The American people, made free by Washington, do not begrudge the legitimate glory of other illustrious men, and if they have not rendered up to this time the homage due to Simón Bolívar, it has been mainly through lack of accurate knowledge of his wonderful work. The city of New York, the greatest community in the world, is now honoring his memory by placing in a conspicuous section of its most beautiful park a statue which the Government of Venezuela has given it; the statue of the Man of the South, the brother in glory to our own Washington. No greater homage could be paid to him than to have American fathers and mothers pass by the noble monument, pointing out to their children the statue and telling them the marvelous story of Simón Bolívar. In a book as brief as this it is impossible to present documents or to give long quotations. Nevertheless, we may fairly affirm that all statements herein made are substantiable by documentary evidence. We have consulted all the books and pamphlets which have been at hand and have studied both sides of debatable questions regarding Bolívar. To follow a chronological order we have been guided by the beautiful biography written by Larrazábal, the man called by F. Lorain Petre "the greatest flatterer of Bolívar." That this assertion is false is proved in the first volume cited below. Petre's monograph contains apparent earmarks of impartiality, but in reality it is nothing but a bitter attack on the reputation of Bolívar. Its translator, a distinguished Venezuelan writer, is to be thanked for the serenity with which he has destroyed his imputations. We find nothing to add in defense of the Liberator. The following studies have been particularly consulted: "Bolívar--por los más grandes escritores americanos, precedido de un estudio por Miguel de Unamuno," Madrid and Buenos Aires, 1914, a book containing the following monographs: "Simón Bolívar," by Juan Montalvo (Ecuadorian) "Simón Bolívar," by F. García Calderón (Peruvian) "Simón Bolívar," by P.M. Arcaya (Venezuelan) "Bolívar y su campaña de 1821," by General L. Duarte Level (Mexican)[1] "Bolívar en el Perú," by A. Galindo (Colombian) "Simón Bolívar," by B. Vicuña Mackenna (Chilean) "Simón Bolívar," by J.B. Alberdi (Argentinean) "Simón Bolívar," by José Martí (Cuban) "El ideal internacional de Bolívar," by Francisco José Urrutia (Colombian) "La entrevista de Guayaquil," by Ernesto de la Cruz (Chilean) "Bolívar, escritor," by Blanco-Fombona (Venezuelan) "Bolívar," by F. Lorain Petre (North American)[2] "Bolívar," by J.E. Rodó (Uruguayan) "Bolívar, íntimo," by Cornelio Hispano (Colombian) "Bolívar, profesor de energía," by José Veríssimo (Brazilian) "Bolívar, legislador," by Jorge Ricardo Vejarano (Colombian)