New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-09-09

The Tinted States is the first Nation as by
IFS traditions it should be, to recognize the Pro-
yisional Government of Chill and to enter into
regular official relations with it. This has been
affected in the usual orderly way. Our Minis
ter having advised the State Department OF the
establishment at the CHILEAN capital of genu-
inc and effectual Government, actually discharg-
ing its duties and meeting its responsibilities
the President has instructed him to record al
act of formal recognition on the part OF the
United States, and the instructions have been
carried out. As the first of the dplomauc
corps to offer foreign congratulations Minister
Egan was cordially received by the PROVISIONAL
President, Senior Montt, and succeeded 1t may
fairly be presumed, in impresSing the TRIUMPHANT
revoutionists with the fact that they enjoy the
goodwill of the American people.
Perhaps the best definition of the prlnciple
and practice of the United States in Its attitude
toward newly founded sOvereign1es or UoV-
ernments was expressed by Mr. LIVINGSTON d.
Secretary of State, half century ago. IL Is
the American rule he said, to recognize thaU
as the legal Government of another nauon
which by it's establishment in the actual exer-
else of political power might be supposed 10
have received the express or implied assent OF
the people whose affairs it administers" There
has been no departure from this rule in the
entire century of our National existence, ana
certainly the action of President Harrison III
the case of Chill was taken at the very moment
when full assurance was afforded that the con-
dtions of the rule were met. Whether the
question at issue in revolutionary contest Is
merely change of government, or the graVer
one of national independence or change OF
sovereignty, it is looked at by the United States
without prejudice or favor as purely question
of fact with which this country has no concern
so long as it is in process OF adjudication by
war. but which should be accepted by US SO
soon as it can be fairly regarded as settled.
The agents of the Gillian insurgents in this
country have talked at times as if they thought
they had a grievance against our Government
for not giving them a belligerent status during
their revolution. Nor are they to he censured
for making such a demand or for feeling az
prieyed that it was not acceded to. They have
done only those things that patriotic men will
always do in their position. But they must
recognize that the question of according or with
holding belligerent rights is to be answered by
neutral nations in view of numerous facts which
in all cases of civil war are exceedingly diff
cult of determination, and which in their case
were never ascertained. Insurgents are not
entitled to such rights simply because they are
insurgents, nor because they occupy territory, or
possess an army and fleet. The war they
wage must be steadily active, their arms must
be relatively numerous enough to render their
success matter of reasonable probability, and
even then they cannot claim recognition as a
right. They have no right until they have every
right belligerent status is conceded, not as
an act of favor to revolutionistS, for favor IS
not consistent with neutrality, and the obllga-
tions of foreign nations are due, so far as they
are due at all, to the Government de facto
Belligerency is admitted as an act of human
ity. and is never justifable except when the
conditions of the war are such as to render it
necessary on humane grounds.
When these principles are considered it will
be seen that the President, wherever his sym
pathies may have been, acted the right part in
the course he pursued Of absolute neutrality
Nor however desirable it may now be to re-
place Minister Egan with a representative
toward whom the new Government of Chill can
entertain no unkind sentiment, is it fair to
blame him merely because as our Minister at
Santiago he endeavored to win the esteem and
confidence of the Government to which he was
accredited. That, indeed, was his duty, and
he would have been censurable had he done
less. So long as the Government of Balmaceda
had reasonable hope of maintaining its au-
thority, and that was indisputably until after
the battle around Valparaiso, no action Of our
Government, either at Washington or in Chill,
would have been just or lawful which in any
way tended to embarrass him unless 1t was
necessary for humanity's sake or for the vindi
cation of our own rights. President Harrison
has been governed by this inyaIiabe rule, and
the Chians, instead Of being provoked at that
should be grateful and cordial in their senti
ment toward America because when the time
really came for test of foreign friendship and
aid ours were the first to be offered.