Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-05-09
ron TAs Stars Travelling Commissioner.


w this time from the seat of war: but the
clouds that overhang unhappy Chill grow
darker every day and the end OF the revolution
appears no nearer than ever. One thing is GER
tzir-the rebels are gaining ground, though
inch by inch, and the resources Of the govern
ment are slowly diminishing. Though Presi-
dent Balmaceda has only about four months
more to serve, his most sanguine friends hardly
think be win live to zee his successor inaugu-
rated. should he succeed IN completely de-
fsssiny his foes. which Is not likely, he would
surely fall BY the hand Of some revengeful
assassin, aud in the event Of victory by the
opposition his fate il sealed. It is said that
even the officers Of the Gillian navy, many Of
whom the president formerly loaded with
fAvors, have signed solemn compact never to
lay down their arms till they have hung Bal
mscsda in the Plaza Mayor of Santiago.
Ths president has not once shown his face
outstts the Moneds during the last three
month";; but, having sent his family out OF the
country, lives in strietest retirement. eating
and sleeping in the presence Of an armed guard.
~ the close confinement 10 telling upon his
health, he ID about to remove to the Quinta
Sorral-a beautiful public garden near the
N unwiss plan for his personal security; but
no place % safe from the traitor and nobody in
Chi would be surprised at any hour TO hear
Of Balmaceds's murder.
s1ocxrxs ATROCITIES or TEE WAR
soms Of the atrocitiss Of this unholy war al
most surpsss belief-the shooting Of prisoners
~ bokA Gdss, the barbarous slaughter Of un-
OFFENDING women and children, and the wanton
obstruction Of property. Might makes right
Ia Chill, aud in the present state Of anarchy
nobody's life y safe. Foreigners who have
iSx>sfod hare hluA hlue he
and devoutly wish they had .'snnk" it almost
anywhere else In spite OF trouble. q good
deaf q aauseinent is created by some of the
Unitsd States newspapers that occasionally
ssos3ss regarding the Gillian situation and Civ
ing detailed accounts Of battles that never oc-
CURED. These reports are doubtless evolved
from The brains Of euterprising journalists
who are zen the spot in the home Office, and
hey ssrys The double purpose Of sling space
ths general reader.
0tAer reports are also unfortunately spread
abroad IN the north, which, though containing
sumo truth, are much too one-sided TO give the
example, one Of the great New York dsilies
boasts Of having native special correspond
snt' IN Santiago. The Journalist aforesaid
lwho was born Ia Chill Of an American father
Aad Chilian mother) IL member Of the oppo-
arion, though By no means prominent one
Means that hs has . seat there in the absence
Of o certain delegate. In other words he is
himself . rebe, against the government. and
altogether too deep IN the middle to be ex-
pected to accord justic, to the other lde of the
question This hot leaded young man natu-
rally paints his bette noir, Balmaceda, in lurid
coloES a. q tyrant and would-be dictator and
has great deal to say about how the country
Aas been oppressed by 'one-man power" &c.
POLITICAL CLIQUE
Ths sober truth Is that q political clique de-
sire TO usurp the rights of the executive, and it
ID extremely doubtful IL such . regime--judg-
ing from their actions during the last half year.
which have cost the country thousands Of lives
and millions of doiiArs-wouid be better for the
people than the long established order which
had made Chiii the most prosperous Of South
American republics. Nobody disputes that
Ralmaceda was the fairly elected choice Of the
nAtisa or accuses him Of having ever gone be-
yond the rights accorded him by the constitu-
ton 50 lar from aspiring to over-much au-
thority, his nrst great mistake was in holding
the reins too loosely. The opposition were de-
termined to End fault, ON one pretsxt or
anoshsr-as shown in their persistent objec-
tions to Balnacedas cabinet, although he an
pointed three different sets % ministers in tie
vain effort 10 please them. Considering that
the present incumbentJ term was so nearly
over, II these patriots had really had the in
terests OF the country at heart they would have
A&rSSsc3 kASlf elcCslnS q man OF
their own ideas to succeed him and to amend
ing the constitution 70 limit what they
call "ons-man power"
CRANKY ecSasessnys MADE rHE DIFFICULTY
Unfortunately for Chill. this rebellious
faction in the legislative chamber possesses
much power for i'll, and by refusing TO pass
needed appropriations in their Efforts to
hamper ard eeerce the president they brought
suffering upon Many people, which led to
strikes and riots and finally TO armed rebellion.
Balmaceda made every possible concession
short Of rendering his government q farce 10
preserve peace, but the further the cranky
congressmen became involved the more tride
and otsunscy prevented retraction-and so
things went from bad to worse. Thus hanai-
fal Of anseraPuIous politicians are directly
responsible for the butchery Of many Thousands
of their countrymen, the murder Of women
and children, business failures all over he
land and the suffering for food which has come
upon large proportion OF the population
snd had b.imaceda promptly executed every
msn Of them Is a traitor all this trouble might
have been saved
RrISors PRICES FOR FOOD.
At the best Of times food is dear in Chill be-
cause 50 much Of the country is not agricul-
turai and now that supplies can no longer be
brought in from abroad. prices are 81 tremen-
dous that distress prevails. Think of pa wing
- for small chicken, $40 per pound for
H.
. sack for Hour. and 800 for half grown hog !
There is no ser standard Of prices: but they
range according TO tho necessities Of the
psefle. and the figures above quoted have
actually been paid in Chilli within the past fort.
night
A fsw evenings ago the good citizens Of San
tiago we're treated TO q littie scare. From pri-
waite dispatches received by the government
trouble OF some sort was spprehended. blu. the
particulars were not made public The police
force was largely increased and everybody sen,
home fsotn the eiaes cafes and other resorts M
an early hour. In the thea,ers the second &C,
vas ssl nnjer way shsa 10 WAS anrouueed
from the stage that By government order the
people wete required 10 quietly dispense. Bn.
nothing came OF il. however. beyond cousidsr-
able grumbling about that tyrant, Baiuna-
oodA."
COST OF MANIFESTATION.
? Nov mat the CHILEAN steamers are all ENGAGED
asvar pssssas shsrs b only the EneiisA line %
bring nAa Down from Psnama; hence lsstsrs
from ths Cnttsd States come less frequently
thaa bafossI Al posaal nas>ss going ous q
ChEi whs>hsf bsund for Europe or the north
srn continent, nass b seat over the Andes on
xnllsAnek saa ssres the Argentine republic
By III - - etbsg ocean. since ths British
s1nnahap Company has tAings "a 10 ON NV