The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-10-31
THE GILLIAN |MBROCL|O.
Discussed at the Cabinet Meeting
but no Information Given
for Publication.
Senator Montt, Chilian Envoy
Says Egan's Duplicity Caused
the Trouble.
Naval Officers Discuss the Affair." Am cri-
can Residents or Valparaiso Antici-
pats still More Trouble.


\ WASHINGTON, Got. 30.--At the navy de-
partment to-day there WAS no sign of dis
turbance over the Chilian affair. The San
Francisco, which was at Callao, Peru, is be-
Iieyel to have sailed yesterday for Califor-
MIA. She will touch Mt some port OH the
way where she can be reached by cable if
there be need At tho cabinet meeting this
afternoon the time WINS devoted to the dis
cussion of the Chilian situation. 1t is sur
missed that Secretary Blaine submitted for
consideration an outline of tho reply to be
made to Minister Egan's communication,
that its details are perfected and that in
due time it will be made public. There have
been no further dispatches from Minister
Egan or Commodore Schley.
Senior Montt. the Chiian envoy here. who
has been regularly appointed, but whose
credentials have not yet arrived, called on
Secretary Blaine yesterday and had long
talk concerning the assault upon American
sailors in Valparaiso. Senor Montt ex-
planned the details of the affair, which had
come to him in his official capacity, and he
charged that Minister Egan is really re-
sponsible for all the trouble existing be-
tween Chilli and the United States. He
said that during the revolution, when the
con gressionalists endeavored to make
secret advance ON Valparaiso, the United
States steamer Baltimore actually played
the part of spy and reported the matter to
Minister Egan, who Immediately laid all
the facts before Balmaceda. The victorious
Ios, %Lc< %boir r~,Io Iju, ,1voH
to the enemy through Egan's interference,
and that at the battle which ensued they
suffered a lose of at least LOCO soldiers as
direct result OF the espionage.
During the afternoon all kinds of sensa-
tional and in many cases manifestly alb
suId stories were telegraphed to Washing
ton from other cities in the country and
Europe for confirmation or contradiction.
In the latter category was the startling an
nouncement cabled to Europe by sensa-
tion- -mongering news agency that the presi-
dent and cabinet had decided to declare
war on Chill; that all our navy yards had
been ordered to prepare vessels to leave :.
To the attention of officials Of the state de-
| partment 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 news
given out by the department itself. One of
scterizing the story as absurd.
remarked that the authors had
overlooked the fact that under the terms of
| section of tho constitution, the congress
| of the United States alone has power to de-
clare war and that the president and cabi-
net had no share of this power. So too, a
story that Minister Eagnn had been recalled
W as promptly declared an invention. with
out foundation in fact. Navy department
officials evidently have no expectation of
| the immediate outbreak of war. Altogether
there was an air of serenity and every day
humdrum about the state and navy depart
| ments which, no less than the denials, af-
! forded emphatic contradiction Of all and
any sensational reports of warlike dis
| turbance.
| The evening Star has this: ut would be
wholesome thing for the political health
said prominent officer, ''if this country
should turn in and give Chilli GOOD sound
| threshing. They have the most insane no.
tions down there and really think they
could defeat the United Statee without
trouble. There are about 3, 00OO00 OF them
| in the whole country and they have not the
| slightest conception Of the magnitude of
! this nation and it's tremendous resources.
| They are fighters from the word go. They
have Just been through severe civil war
and their blood is up. The masses are
| probably eager for brush with the United
States and I should not he surprised to see
| belligerent demonstrations before long,
and should welcome such thing not for
| the sake of activity in the navy, but for
| the good and wholesome effect it would
| have on the world at large. Then, too, it
would likely establish once for all our su-
premacy on this hemisphere. The Chill
ians, i'll nv opinion, ave the finest lot of
De eople in South America
Another officer said: "Chlians hate
m American worse than poison. He dis
trusts him and takes every opportunity to
got q whank at him. do not know why,
poor specimens of our race to trade, and
thus depreciate our own stock through our
representatives. ! should like to soc An
a fair with Chill, not only for professional
reasons, but also because | think the time
has come for this country to administer a
England that the United States is very
brave in bully-ragging. small countries.
That is all nonsense. Big countries do not
dare give us n chance to bully-rag them,
and when it comes right down to the mat
ter. there never has been such u blaokguard
bully among little powers rs England her
self, and the whole world knows it.''
Still another officer said: I'VE have be-
fore us q demonstration of the wisdom of
Washineton's mnxln-'In time of peace
prepare for war;. Some OF those mon who
are now urging vigorous and warlike dem
onstratons are men whose care it should
have been to prepare tor an emergency. The
navy department has been trying to i'm
press upon congress- tho Importance Of pro.
viding coalinE stations in both the Atlantic
and Pacific, but nothing has been done and
wo are now without means of ooalinR our
vessels at those waters. Ihe only thing to
do would he to capture port and establish
a cOalinp station"
"Shoula there be hostilties." said
member of the diplomatic corps 'you need
not look for any great naval engagement
in Chilian waters. Your enemy seeks loud
sounding glory, and he would send one or
two of his hest ships to the Pacific coast
No one,woud know whittier they had gone
until they appeared i'll San Diego
or San Francisco harbor, ana
then there would be tgouhle. You
do not think men who are not Ignorant
could he foolish, but You do not know these
Chilinns. such u conflict could have but
one tesult~~Chilian arrogance would be
laid III the dust--hut these hotheads would
have caused infinite damage to some of
your coast cities, for you have no fortitica-
tions worthy the name. You have many
fine warships though, and to US who know
those who desire TO be your antagonists it
would not be surprising il Il naval engage
ment ia one OF your CalifoI nian hnrbors
were to take place within sixty days"
had an Interview with Secretary Tracy.
Speaking Of the Chilian affair, tho senator
said; 1.-THE situation looks very ugly.
IA rku a