has outstripped Europe in democratic
evolution. We ought to observe that the republican form
of government and universal suffrage were realities in
America while Europe was under the regimen of limited
monarchy. The Americas have also gone beyond Europe
in evolution in the direction of international justice. This
longing appeared first in Spanish America from the time of
the war of independence. Our representative hero, Simon
Bolivar, was the first to formulate it clearly. The congress
of Panama proclaimed the equality of nations, respect for