New-York tribune., 1891-05-14
THE CHILEAN WAR.
CAUSES AND CONDITIONS OF THE CONFLICT.
VERSIONS GIVEN BY PARTIsANs ON EACH SIDE
THE MILITARY PERATIoNS-sTRoNG
BASE SECURED BY THE INsUR-
GENTs-PERUvIAN IDEAS OF

THE MILITARY
BASE SECURED BY THE INsUR-
GENTs-PERUvIAN IDEAS OF
RETRIBUTIvE JUSTICE.
,,or STAFF CORRESPONDENT THE TRIBUNE
Panama, April 3.-The Chilian war IS the pre-
vailinp tonic of conversation on the lsthmns. 30
intense is the interest taken IN the naval anu
military operations on the nitrate seaboard that
there is general indifference manifested with regard
IN the progress of the canal, subject which en-
Orossed public thought when ! was here year
ago. The fierce rivalry between the Chilian and
English steamship lines on the west coast has
been interrupted by the war. Under the power
ful stimulus of treasury subsidies the National
Company had developed great carrying trade
on the seaboard and taken away from the Paclhc
Navigation Company from one-third to one-haH
of it's business. portion Of its fleet is stll In
service between Panama and CallaO, but many
of the steamers have been seized either by the
Government or the insurgents and converted INTO
transports and cruisers. The English steamers
have re-established their service between VAL
paraiso and Callao, and nearly all the refugees
from Chill reach the lsthmus by this route Ihese
travellers as they come north bring narrowing
tidinos of the horrors of civil war and report the
political situation as most deplorable. AS they
represent both factions l have taken pains to
obtain their views of the civil conflict which has
overwhelmed with misfortune and ruin their
beautiful and progressive country
The civil war in Chill is described by partisans
of the Government as reactionary intrigue against
republican institutions. President Balmaceda is
the leader of the Liberals, who came into power
in 1886. For sixty years the administration had
been controlled by few land barons and large
body of priests recruited from Italy and Spain.
Like other Spanish-American republics, Chilli was
governed by an oligarchy. The PRESIDENT was
elected for five years by indirect suffrage, and
while ineligible for second term, was enabled
to nominate his successor. The executive authority
was shared by Council of State, six members
being elected by Congress and five nominated by
the President This was French graft upon the
stock of the American Constitution. There were
also five Cabinet Minister'S in charge of the main
departments of the administration. The two
houses of Congress were recruited almost entirely
from the aristocratic families. There was not O
Government in South America that was less demo-
cratic One President was succeeded by a brother
in-law or by nephew, and few wealthy families
ruled the State. IL not until the conquest
of the nitrate provinces that the tyranny of the
land-holding oligarchy was overthrown. The
Liberals represented the of the Chilian popula-
ton, who had been denied the privileges of self
government. The victories over the Peruvians
had not only inflated national pride, but also de-
veloped the political instincts of the people There
was popular movement in favor of emancipa-
ton from aristocratic rule and clerical domination
Jose Manuel Balmaceda was the leader of the
masses against the classes. With Liberal majority
in Congress, he was enabled to past several meas
ures aimed against Clericalism, notably the Civil
Il IL
and to Ill the Civil Service with ambitious law
yers and politicians, who had never before been
in office.
The Conservatives had found no fault with the
Constitution Of 1913 so long as their aristocrato
leaders retained supremacy in public affairs
When they sscertained that President Balmaceda
was man Of iron will, who was determined to
have Liberal elected his successor they sought
to subordinate the Executive to the Legislative
authority. Having obtained majority through q
coalition of Monttvaristas and dsaffected Liberals
they passed vote of want of confidence in the
Ministry and refused to vote financial supplies
unless Ministry satisfactory TO themselves should
be appointed. According ITO the version given by
the Balmaceda partisans this an attempt to
undermine republican institutions. The Constitu-
ton empowered the President TO choose his own
Ministers, and to fill all the Offices In the civil
service. The Conservatives, by insisting that the
Ministry should represent the coalition majority,
were bent upon degrading the Chief Executive and
substituting for Presidential government form
Of Cabinet or Parliamentary government, COM
patible only with monarchical institutions. Presi-
dent Balmaceda has resolutely maintained that the
Constitution invests him with independent exeou-
tive powers, and that the Legislature cannot CON-
pei him TO conform to the English Parliamentary
practice. When the Conservative majority re-
fused to vote appropriations, undertook to remove
the police from Executive control and to bring
the ballot-boxes under municipal supervision, and
threatened to impeach one of his Ministers, he
dissolved Congress, depending upon series OF
precedents as grounds for prolonging for six
months the supplies required for carrying Oh the
Government Having successfully defed his politi
cal adversaries and compelled them either TO SUBJ
NIT to a Presidential and Congressional election
controlled by his agents and officials, or to take
up arms against the Government, he is now de-
Tending the country against revolt supported
mainly by the great families, the foreign-born
priests and nearly all the English residents This
is the version which is given by the friends OF
the Government. According to this view Dal-
maceda is fighting the battle of the people against
the nd-barons, and defending republican con-
stitution and the Presidential system against
monarchical innovation.
The advocates Of the insunection, on the other