The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-12-30

fedeTates OF Spies.
COMMON SENSE ABOUT CHILE.
Il may help 20 clear the minds Of good
many people who have much 70 say about
the Chilean controversy without knowing
anything IA particular about IL. to say that
Il would Re wise for them 70 remember
that outside Of the presidents message,
tie report Of the secretary OF the navy and
the report Of the secretary OF state, We
have no statements that can be taken as
reliable. The contradictory, sensational
reports tina; are printed every day are not
trustworthy, as Is illustrated By the fac.
THAI despite the previous reports TO the
contrary, the presidents message and &C
compsnying document. included no COM
plant on the part of Minister Egan Of dis
courteous or insolent treatment by the
Chilean government. The president says
that the reply 10 the original demand con-
corning the Baltimore outrage was mot
satisfactory" but he does not say that it
was exceedingly offensive and insulting''
as the Elijah Pogram: Of the hour put il.
Now, the position of the Posr-ISrELLI-
eEEcEs Is that q great nation like the
United States has no business TO ask
Chile TO submit 10 any terms of reparation
that We would not ask q tirst-class power
Of Europe 20 submit TO. or TO any terms
that We would 10. instantly grant if the
situation was exactly reversed and Chile
complained that naval boats crew had
been assaulted with fatal result. in the
streets Of New York or any other seaport.
What England kss done, in utter outrage
Of humanity. justice and international
right in years past to a poor, wretched,
weak power like China, or TO q miserable
Central American state, is no just guide
for the United States that made war
against England, because Of this might
makes right" policy in 1sl2.
The English statesmen IF today o. both
parties confess that the Opium war"
and the bombardment OF Canton are
among the blacklist pages OF English his
tory, and even at the time Of their occur
renee these outrages were censured in
the British parliament. The United States
with 100000 Of people can not afford TO
initiate the policy OF arrogance and out
rage pTacticed BY England ia tie past, but
disvowed and regretted by England OF
today; the United States has but simple
duty 70 perform. II Ia. only to ask itself
two questions and 70 answer them hon.
esily in order TO find out what should be
the extremity OF its demands on Chile.
First: What would We demand OF Eng
land, or France or Germany had n naval
boats crew been assaulted with identical
fatal results in the streets Of Liverpool.
Havre or Bremen? Second: What would
the United States grant Chile if she asked
satisfaction and reparsiion because Of an
assault with fatal results upon Chilean
naval boats crew In an American seaport?
Secretary Blaine denounced the New Or
leans massacre SIS 2 crime withou: stint.
ana expressed his deep regret for its occur
renee 20 the Italian minister, but explained
thar mo government coald give assurance
that the guilty parties should lie brought
70 Justice IN advance OF trlal and q yer.
diet Of guilty"
Mr.. Blame further explained tha: the
United States government could not A.
res; and try the New Orleans assassins;
that only the courts Of louisiana could do
that. The grand Jury in Louisiana re-
fused 70 indict, although our president
and secretary Of state denounced the mas
sacrs as crime and expressed regret for
the breaking down OF the judicial ma.
chinery Of Louisiana, and the president
went so far as 20 urge congress 10 pas,
legislation for the additional protection Of
foreigners, so that IN event OF the break
ing down Of the state courts or a refus.it 70
grant a hearing the aggrieved parties
could be heard in the federal courts.
The pretense that the Italians slain in
New Orleans were slain because they were
criminals, while our soldiers were mobbed
because they were Americans, is an in
sne argument and pure assumption.
The Italians had been tried by the courts
aud had been either acquitted or the jury
had failed 10 agree. A fraction Of the PEG
PIE of New Orleans us1rped the
powers OF life and death dele
gated to the state by the uAoie
peopI. Of Louisiana and assumed the guilt
Of the Italians, killing eleven, although
they originally designed TO Kill only three.
The conviction Of mob that a man is 5
criminal and his murder by s mob GER
tainly does not make him . criminal in
law, nor in morals. and so all attempts 70
show any distinction between q New Or
leans mob and Valparaiso mob fall 70 the
ground.
The msrdercss mob Of Valparaiso no