Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-03-27

NO. 73.


republics and strong English power was in
terested in the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of Chill. Pc
rus fate was sealed 1t is noticeable, more
over, that this million tons of guano is offered
for sale in one block, and any bidder is re-
quired 10 put up y half-million of dollars, so
that the decree of sale is merely a mode of
getting this vast property into the hands of
the agents of Chill and the English hondhold-
ers. Ii will be carried in English ships,
making larger freightage than the cotton Of
the United States which is annually taken
beyond the sea-
DO YOU think that the United States could
| in any event have prevented this result with
out n war;"
With entire ease. There never was such
arrant nonsense talked as the possibility of \
war with Chilli. The difference in power of
the two countries renders the idea of a war
ridiculous. We are too big to make war on
| Chill, and Chilli is too small to make war on
us. The moral power of the United States
judiciously exerted, could have saved the
autonomy of Peru"
Gould il also have preserved all her ter
ritory?"
II am not entirely sure of that. A cession
of territory might be necessary. in case Peru
could moi pay proper war indemnity, and |
50 instructed MIR. Prescott But this alwavs
| right to pay the indemnity, and il territory
had TO he sacrificed, it should not be in ex-
cess of a fair indemnity. Fiftv millions
would have amply reimbursed Chill for her
war expenses. She has taken fifteen hun
dred millions worth of property from Peru
merely by the strong arm, and the United
States has stood bt in the person of her
special envoy, instructed either to say moth
ing or to say that it was all right"
"A great many believe said the reporter.
THAT the active use of our influence would
have done no good"
I'm any event" replied Mr. Blaine, "it
would have done no harm, and we should
have had the consciousness at least of trying
to save sister republic from destruction. Ii
would have been honorable to make the ef-
fort even if il had failed. As the result now
stands We have acquired the hatred of the
Peruvian to the latest generation. and at
least the contempt of the Chlians. We have
also secured the self-satistied chuckle of the
band of English spectators into whose hands
the power of the United States has so ef-
fectively played. Great Britain with all her
prowess could not have advanced the COM
mercial interests of her own merchants In
South America so powerfully and DESTROYED
the interests of American merchants there 40
completely, as has been done by the instruc-
tions with which Mr.. Trescott was bound and
gagged. The first nstament to British in
terests is the freight money on n million tons
of guano and half the profits of its sale IN
Europe, which of itself is a larger sum than
the war expenditures of Chilli
''But if the United States had intervened
would not Great Britain also have inter
vened?"
"Well it would have been worth while 10
find out whether, if the United States inter
vencd to save an American Republic, Great
Britain would have interviewed to DESTROY it.
In my own Judgment the foreign policy OF
Great Britain will never take that direction.
1t certainly will not SO long British
statesmen see that the United States can do
by omission more for British interests than
Great Britain can do by commission.
The whole idea, however, of British
intervention Is myth The moral
power of the United States in South America
would simply have been irresistible. For
American interests il was the opportunity of
a century, and it was blndly sacrificed. The
commercial interests of this country in South
America will not in 80 years recover what
has been lost, and what was in its power TO
recover Our interests are not only totally
destroyed in Chill and Peru. but our prestige
is impaired in all South America indeed in
all Spanish America, both continental and in
sular. The present generation will not wit
ness the recovery of that which has been lost
within the last 90 days.
when you speak Of commercial interests,
do you mean the shipping nterests?'
II mean that. but not that alone | mean
the entire interchange of commodities, the
supplying OF manufactured articles and raw
material, the concentration in our CONNER
cial cities Of share of that which will now
go wholly 10 London and Liverpool. The
trade of the west coast Of South America from
this time forward will be as much in the
hands Of Great Britain the trade of British
India. But this opens a large subject, and
have neither time nor inclination to pursue it
to-day"