The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-10-29
THE CHILEAN OUTRAGE.

The departure OF the San Francisco from
Callao for Mare Island shows that Admiral
Brown does not apprehend any serious re-
suits from the murder OF our sailors in the
streets of Valparaiso on the 10Th inst. He
must feel confident that the Chilean authori-
ties will make full reparation. 1t is To be
hoped tnat he has good reasons for the faith
that is in him. In this country, people
would feel more comfortable if they knew
that we had larger naval force near the
scene of the recent disorders.
The dispatch from the State Department
to Minister Egan is couched in firm but tenn
perate language. The London Times does
itself injustice in ascribing to the Govern
ment at Washington disposition to buster
and threaten. No such dispOsiton has been
manifested. When the facts are considered
that several men and petty officers of
United States vessel of war, wearing the
United States uniform, were attacked by a
mob In the streets of Valparaiso and some
of them killed and wounded; that the evil
dence indicates that some members of the
Chilean police participated in the attack :;
that thirty or more sailors belonging to the
same vessel were found without arms by the
police and were incarcerated without cause
proach TO trUthfulness, that the United
States Government clustered or threatened
when, after a lapse of seven days, it called
in temperate language for an explanation Of
the affair, and observed that the American
people were deeply panied" by an occur
renee which appeared to imply 'unfriendli
ness toward this Government"
1t is the opinion of observers of Chilean
Hoi haf in Chi1a IN
unfriendly feeling toward the United States.
This has been manifested in various ways.
1t is partly due. no doubt, to a misunder-
standing of the circumstances which COM
PEELED the seizure of the Itata. 1t has prob
ably been strengthened BY the prevalence of
the idea that Mr.. Eagan was a partisan Of
Balmaceda. But the anti-American feeling
which appears to prevailin the South Ameri-
can republic must be due to deeper causes
than passing incidents.
Those who have visited Chile, or have met
leading members of the Chilean nation in
this country, have been struck with the ex-
traOrdinary ignorance OF Chileans regarding
their true status in this hemisphere, and of
the status of the United States. Chilean
gentlemen, Of good education and some ex-
perience in public affairs at home. have been
between the United States and Chile, the
result might be very uncertain. They have
been heard to declare that we have nothing
OH this coast which could stand against the
Huascar and the Esmeralda, and that, in
the event of trouble, these vessels might
hold San Francisco to ransom. They have
observed, complacenty, that the valor and
skill which subdued Peru might be turned
m rond aneoupt in moro uortharn latftudas
All this appears to us very foolish and non
| sensical; but it is not more nonsensical
than the cries of "A Berlin" which re-
sounded in the streets of Paris at the time
when it was gu tie certain that the French
could not possibly cross the Rhine. Wars
are Just as often the fruit of popular ignor-
Valparaiso the United States may appear
to the mob no bigger than Peru.
1t would seem that the time is appropriate
to give the Chileans an object lesson in the
shape of gathering of American men-of-
war in the harbor of Valparaiso. There
should be a display of force which would
tell its own story, and effectually cure the
Chileans of any appetite for quarrel with
the United States. In fifteen days, by using
the telegraph, the Government at Washing
Aoh hlibhb dooCniOlO q uuAEll oHlIS-Ul- Ill
carrying the United States flag in the road
stead of Valparaiso. Such fleet would be
an admirable peacemaker. If its advent
were accompanied by conciliato:y dis
patches. the danger of friction which now
looms up on the horizon would be dispeled
and whatever the Chieans did in the way of
shooting and hanging each other for politi-
cal offenses, they would be likely to keep
their hands off Americans.