The morning call., 1891-12-16
THE CHILEAN TROUBLE.

There Is serious reason to fear that we
may have trouble with Chile after all.
At Valparaiso the mob seems to be domi-
nant, and the officials of the new Govern
ment powerless. There appears to be no
Authority anywhere strong enough to en-
force the obligations of international law
and comfy, and the danger is that the set
Element of a most delicate controversy may
be RENTED to brutal, ignorant and ire
spOnsibe populace.
The facts of which we have to complain
are thus summarized by the Secretary of
the Navy in his report to Congress:
At O'Clock in The evening of October 10th
the men OF the Baltimore had been ashore four
hours. II is the general testimony that they had
been during this period, and were then. orderly,
sober aud well behaved. Tie first encounter
appears to have taken place at this time between
one Of tie crew OF the Baltimore and i Chilean.
who suat in his face The sailor knocked the
Chilean down and was Immediately set upon
with his companion. another of the Baltimore's
crew, by an angry crowd. The two sailors took
refuge in passing street car. They were
dragged from the car by the crowd. One of them,
Petty Officer Charles Riggin, was stabbed and
left 10 die In the street. His companion, Talbot,
an apprentice, escaped, but was aiterward ar
rested, catgut nippers were Ut on his wrists
and he was struck again and again by the police
on his way 10 prison.
Another petty officer. johnson, then in a
nelghboring house, seeing Rigein lying helpless
IN the street. went 10 his assistance. The crowd
had now left. Finding Riggn stu breathing.
johnson took him In his arms to carry him TO a
drug store near by. AT this moment squad of
mounted police, with fixed bayonets, came up
the street. When at close quarters they fired at
Johnson, being so near that his face was black
ened by the discharge. One shot entered Rig
gins neck and shoulder iuflicting u death
wound. Another shot passed through Johnson's
clothes.
The affair Of the streetcar was only one OF
many simultaneous attacks III on The BaltimOre's
men. The attacks lasted for an hour. They
were not confined TO one locality, but occurred
at several widely separated points in the city.
In many instances The American sailors were in
restaurants and hotels quietly getting supper
when attacked by CROWDS numbering from
twenty-five to 200 men. The part borne by the
police in these attacks is shown by the reports.
Ihttty-stX OF the Batimore's men were arrested
and taken 10 prison, being subjected on the way
TO treatment OF the utmost brutality Catgut
nippers were placed on their wrists. and In the
case Of one man, McWlliiams. a lasso was
thrown around his neck. Williams, another APP
prentice, 10 years of age, was arrested by
mounted policeman who put the nppers around
his wrists and then started his horse into
gallop throwing the boy down. Coal-heaver
Quigley, in trying TO escape from the mob, was
struck with a sword by a police officer. Petty
Officer Hamilton WAS dragged to prison danger
OuSly wounded and unconscious aud his com
panlons, attempting 20 relieve his suiferiugs,
were threatened with blows from musket butts,
and compelled TO deslst.
Coal HEAVIER Turnbull received eighteen
wounds In the back, two of which penetrated
his lungs and subsequently, caused his death.
Other men were seriously injured and several Of
the wounds were caused by bayouet thrusts,
clearly showing the participation of the police.
AS result OF the attacks two of The men, Riggln
and Iurnbull, died, and eighteen others were
more or less disabled by wounds.
For Outrages less scandalous than this
cities have been b0mbarded and territory
occupied We have thus far proposed moth
Ing of the kind. We have merely asked in
guarded, temperate language for the redress
which the case calls for. Up to the present
time that redress has not been rendered or
even promised On the contrary, the Chilean
authorities have insisted on the right of
their local courts to entertain exclusive iur-
iSdicton of the affair, and from the tone of
the Chilean press and the drift of Chilean
opinion as revealed in conversation, it seems
quite likely that the authors of the outrages
will be acquitted. The courts are not strong
enough 10 resist the pressure of the mob,
and popular passion has risen so high that
no newspaper in Valparaiso has the cour-
age TO publish the American side Of the
quarrel. These sheets appear to be cowed
by the populace; not one Of them has pluck
enough to confront it with the truth.
The ChileanS must realize that they are
putting upon this country a strain greater
than it can bear. No American seeks war
with Chile; no one desires to embarrass the
new party in the arduous task it assumed
when it overthrow Balmaceda. But it must
be as evident at Santiago as it is here that
the United States cannot allow its sailors
to become the victims of a boodthirsty mob
without insisting on some measure of repair
alton. Should we do so no citizen of the
United States would be safe 10 South
America, and the outrage of October 10th
would be repeated in every port in which
American sailors are to be found. 1t is 10
bullying spirit, but simply as a measure of
conservative precaution that the Govern
ment at Washington will be compelled to
redress its wrongs if Chile persistently re-
fuses to do so.
The President wisely pointed out in his
message that there ought to be in every
country a court to which foreigners could
apply for the redress of wrongs when pop
uldl paoolOH dIu IdC6 pItJuulCe -cOHlrOlleu
the local courts. He advised Congress to
clothe the United States courts with power
to deal with such cases in this country. The
present emergency is too pressing to await
the creation of such court in Chile. Long
before it could be established and its ma
chinery set in motion the Valparaiso exam
pie would have been repeated there or imi-
tated elsewhere. The American people are
becoming FESTIVE as it is; they do not quite
see why, in these days of telegraphs and
swift steamers, satisfaction has not been OBJ
tanned before this. They will be impatient
of further delays.
1t is the first duty Of every Government
to control its own people, and to enforce for
eign treaties as thoroughly as the other
laws Of the land. When it is recreant to
this duty it invites the scorn OF mankind, and
exposes itself to such retaliation as the in
iured nation may find it convenient to in
fict. 1t has only itself to blame if that re-
taliation takes an unpleasant shape. Chile
would have no just ground of complaint if,
after waiting reasonable time, the United
States dealt with Valparaiso as Commander
Hollns dealt with Greytown, or as the
British and French deal with South Sea
islanders who murder Europeans
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GAN AWFUL ARRANGEMENT"
number Of papers, both on this Coast