The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1891-07-02
THE CHILEAN EMBRGGLI0.


THE CHILEAN EMBRGGLI0.
Hawaii has had little practical in
terest in the affairs of South Ameri-
can countries. Yet the ocean way to
the western coast of South America
is so direct aud that coast so COM
paratively near this group that our
intelligent residents cannot help feel
ing some sympathetic concern for a
neighbor plunged in so distressing a
situation as Chile is today Besides
the conside. tion of neighborhood in
the Pacific, there is the further one
that the Chilean flag has been shown
at intervals IN our waters, by war
ships Of a prowess to inspire some re-
spect. And, moreover, an Hawaiian
legation is maintained at Valparaiso,
the commercial capital of Chile.
What is the trouble in Chile? This
is question heard many times as
the arrival of foreign mail brings
tidings of fresh encounters on sea
and land between the two Chilean
factions waging fratricidal war.
An attempt to answer the question
briefly is herein to be made. The
sources of information are articles
in the foreign press, supplemented
by letter from Mr.. d. Thomas, Her
Majesty's Charge d'Affaires at Val
paraiso, to the Minister of Foreign
affairs, of which we have been kind
ly granted the perusal.
For long period the old arsto-
cratic families of Chile had concen-
trated power in their hands rs sort
of olgarchy. In 1886 Jose Manuel
BaImaceda was elected President as
the candidate of the popular party
opposed to the old order. The term
of the presidency in Chile is five
years, and the incumbent is not ell
gible for q second term. Balma-
ceda term had but few months to
run when the present outbreak &C.
cured. This is fact that has in
creased the curiosity of people as to
the cause of war, although Hawaii is
not unacquainted with similar crises,
when factions with constitutional
opportunity in near prospect will
take or threaten unconstitutional
means for having their own way.
The victorious struggle with Peru
some years ago had revealed if not
developed the strength of the com
mon people of Chile, and Balmaceda
came to the front as the champion of
the "masses" against the "classes.
He had majority in the new Con-
gress, which he used to pass impor-
tant measures curtaillng the power of
the aristocracy and the church.
Among these were the civil marriage
and the cemeteries secuIarization
bills, while other measures tended to
break up the old monopoly of offices
held by the party of the former re-
gime.
1t seems, however, that Balmaceda
fell into the mistake of political re-
formers in different ages and coun.
that of using power arbitrarily
in the attempt to abolish arbitrary
power. His assumption Of excessive
authority led to congressional re-
volt, in which different factions
joined hands to the extent of leaving
the President with only minority at
his back. During the whole OF last
year differences and disagreements
were rife between Congress and the
President, or between the legislative
and executive powers, regarding
their constitutional attributes, rights
and duties. The Chilean President
has the power given to him by the
constitution to name his own cabinet
ministers and to fill places in the
civil aerviea- Auainat tho fro sxar.