Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-11-04
American Mediation IN the South
Pacific.
New York Times.

New York Times.
The news that Chill is advancing
against Lima with an army repuied 20 ho
thirty thu usand strong should not diver
attention from the more important ssser-
tion that ovcrtures OF mediation on The
part of the United States have been made
by Mr., Chiisuancy TO the three belliger.
ents. The latter report Is recent aud tele.
graphic; the former has Travelled north by
roundabout malls, and its burden OF in,
formation is probably superseded already
by negotiations Tor peace. Rut even
should the rumcTed movement on Lima
turn out TO be authentic, il need not later
fere with the project that Minister Chris
,iancy has been instructed 10 carry out
The Peruvian capital Is probably not to
he captured without serious resistance. 1t
may require siege operations, for there has
been abundant time 10 iortiiy since the
Chilians began the blockade OF Callao.
There may Leed to be "a decisive battle
outside OF Lima before an Investment is
practicable. Even then, if decently de
Tended, the city might resist coup de
main. Ia short, negotiation for al arm
lstice can 40 on as vel with an advance
on Lima es with utter insctlon. Its
chances OF success would tie greater IN
the former case, because urgency would
bring pTompter decision
A pieateI obstacle 10 successful media.
tion is the Difficulty ct bringing the rivals
TO y common basis Of sctiOn. The lask OF
a mediator, under Buy circumstances, is
sp; 90 be pngratelui, although among the
noblest that any nation with the skill and
/ Prestige o. iulhll Il properly can under.
2 L., tlt. G,a yfgh A pAg
| lean Republics OF our sister continent
/ there may be encountered punctilio
| which will bsr negotiations at the tbresh
| CID Perhaps the nearest parallel to this
| difficulty may he found ia the Eaat, when.
| ever il becomes desirable 10 bring Turks,
! Greeks, Albsnians and Montenegrins into
| harmony. Still, the effort TO eDd war
which has drained the resources OF three
Republics for twenty months Is praise
worthy regarded merely in hamanita
rian light, while, in addition, the war hes
come to stage ia which the property and
tfade Of neutrsls ere suffering from its
continuance.
The first difficulty in the way Of nego.
tlauOn will probably be 10 get The beilig
ereuts on common plane 90 70 the exist
ing facts. Peru and Boliyia may take the
ground inst they have tempted Chill At
lGsl to just the point where they wan, her
10 order TO fail on and crush her at y fatal
distance from her base This view would
naturally SO disgust Chill as 10 break The
Btgo istioDs altogether IL ,bis aspect Of
The case It may prove desirable that hoe
lilities should 20 q, pending the prclim.
mary conference; for the basis Of 81
arrnislce should be capable Of develop
Ing INTO the basis OF petcc protocol, and
possibly only whe. l. ma is palpsbiy IN
The grasp Of It's euamy VIII the true start
inp point Of peace be couccdcd by the
aliies-nsmeiy, hat they sre beaten by
soa and land
When We turn % the specific conditions
of peace, We fa1 he latest Lima news
declaring that plfrola, the dictator vii
not give up ga irch 81 soil pay penny
Of Chll's v 81 de5, or leai for pesCe at
ali TIL Chlia ships aud soldiers arc b.
vond Psrus domains Q course, II DO
were to hold that ground, mediation would
he 81 On end, tor Chm n the cJrqaerer Ia
this w6r. With cdds Of tHO 70 one agsinsl
her 10 arms bearing population, IN fasr-
cal end ms'erIa resources, 10 existing
military forces, aDd ii the foreign int
eats enlisted by comncrcisl tics, che Ut !.