, 1891-10-31
A FALSE ALARM.
But Newspapers Thought it
Quite a Charm,
And the Officers Think to Ad-
minister a Lesson,
To Spank Haughty Chile
'Twould be q Blessin.'
The vh,Iean-American Affair.

The Chiiean-A mertcan AHalr
WASHINGTON Oct. 30.-During this
afternoon all kinds of sensational, and IN
many cases manifestly absurd, stories were
telegraphed to Washington from other
cities in this country and Europe for con-
frmation or contradiction. In the latter
category was a startling announcement
cabled to Europe by a sensation-monger-
ing news agency that the president and
cabinet had decided to declare war on
Chile; that all our navy yards had been
ordered to prepare vessels to leave imme-
diately. When this story was brought TO
the attention OF the officials of the state
department they were amused rather than
indignant at the inventive fecundity
shown by the news agency which had
been for some time debarred from access
to the news given out by the department
itself.
One of the assistant secretaries, after
characterizing the story as absurd, re-
marked that the author had overlooked
the fact that under the terms of section 8
OF the constitution the congress of the
United States alone has the power to de-
clare war and that the president and no
cabinet. had no share of this power. So,
too, the story that Minister Egan had
been recalled, was promptly declared an
invention without the foundation upon
TACT. The navy department officials eyi
IDENTIFY have no expectation of an imme1
diate outbreak OF war. Altogether there
was only the air OF serenity and every day
humdrum about the state and navy de-
partment, which no less than denials, af-
forded al emphatic contradiction of any
and all sensational reports of a warlike
disturbance.
The Evening Star has this to say: 1T
would bo a wholesome thing for the polit
ical health of the entire South American
continent.
Said q prominent naval officer: This
country should turn in and give Chile a
good, sound thrashing. They rave the
most insane notions down there and really
think they could defeat the United States
without any trouble. There are about
5000, 900 of them in the " hole country,
and they have not the slightest conception
of the magnitude of this nation and its
tremendous resources. They are fighters
from the word go. They have just been
through a severe civil war and their blood
is still up. The masses are probably
eager for a brush with the United States,
and | should not he surprised to see bel
"ligerent demonstrations from them toward
the United States, even more than they
have already given"
Said another officer: "A Chilean hates
an American worse than poison. He dis
trusts him and takes every opportunity to
get a whack at him. l do not know why.
unless because we have sent down so
many poor specimens of our race to trade
with Chile and thus deprecated our own
stock through our own representatives. L
should like to see the affair with Chile,
not only for professional reasons, but also
because l think the time has come for
this country to administer a lesson to
some one. The cry goes up IN England
that the United States is very brave in
bullragging small countries. That is all
nonsense.
Before long," he continued: And |
should welcome such a thing, not for the
sake OF activity in the navy, but for the
good and wholesome effect it would kave
on the world at large. Then. too, il
would firmly establish once for all oul
supremacy on this hemisphere. Chileans
IN my opinion, are the finest lot of peopl,
10 South America.
The big countries do not dare give u.
a chance to b~ullyrag them and when il
comes right down to the fact of the mat
ter, there never has been such blackguaro
bulldozing among the little powers al
England herself has done and the whole
world knows it.
Still another naval officer said: 1--WE
havo before US a demonstralon of George
Washington's maxim-'In time OF peace
prepare for war; Somo OF those who are
now urging vigorous and warlike demon
STATIONS are men whose care 1t should
have been TO prepare us for an emergency.
The navy department has been trying to
impress upon congress the Importance oil
providing coaling station in both the At
lantic and Pacific, but nothing has been
done and we are now without means Of
coaling our vessels 10 those waters. The
only thing to do would be to capture 4
port and establish a coaling station"
Should there be hostilites," said &
member of the diplomatic corps. ''you
need not look for any great naval engage
ment 10 Chilean waters. Your enem,
seeks loud sounding glory, and he would
send one or two of his best ships to the
Pacific coast. No one would know
whittier they had gone until they appeared
in San Diego or San Francisco harbor,
and then there would be trouble. You
do not think men who are not ignoran,
could be SO foolish, but YOU do not know
these Chileans."
Continuing he said; Such a conflict
could rave but one result-Chileau
arrogance would be laid In the dust. But
these hot heads would have caused infinite
damage to some of your coast cities, fol
you have no coast Notifications worthy the
name. You have many fine war ships
though, and to us who know those who
desire to be your antagonists. 1t would
not be surprising if a naval engagement il
one Of your California harbors we're t.
take place within sixty days"
A reporter saw Senator Cullom thi,
afternoon about the affair. The senator
said: The situation looks very ugly.
Those little chaps down there are very
'ssssy' and | think we shall be obliged te
give them a lesson. If they do not change
their tactics at once. the only thing for Vi