, 1891-10-03
the support of the majority Of Chileaus can
hardly be doubted,

0IeCLe0 10 the EreSldency OF Chlle. Ide had
previously been Prime Minister under Presi-
dent Santa Maria, and is described az an ener-
getic, resourceful man and one full Of ambition
for personal power. It is the personal ambi-
ton which can be set down as the real prima-
ry cause of the revolution.
In Chile the President is elected by indirect
popular suffrage much on the same principle
on which United States elections are carried
out. The power Of the President is, however,
much more centralized, and he is able more
openly to exercise a potent influence in the
recognition of the delegates who are to choose
his successor. Balmaceda saw fit to exercise
such influence. He himself was ineligible for
another term, but he desired to hold the power
in his own hands.
By the constitution scond terms are not allow
able. The President began to lay his plans a
long time ago and his Cabinet was dissolved as
elrly as January, 1890, just after the dissolution
Of Congress. The new Cabinet became speedi-
ly very unpopular, because, through it, Balma-
ceda was doing his best to name his own sue
cessor. Mutterings against the old elections
had been repeatedly heard and demands for
anew one were made. To all of these Balma-
ceda turned a deaf ear. He vetoed measures
passed by the Congress and he pulled wires
necessarily. His term was to expire in Sep
TENDER, 1891, and he felt that he must do
everything to gain the day. He began to act
more openly and finally refused to recognize
a large number of delegates elected prior to
the convention which was to elect the Presi-
dent. They We're not favorable to Sanluenres,
Balmaceda's own choice for the Presidency.
and q man spoken of as a tool of the President.
THE, CLIMAX.
The climax was hound to come. On Janu-
airy Z of this year the revolution broke out in
Valparaiso, and the Congressional party an
nounced its intention of fighting the matte out
to the end.
The navy to a large extent was the backbone
at FIRST, of the insurgents. Among the vessels
deserving the government were the Admiral
Cochrane, the Pilcomayo, the Magallanoo, the
Esmeralda, and the Blanco Encalada, the two
latter were especially formidable, being splen-
did fighting ships, of European build. and very
fast. The former will be remembered in con-
nection with the Itata affair. Subsequently the
Huascar, which Chile captured from Peru in
its late war with that country, was captured
by the insurgents, thus adding to their power.
large Mont, who was a prominent member
of Congress, was elected commanders in chief
of the insurgents, and went energetically to
work. The army for the most part remained
faithful to the government when the revolution
was first announced, but large defections follow
ed later. Toward the middle of January the
anti government forces succeeded in blockading
. Iquique, Pisagua and CaletO Buena, and also
made hostile demonstrations against Valparai-
so, ~.Coquimbo and Plea. On January % they
captured La Serena and continued to gain
much ground. Iquique was recaptured by
the government forces, but at the same time
$4,000 government troops.
The elections were held in March. BY rea-
son of holding the machinery in his hands
Balmaceda was subsequently able to announce
a victory and the election to the presidency
Of Claudio Vicuna, who was the Minister of
the Interior in his cabinet. The latter was
to have taken Office on the coming 18th of
September, provided, of course, that the insur-
gents had not by that time overthrow the
government. 1t is. stated authoritatively
that he is not so much in sympathy with
Balmaceda and his method as might be sup
posed from the fact that he was in Balmaoe-
da's Cabinet.
Despite the fact that a strict censorship
was maintained on all kilograms coming from
Chile, news of insurgent victories continually
trickledtout. africa and Tacna were taken by
the insurgents on April 2, and CONSERVATION
spread among the adherents of BalInaceda.
Just after this, however, the government
struck a bad blow at the insurgents. The iron
5clads Blanco Encalada and the Huascar were
blown up in Caldera Bay on April % by the
tAIYuIN0n%n 700 A. 4o-.-I-