Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-12


certainty upon this turbulent, unstable and
hot-headed race. They are as liable to under
go a total revUlsion OF sentiment at any mo-
ment as the wind is to veer. They may be on
one side of vital question in the morning and
on the other side at night. swayed by some ca
price or mirage of the Imagination; or, more
likely, by the overweening jealousy that pos
sesses every one of them and the ambition to
shine above his fellows that is bred in the bone
OF the true Chileno. An unfortunate state of
pickering and jealousy has arisen among Bal
maceda 9 generals, who are each MORALLY Of
Tended because they cannot supersede the
other, and it Is greatly to be feared that when
the critical juncture comes these wrong -headed
patriots Will bring about disastrous conse-
quences by failing to sustain each others move
ments.
HELP FROM THE UNITED STATES.
A graver reason for foreboding lies in the
knowledge that a large amount Of arms and
ammunition has lately come to the insurgents
from their emissaries in the United States, de-
spite the farce OF the Itata affair-rifes Of the
latest pattern. and plenty of them The gov
eminent soldiers, though far outnumbering the
insurgents, are poorly armed and not nearly so
we'll otlicered as the latter, with the assist
ance OF their better-posted and cool-headed
Anglo-SaxOn friends. Should it prove that
those gums in the hands of wreckiess adven-
turers and INSCRIPTIONS politicians, are the
means Of overthrowing the long-estabiished
government which has made CEii the most
prosperous Of South American countries, the
elder sister republic" will have no reason to
be proud Of it.
am creditably informed that private letters
from rebels i'll the north Of Chill to their
friends in the south state that, elated by pos
session OF the new guns and news of disaffec-
ton among Balmaceda's officers they have de-
termined to make bold strike for the taking
OF the capital (either by way Of Valparaiso or
Talcahuano) almost Immediately before the
PRESIDENT vessel TTplor
the circumstances they are confident of VIC
tory, and 1t Is not at all improbable that their
hopes will be realized. Whichever army comes
OH victorious its triumphai return march
through the streets Of every city will be greeted
with boundless enthusiasm and shouts Of "viva
Chlli from the pOpulace, which cares very lit
lie upon whose banners victory perchcs 80
that the war is ended.
SHOULD THE INSURGENTS WIN
let nobody imagine that peace and quiet
will be restored to unhappy Chilli; for their
supremacy will be but the beginning OF
troubles. The congressional party is composed
OF almost as many Inverse elements Rs there
are men In 1t, and each has strong will of his
own. They have never been united except
upon one polnt-tne overthrow of the estab-
lished government. This accomplished the
old questions will Immediately come up and
their conhlctlng ldlosyncracies begin to assert
themselves again. The country will lapse back
from the liberalism she was SO many years i'll
attaining into the hands Of the priesthood, and
a state OF anarchy will continue generations
after all the present actors in the drama have
gone to gloryo-or to the other place. You do
not oeiieve IT! Well, wait and see whether my
predictions are verified; but don't base your
opinions entirely on the one-sided versions of
interested parties.
BALMAcEDAs TROUBLES.
1t was in the vain effort to please all the
diverse wings OF the party which elected him FIVE
years ago that Balmaceda changed his cabinet
80 many times-nine times within three years
but he never could succeed in suiting two
factions of them at the same time, nor could
any other mortal man. II they get chance to
rule each wing rendered more arrogant and
aggressive by recent triumphs will insist
upon Its own particular way. Having once
broken through that flexible document the
constitution, its provisions will be made to
bear any sort OF construction. President will
follow president In rapid succession, and the
already ruined country will proceed to the
bow-wows at an expeditions pace.
wAsHINGroN1AN's VIEWS.
well-known Washington gentleman, who
has been travelling in Chill, recently expressed
some opinions which are OF value as coming
from an intelligent and disinterested source.
Says he: Hitherto have not dared to write
freely, owing to the opening of all letters at
lquique. The rebels are dependent entirely
upon the United States and Bolivia for pro-
visions, and am sorry to say that loads Of hay.
-four and other supplies are continually coming
down to them from San Francisco. We ought
not to foster this opposition party They
represent elements totally antagonistic to our
notions of republic; they are the opponents
OF plutocracy, OF British capital and French
customs; they are the enemies of commercial
relations with us; they oppose social progress,
education among the masses, popular repre-
sentation and freedom in religious matters.
"Ihe scatter-brained youth Of Santiago-those
vino have been saturated with the eioGuence of
the young club LAWYER who has deigned to visit
the smaller cafes and harangue them the aristo-
cratic families of the old regime and all the
priest-controlled women-are in sympat thy with
the rebellion. The masses--the middle and
lower classes, those whom republicanism is
most likely to beneft-are with Balmaceda
have told you how intimately We are identified
with this struggle, both as to our institutions
and future commerce. Every day it grows
more certain to my mind that such is a true
application Of the conflict to us that we ought
to do all in our power to uphold the hands of
Baimaceda."
against the president is that for many years he
has been leading spirit in the liberal party
as opposed to the church element, and during
his several terms in congress and the senate
boldly advocated the separation of the church
and state. 1t was finally accomplished, among
other much-needed reforms, and with it Bal
maceda gained the uadying hatred Of the
church faction, which is still q very powerful
element among the people and includes nearly
all the women.
INTENSE BITTERNESS.
At the distance Of the United States from
Chilli it is impossible to understand the feeling
OF intense bitterness that exists here between
the opposing sides. Our own civil war never
brought half the intensity of rage malice and
hatred. In this connection it may be stated
authoritatiyely that should Balmaceda' govern
nent be upset the cOnquering rebels will at
once demand the recall of the United States
minister. Mr.. Patrick Egan. Mr.. Egan has
been guilty of no offense beyond that Of now
anG then trying, uusuccessfuiIy, to pour oil on
the troubled waters. The insurgents make no
account OF the fact that he was sent to their
country on purpose to hold diplomatic commu-
nication with the established government, and
that 1t would have been very questionable di-
plomacy indeed to have gone over to the side
OF a rebellion until his homo government had
at least recognized the party as ''belligerents"
1t Is alleged against Mr.. Egan another crime
that his eldest son is employed upon a Gillian
government railway. As our minister has a
full bakers dozen OF olive branches, and has
not found it the easiest matter in the world to
provide Icr them all, it ought. instead, to be a
matter for congratulation that one Of them has
found paying employment.
PRESIDENT uAERIsoN's NEUTRALITY COMMENDED.
= \