Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-01-31
Chill AND PERU.
Origin of the Trouble Between the
Two Republics.
Interesting interview With a West Wrginian
on the Subject-Chafactef Of the Peo-
ple-The Monroe Doctrine and What
Il Would Cost to Enforce h.
ATTEMPT TO GUAN0IZe BLAINE.
Special 10 the Reosx,er,

Special 10 TIE Reptsser.
WASHINGTON, January 3o-In connection
with the apparent recession of Secretary
Frelinghuysen from the position assumed
by ex-Secretary Blaine in the Chili-Peru
imbroglio, there is a desperate effort on
foot to besmirch the latter for alleged cor
rupt connivance with Minister Hurlbut in
an effort to secure a share OF certain claims
held by Americans against the Peruvian
Government. The story runs that the Pc
ruvian Guano Company, Of which one Jacob
Shepherd, OF New York, is the American
representative, bought the Coquin and
Landreas claims against Peru which were,
in brief, claims to one.third of the guano
product OF that counffs sassa spsa the. a.
legged first discovery OF these fertilizer de-
posits, and then sought to enlist our State
Departments in an effort 20 compel Peru
to set tie with the company. In order to
do this, Shipherd claims that he set aside
$3.50 900 OF the company's bonds for Hurl-
butts benefit, and that this was done with
Blaine's knowledge. Thus far Blaine's
friends have paid no attention to this at
tempt to guanoize their candidate, but rs
one of your West Virginia politicians used
to say, too long 4 continuance in this
course may not manure to their benefit
Speaking OF
Peruvian and Chilian
matters in general, l had an interesting
talk the other day with Lieutenant Brice.
of the L. S. corvette Lackawanna, which
has just returned from South American
cruise Brice is sort OF a West Nirginian,
by his family connections, and married
daughter of Drury Tallant, OF San Francis
co. He has been stationed in Chilian and
Peruvian harborS during the whole of the
recent row, and seems to have picked up
very intelligent idea OF the whole disturb
ance. He says the entire controversy
grew out of a dispute over the guano and
nitrc deposits on Peruvian territory. The
Peruvians, who are a sort OF constitution
ally tired citizens at best. would not work
these deposits, and the Chilians, who have
a considerable amonnt OF yigor and enter.
prise worked them at first under some kind
of royalty system. until they patched up a
claim to them and sought TO enforce it n
ct ar7nis 1t must have been a very unequal
contest from the start. The PeruVians. as
a class. are soft and effeminate, jealous OF
strangers and inclined to selt-indulgence
and immortality, and relied upon the ma
tive Indians or Aztec element for the rank
and file of their army, otficeringit with the
Spanish portion of the population. The
consequence was that while the soldiers
would 90 wherever they were led, and
fought well when well commanded, the
officers were of little account and gave the
Chilians a wide berth. The Chilians. said
Brice. are a very different set. They are
hardy and rcsolutc, and the admixturc OF
European with Spanish and Indian blood
has made them
vigorous and Determined.
They have been fighting the Arancanian
Indians on their borders from time
whereof the memory of man runneth not
to the contrary, and this practice had made
them acquainted with good rough and
tumble down fighting. Anyhow they
made short work of the Peruvians. They
never took any prisoners and there will not
be much of pension list in Peru growing
out OF this war. In the harbor fight where
they surrounded the Peruyians on the
mole four hundred feet above the city,
they pitched between three and four nun
dred Inhurt prisoners over the precipice
OH the rocks below. | did not see them
do il. but | saw the bodies OF the Peruyians
sticking on the cliffs and talked with
Cbilian officers who took part in the
massacre. We protested against the in.
humanity, but they only laughed At u.s.
What do you think OF
RIaine's Position.
as set fertb in the letter to our commits
soners"'
HE is right about it. II this Monroe
doctrine means anything, it means that
we must keep foreigners from acquiring
dangerous advantages OH this continent.
Now, the whole expense OF this Chilian
campaign has been paid with English
money, and the means TO pay the bonds
must come from these same guano and
nitre beds which brought on the first diff
culty. That is what makes the Chilians
so intent OH acquiring this portion OF the
Peruvian territory and makes them indif-
ferent 10 any representations that Drescott
and Blaine can make. Yet, II the Peru
Wan nitre. and glano are turned over 10
England Peru loses her only revenue and
is wiped off the map rs one of the South
Amer;nan powers. That is why say
blaine was right in his effort to maintain
the Integrity of Peru. When country
gets to be as big as the United Ststes, it
ought. 10 make its policy respected, and, II
The Moarse Doctrine
is psst: of oars. it ought to be upheld. in
thiSaase. Otherwise you cannot blame
foreigners who have interests in South
America, like the English, Germans and
French, from taking con troll OF weaker
powers as the English are trying to do ia
this instance.
"Boa much treublc would it be 20 as
s,rt our rightsi in this natter
Not much, 80 Tar as foreign intsTference
i.ooneerncd. England has too much On
her bands just now to annoy Us if'he felt
;nol;ped. Hss commerce would be broken
up. snd Irelas,d would probably take ad.
vantage Of the opportunity to sup osl II
England declared war against us. WIN
Chilli il wozld BE- matter OF soIce expense
She has an army now larger tsan our reyu-
lar force, .he various departrlfnts oSh IN
oluding nearly So 900 men. Their cavalry
| is the best know OF, and tie jnfanary and
+ artillery have the latest ecpipment In the
1 vay of Peabody Martini RI iisA- and improy-
/ ed ordnance. Their navy is better than
ours. aud three OF their va1 vessels ike
| the Haascar. could probably cripple the
whole of our present fleet and might IN
| tarfe.e with our Califoust2 pceaa traffic u
| a large extent Nevertheless. the game
| vould pay FOR the candle, and you'd settie
| a a aaestion that this coantry has got 10 set
| tIa ~ sorps time iU the future lAS.