The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-31

brought to the attention of the officials of
the state department, they we're amused
rather than indignant at the inventive
1ecundlty shown by the news agency,
"hlch mas been for some time debarred
from access to news given out by the de-
partment itself. One of the assistant
secretaries, after characterizing the story
as ABSURD, remarked that the author had
overlooked the fact that under the terms
OF section 8 of the constitution the con-
gress OF the United States alone has power
to declare war and that the president and
cabinet had no share of this power.
90, too, the story that Minister
Egan had been recalled was
promptly declared an invention without
foundation. In fact, the navy department
ofnclais evidently have no expectation of
an immediate outbreak of war Alto
gether there was an air of serenity and
everyday humdrum about the state and
navy departments, which, no less than the
denials, afforded emphatic contradiction
OF all and any sensational reports of a
warlike disturbance.
The Ereninq Star has this:
'lt would be a wholesome thing for the polit-
lcal health OF the whole South American con-
tinent, said prominent officer, .if this conn.
u! should turn in and give Chile good, sound
thTashlng. They have most insane notions
do"n there. ard really think they could
oeleat the United States without trouble.
mere are about 100000 OF them
Ia tne whole country, and they have
Ho' .he sIlgatest conception of the magnitude
OF Ihis nation and its tremendous resources
ihey are fighters from the word GO They have
just oeeA through a severe civil war. and their
ooou Is up. The mnsses are probably eager for
Drush with the United States and I should
not be surprised TO see belligerent
demonstrations before long, and l should wei
come such a thing, not for the sake of ACTIVITY
IN 'he navy, but for the good and wholesome effect
IL would have on the world at large. Then, too,
IL would firmly establish, once for all, our
supremacy on this hemisphere The Chileans.
IN my opinion, are the finest lot of people in
South America"
Another officer said:
Inc chilean hates American worse than
poison He distrusts him and takes everv On
portunlty TO get whack at him. | do not know
"h!' unless because We have sent down SO
many poor specimens of our race to trade and
thus deprecate our own stock through our
representatives,. should ike TO see war with
chlie' not only for professional reasons. but also
because l think the time has come for this
country 10 administer a lesson to some one.
The cry goes up in England that the United
states Is very brave in buliyragging small coun-
tries. ihat Is all nonsense Big countries DO
not dare give us a chance to bullyrag them: and.
when 1t comes right down to the matter, there
never has been such u blackguard bully among
the little powers as England herself, and the
whole world knows it.
Still another official said
We have before a demonstration of the wis
dom OF Washington's maxim, SIN time of
peace prepare for war" Some of those who
are now urging vigorous and warlike demon
STATIONS are men whose care it should have
been to prepare us for an emergency The
navy department has been trying to impress
upon congress the importance of providing coal
ing stations in both the Atlantic and Pacific,
but nothing has been done, and we are now
without means of coaling our vessels in those
waters. The only thing to do would be to cap
ture port and establish a coalng station"
"Should there be hostilities," saida member
OF the diplomatic corps, "you need not look for
any great naval engagement in Chilean waters.
Your enemy seeks loud-sounding glory, and he
would send one or two of his best ships to the
Pacific coast. No one would know
whether they had gone until they
appeared in San Diego or san Fran
cisco harbor, and then there would
be trouble. You do not think men who are not
ignorant could be SO foolish, but you do not
know these Chileans. Such conflict could
have but result. Chilean AFRO
gance would be laid in the Gust, but
these hotheads would have caused in
finite damage to some OF your coast
cities, for you have no fortIhcations worthy the
name. You have many fine warships though,
and to us, who know those who desire to be an
tagonists, it would not be surprising if naval
engagement in one OF your California harbors
were to take place within sixty days"
reporter Senator Cullom after he had
had an interview with secretary Tracy. speak
ing Of the Chilean affair." the senator said: "The
situation looks very ugly. Those little chaps
down there very sassy and 1 think we
shall be obliged to give them lesson if they do
not change their tactics at once The only thing
for us To DO is 10 send warships down there and
give them mischief"
Senior Montt. official representative of
the Chilean government here, has just re-
ceived the following dispatch from the
Chilean minister of foreign affairs at San
tiago.
An investigation was instituted Immediately
and continued with all diligence and is not yet
finished. The trouble began in Cave street and
soon became a tumult. The regular soldiers,
the police and the special guard OF the inten-
dente restored order. OF the combatants thirty
Americans and eleven Chileaus were committed
before the judicial authorities. They fought
with knives, stones and everything they could
lay their hands upon. There was Que killed
and several wounded. Il is estimated that I6)
American sailors from the Baltimore were on
shore at the time OF the tumult
At the cabinet meeting this afternoon
the time was devoted to discussion of the
Chilean situation. 1t is surmised that
Secretary Blaine has submitted for con-
sideration the outline of a reply to be
made to Minister Egan's communication
that its details are perfected and that in
due time it will be made public There
have been no further dispatches from
Minister Egan or Captain Schley.
NEW YORK. Oct. 30.-The Post states. on
the authority of a gentleman in this city
who is in the confidence of the Chilean
government, that Chile instructed Senior
Montt some time ago to demand the recall
of Minister Eagan as persona non grata TO
the present Chilean authorities 1t also
states that the demand was shelved to
await the arrival of Senor Motifs creden-
tials as Chilean minister to this country.
They arrived a few days ago and the de-
mand was then repeated, but the state de-
partment has taken no action yet.
NOT PREPARING FOR WAR.
Work at the Navy Yards Not Accelerated
=, n.