Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-11-05
THE TROUBLE WITH CHILL.


The full details of the trouble with
Chill are not yet at hand, and until they
are it is unwise to record any estimate Of
the probable consequences of the strained
relationship which exists. But the super
fetal facts at hand fire the American heart
and arouse a spirit of belligerency. The
murder of two of our sailors at Valparaiso
cannot be regarded as short Of very serl-
GUS affair. Statements from Minister
Eean indicate that these sailors were
dragged out of CHILEAN street car and
slaughtered in cold blood without the
slightest provocation. They were stuck
full of knives and stilettos and bayonets
simply because they were sailors of the
United States and the United States had
recently seized CHILEAN vessel that had
broken all the laws governing the actions
of neutral powers.
This maltreatment, it is asserted, was the
work not merely of a city mob, but of the
Valparaiso police force. But the original
of that. When the outbreak came be-
tween the forces of Balmaceda and those
of the parliamentary party, so called, the
latter seemed to expect the active SYM
pathy and cooperation of the United
States, and to feel it personal wrong and
deliberate offense that we did not choose
to disregard the law of nations, and our
own consistent practice in such cases, by
recognizing the insurgent party. The
hostility engendered toward this country
by its position found frequent expression
during the contest, and has been open and
almost defiant ever since the CHILEAN junta
regained power after the defeat and death
of Balmaceda.
However the insurgents may have
Thought that this coun ry would aid them
in accomplishing the overthrow Of the die
tator, Balmaceda, they ought to have
known that the international war code
absolutely forbade interference on our
part. We could not but remain neutral
under the circumstances, and it was en e1-
hibition of gross assumption that they
should nave supposed that we would per
NIT them to make this country base OF
operations for the purchase of munitions
trouble.
Balmaceda was no doubt tyrart and the
congressional party which opposed him
the representative OF the republican the.
ory. Naturally we should have sustained
the latter, and of course would have done
SO had it been possible without staining
our honor. Our treatment OF tn ltata
was strictly in accordance with the nation
al honor; and we have, since the Junta
vindicated its power over a dangerous
administration, evinced a spirit of cor
diality to the jiberating party which must
have proved its own sincerity.
But the Sponish-Indian combination IN
and unforgiving character. He overlooks
1ecent exhibitions of triendliness and re-
members only that one of his vessels, so
necessary to his once desperate cause, was
seized by that great republic at the north
from which succor rather than neutrality
was expected. Revenge is in the soul so
strong that the appearance In his very
metropolis of some marines from war
vessel of the disappointing neutral fires
the blood. The stiletto does the rest.
The complication, if the correct facts
are at eand, is an ugly one. The muir
dered citizens were not citiZene OF Chill,
nor even residents of that republic They
were in fact not only subjects of the Uni
ted states but agents, one might almost
say, of this country. An unprovoked as
sault on them can be only in degree less
serious than would be one on the Ameri-
can legation itse,; at Santiago, the CAPT
tai
But the arrogant attitude of the CHILEAN
government to the United States is espec-
tally offensive. As far as our present in
formation goes the junta peremptorily re,
fuses to assume responsibility for the out
rage or to guarantee that others of like
nature will not be tolerated. It's reply to
the demands Of this government is said to
be couched in very strong language, y
the language presumably of angry, excited
and vengeful statesmen.
1t remains to be seen what the United
States government will do. War would
be deploratle Git Away is) and every rRa-
sonabe concession is warranted to avert 1t,
but the honor and dignity of a
great nation appear to be at sake
and they must of curse be indicated.
An open rupture would not N the very
nature of things be a serious matter for us
Chill, though the most doughty nation of
South America, has population of less
than 5000, 900 against our 81 100000,
while Its malerial resources have been re-
duced to an exceedingly low ebb by the
recent civil war following SO closely
upon the struggle With Peru as to forbid
only partial recovery from the effects of
the latter.
ACCORDING to recent decision of the
Minnesota state supreme court, a mer-
chant, selling goods to married woman,
can hold the husband responsible only by
proof that he authorized the purchase or
r. fuSed m nroviap necessary thlros for his