Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-15

South American newspapers, mostly printed
in the Spanish language, are few, inefficient
and universally "bought up" by one faction
or the otherj while the telegraph wires,
when not seized or torn down by insurgents,
are owned and controlled by the Govern-
ment Indeed, it is easier for you at the
distant North to receive reliable, though
tardy, information concerning events oe-
curing on the Southern continent-through
private messages sent by foreigners engaged
in business here, to their houses in London,
France or New York, via Buenos Ayres-
than for people living in different divisions
of the same country, who must depend en-
tirely upon local facilities.
On that first visit to Chile, we came over
to the capital to have an interview with the
President (Which was easily accomplished),
and to attend some of the exciting sessions Of
Congress; and it chanced, by rare good for
tune, that we left Valparaiso the very day
before that dreadful 21st of July, when for
some hours the old seaport was in the hands
of bowling mob and its streets were bathed
in blood.
Didn't Realize the Danger.
Even then prominent Chileans assured
me that the trouble was only q temporary
strike, which might occur anywhere, and
that there was not the remotest dan
ger of revolution, because the peo-
pie were altogether too patriotic to
bring discredit on their beloved country.
1t seems 70 be the fashion, especially abroad
among those whose knowledge of Chile's
afiairs must be, to say the least, somewhat
superfcial-to attribute all the blame of the
muddle to President Balmaceda, and to
characterize him IS tyrant and would-bs
dictator. The truth is that II the executive
had not been too plant and anxious to
please in the first place he would have
crushed the rebellion in Its infancy, before
its ugly hydra-heads had grown too strong
for him.
The fault is principally with q deter
mined and inscriptions political faction
which unfortunately happens to have ma
jority in the legislative chamber, and whose
primary object is to control the approach-
ing Presidential election, which can only be
done by breaking the power OF the present
incumbent.
The trouble began in this wayi
The Bottom Of the Trouble.
Ever since Chile has claimed to be . Re-
public, her Constitution has permitted every
President to nominate his own successor-
and TO practically elect him, with the 90.
operation of his Ministers; an unwise and
foolish custom, we of the North may think,
but, having been firmly established by Law
and precedent, there is no reason why Don
should not exercise his constitu-
tional prerogative in the matter, the same
as his predecessors have done. If the system
is now at variance with popular feeling,
peaceable change might have been effected
in the Constitution, withoutall this loss OF
life and proDerty The disaffected Oonora.a.
men, having cause to fear that the President
would name as his successor certain Cabi.
net officer who is obnoxious to them, delib.
.rately instigated revolts by obstinstely re.
fusing to pass any presupuestas, az the appro-
prlatlons are called, until Balmaceda should
come to their terms; the first demand being
hat he dismiss his ministers, one and all
lin order to get rid of the obnoxious one),
md then appoint others more to their
liking.
This the President declined 10 do, on ths
ground that the Chilean Government, like
hat Of every other republic, gives the execu-
i've the right to select his own immediats
,ficers and to retain them unless they be-
,ome guilty Of grave offense; that he had al-
eady changed his cabinet twice within lit
lie more than two years in the vain effort to
atisfy them and to do so third time, for no
ault of the ministers, would not only be ex-
remedy unjust TO those gentlemen and rem
Ter himself ridiculous in the eyes of the
Sorld as a party puppet with no back
,oue," but would establish Q dangerous
PRECEDENT for his successors In all time to
ome.
Balmaceds wasn't Firm Enough.
The revolts Of seven months ago were thu
lirsct result Of this refusal. or rather Of sth4