Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-07-19
REVOLUTION IN BOLIVIA.
SOME OF THE CAUSES AND ITS PRoBA.
BILE OUTCOME.
The President-The Culture of Cascarilla,
or Chincona, From Which Ouinine
is Extracted.


Special Correspondence of the RFCoRD-UNIoN
La PAz. Bolivia, May, 1890.
That the rumors of war in this alleged
republic, which by this time must have
reached the United States, are not without
foundation may be seen in the fact that all
public mention of the revolutionary move
ment by Bolivian telegraph or newspaper
has been vigorously suppressed, and that
most of the available troops have been sent
from La Paz to various points of danger.
1t is extremely difficult to get reliable in
formation from either side, since it is the
Presidents policy to preserve secrecy, and
he has absolate control of the press and
the wires; and also because the towns are
long distances apart, with comparatively
aims between.
The first battle of consequence between
the insurgents and Government troops is
expected to take place Immediately, some
where in the neighborhood or Sorrato, a
mining village at the foot of the celebrated
mountain of the same name, about twenty
five miles from Lake Titicaca, which great
inland sea forms boundary line between
Bolivia and Peru. 1t is authoritative.y
stated that large number of La Paz's
most prominent citizens have secretly left
to join the revolutionary forces, and that
more than 1000 volunteers have already
come over from Peru, where President
Arce is particularly unpopular,s owing to
his actions during the late war between
Peru and Chile, at which time he was
Boliyia's Minister in the latter country.
1t is asserted that Peruvians, not the Gov
ernment, but private parties, will supply
General Comacho, the revolutionary
leader, with funds and arms to carry on
the war, smuggling both over the border
in remote and unguarded places.
The Bolivians have several causes for
disaffection, the main one being that in
spite of all protests the President keeps in
his Cabinet most unpopular Jesuit, a
sanctimonious but crafty person, who is
devoted to his Order, and therefore likely
to subserve the public interests to its
good. The country, too, feels very sore
over the loss of its small strip of sea-coast
which Chile now claims, believing that
Arce sold it to that Government for value
received. To be sure it was only worth
less bit of land north of the Atacama
desert and had but one Indifferent port,
called Cobija, but it furnished Bolivia
with an outlet of its own to the Pacific,
infinitely better than being compelled to
carry all exports and imports through a
rival republic and pay whatever duties
may be imposed.
Last week two unoffending Americans,
mining engineers, named Thompson and
Williams, were assassinated near the Bo-
hvian border by company of Peruvians
on their way to join the revolutionary
army, simply because they, the Americans,
refused to shout "Viva Comachow when
commanded. The other day Bolivian
hardware merchant was put into prison
for having sold lot Of rifles to unknown
parties, presumably rebels. The schemes
of the latter came to naught in one in
: stance, as follows: The Government has a
large amount of arms and ammunition
stored at Oruro, where considerable gar
rison is maintained. Comacho wanted
these to carry on the war and his friends
bfibed the commanding officers to come
over to their side. Among the latter,
however, was a traitor of double dye, who.
having accepted the bribe and promised
allegiance to the enemy and listened to
all their plans, went to the President and
sold his information for more money.
thereby causing the arrest and probable
execution of his fellow officers and rem
dering his own life of little account in the
present disturbed state of affairs.
L. \
tage over General Comacho, for while the
latter is poor as church mouse depend
ing for funds upon friends nearly as poor
as himself, Arce possesses very large for
tune, the monthly dividend from his mines
alone being sufficient to carry on the con-
fiet to its bitter end, should the public
treasury fail him. Comacho may be best
described as a worn-out politician, whose
"day" was long since supposed to be done
IN Bolivia; chronic revolutionist, who
has given the country more than one scare
In time past. Some years ago he was ban
ished from his native land on account of
political misdemeanors, but it is not i'm
possible that he may yet have the pleasure
of turning the tables and sending his BAN
isher into exile.
A familiar figure on the streets of La
Paz is President Area corpulent, dark
eyed, middle-aged gentleman, in plain
black suit and tall silk hat, always at
tended by a body-guard of four or FIVE
gold-bedizened soldiers. He was not called
to the executive chair by grateful coun-
try, in acknowledgment for services rem
dered in peace or war, but he seems to
take pride in the fact that he bought his
elevation by the power of wealth. In his
electioneering speeches he did not hesitate
to say, This is campaign of money, and
for money alone. He who has the most
money can pay most for votes, and will be
likely to do most for the people after his
election" And he has done good deal
in the way Of expending his private means
for public works-where his own interests
were also involved; as, for example, the
construction of roads in the direction OF
his mines, and in other parts of the coun-
try where he has property.
Uneasy lies the head that wears a
crown" and Arce's caput is no exception.
There is always revolt somewhere, and
schemes for his assassination are frequent.
Not long ago man belonging to one of
the leading families of the interior was
sent to La Paz for the express purpose of
killing the President. Finding no other
opportunity for accomplishing his mission,
he obtained an invitation to banquet
that was about to be given asthe palace;
but beforehand ineautiously wrote to his
hackers detailing the plan, saying that he
should shoot the President in the course
of the evening, and endeavor to escape in
the confusion that would ensue.
The letter was intercepted, as suspected
correspondence is certain to be in this
country, and fell into the hands of the in
tended victim. Nothing was said about it,
however; the banquet came off according
to programme; the young man, pale but
resolute, was there, revolver in pocket.
When the guests were seated around the
table, waiting for the first course to appear,
the President courteously sent silver