Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-11-14

faRk - DYNAMITE AND rErRoLrtna ruEl
wEaroSs-rHEIR DREAM or CONQUEST.
4 DISPOSITION HAS RECENTLY Hrrv
"A exhibited by the United States 20 .,,,-.
at Chile. but the time may come when lpcle
Sam will be obliged 10 contend with tina
republic for the supremacy OF tho new world.
IL is at present the mos, aggressive and powcr-
ful Of the American nations next to this
country. and it is steadily pushing its schemes
for political ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Within the lsat
few years il has extended its territory almost
the leng;h OF she neither continent
Should there be a conflict between the United
States and Chile, it would be fierce while IL
lasted. The Chileans are the most ferocious
soldiers in the world. Those who make up the
rank and file Of their armies are hslt-breeds-
a mixed race. half spanish and half native.
The ArauoAnians are the only aboriginal tribes
which the conquerors from Spain have never
been able 20 subjugate In western Patagonia
they remain to tins day unsubducd--a racO OF
herce giants known bv hearsay 90 every school
boy. preserving its independence against eau
easian invasion. IL is only by
been tanned. From this mingling mas been
produced the most intellgenty savage people
probably that ever lived ON tins earth. In war
theg are bloodthirsty beyond descr .ption.
Oht-NdNZIA TIC \ an lAls, DESTROY Ing
thing they can in mere wantonness aud muir
dering every prisoner.
NO REGARD ron ORDINARY LAWS OF wARFAEE.
Chileans in general have no regard whatever
FOR the ordinary laws Of warfare. United
States soldiers or sailofs. should they en-
counter these fierce foes would find themselves
Obliged TO adopt methods OF fighting not recog-
nized In civilized codes. battles would 10
SIMPLY cut-throat engagements on a large scale.
I'm fh.ah has E.fH Il
between Peru and Chile at least nine-teuths OF
the corpses were found with their
throats cut Tins is the Chilean method
OF combat. Each man invariably carries.
even in times OF peace, n long curved kuifO
with a Keen edge. called "curvo," Just rs tho
Italian is provided with a stiletto. il,eae f,i-
lows never fight with their fists with a revolver
or with stick, but always with the knife. In
private qunrrels or in mobs they employ tie
deadly curvo. As soldiers thew are brave 20 rs.c-
lessness. They cannot be made TO DO duty at long
range, but as soon they see the enemy,
they fire one volley. drop their guns and rush
in with their knives. Ia the war wIth Peru no
quarter was given unless the whole opposing
army capitulated, all prisoners being rGi8lessly
slain.
Report has been made that the sniiors Of tho
ship Baltimore were severely wOundcd a. 10
suggest the use of bayonets by the police. but
1t would seem likely that their m juri,s may
have been inflicted with these carved knives.
II is as well that the people of the United states
should know what manner OF warriors are to
be found in these combative Chlieans. They
are restrained by none OF the laws which
usually govern warfare among civilized ma
uons.
HORRIBLE BAGBsRITY TOWARD rERU.
During their conflict with Peru they be-
haved with q horrible barbarity which few Of
the most ruthless savages on the face Of tho
globe could have edualed While marching
through the eOunuer.al
everything IN their path. Not only did they
burn the crops, but they broke mp all the ma
chinery used on the sugar plantations and other
farms, so that Peru is almost idle agriculturally
at present for lack Of mechanical means whore
with 10 till the soil They wiped out villages and
demolished cities for the mere sRke OF desiruc-
uon, having no respect whatever for the
property OF foreigners. Having achieved con-
quest the armies devoted themselves 20 ri lage
and rapine, laying waste millions of dollars'
worth of property daily for sheer amusement.
Town after town totally wrecked and
demolished by the troops, and the beautiful
winter resorts OF Perm, such as Chorillos. its
Newport, were actually annihilated, torether/
with all their parks and palaces, by explosiosJ
OF dynamite. Whatever could not be carried
away Was broken up OF burned. The beautiful
capital OF Lima was given up TO sack by
riotous soldiery. Superb works OF art, with
which that metropolis was filed. were shattered
and torn TO fragments. The entire Peruvian
museum, one OF the finest in the world, was
packed up and shipped TO santiago, and Ike
wise the great library.
All the costly irrigation works were ruined,
and the trees in the parks and even in the
botanic garden we're girdled. Exquisite
fountains and statues were shattered by whole
sale. Women and children were subjected
TO outrage and murder and no regard was had
for the rights OF non-combatants. Thus
Peru, once the weaIthlest OF nations, reduced
TO poverty, so that now those who were tho
richest among its citizens arc compelled to do
pend upon the pawn shops for bread.
THEIR AREoGAScE AND VANITY.
Such is the character OF these people whom
the United States NAV be obliged to meet in
war. Their ferocity is only equaled by tiieir
arrogance and vanity. Not for a moment do
they imagine that they are NOT fully able
to cope with this country in conflict. They
imagine that this republic Is their only great
rival in the new world, and they would conf
IDENTIFY undertake the task OF humbling Is. OF
the magnitude of Uncle Sans realm and its
population they entertain no adequate idea. Not
long ago gentleman of distinction from New
York dining at the house of a Chilean of
prominence and the latter asserted that he COIN
try was quite as big and As populous as the Uni5od
States. The Dew Yorker responded quietly
by saying that he could stand in the steeple of
Trinity Church and overlook the habitations OF
more people than were to be found in all Cliils.
Ii was a proposition that the host could not
brook for a moment. and il was with difficulty
that q serious quarrel was avoided.
The Chilean dream is of conquest. Before
long Peru and Bolivia seem likely to be ab-
sorbed by that repablic. Toward the east,
beyond the snow-capped Andes. lie vast realms
inviting acquisition. step over the noun
tains and possession would be obtained Of tho
sources of the Amazon. 1t may reasonably bs
taken for granted that these enterprisiBg and
warlike people will be dominant IN South
America before the next century has seen many
decades pass That gigantic struggle should
eventually ensue between themselves aud the
United States seems not improbable. As Adj
miral Gherardi has suggested. Peru would
gladly Join Uncle Sam an ally for the snke Of
getting back her nitrate fields and 20 help
punish her former conquerer. Whatever the
result of the present embroglio there can only
exist lasting and invincible antagonism be-
tween ourselves and these semi-ciyllized
vandals of the south.
PATRIOTISM AND EARTHQUAKES.
Patriotism in Chile is very highly developed.
On September Is, the national independents
day, every house is obliged TO fly the national
flag and at night a lantern. Each dwelling
must have flagstaff for such purposes. Tho
schools are only allowed TO use text books by
native authors and the bands are required To
play compositions of native composers. In
Santiago and Valparaiso as tine things can be
bought in the shops. many of which are on .
superb scale. as can be purchased anywhere in
the world. To the foreigner the Joy of exist
ence in that country is somewhat diminished
by the constant earthquakes. These are OF two