Los Angeles herald., 1892-02-01
FORTUNATE FOR BOTH COUNTRIES.

lulStdkt.
FORTUNATE FOR BOTH COUNTRIES.
We are now getting glimpse of thu
public expression of the reasonable ant
conservative sentiment in Chile, which
doubtless had something to do with th,
peaceful and conciliatory attitude tn,
government ultimately assumed. Tht
Democracia, paper Of power and infu
ence in Santiago, published most sen
sible article on the situation a!
far back as December Goth. Al
that time all the news thai
reached the United States from Chile
was of warlike character. The popu
lar papers of Valparaiso teemed with
virulent and offensive attacks ON the
United States and Americans, and no
language was too insulting to apply to
us. The Chileans seemed to live in an
atmosphere of brag and bluster, and the
illiterate proletariat went into jubilant
ecstasies over the idea that they could
whip the Yankees in short order.
Malta was the most conspicuous mouth
piece of this insensate faction, and the
scurrilous circular he sent abroad
which Pereira has publicly with
drawn-accurately represented the bonn
bastic and truculent attitude OF this
division of the Chilean population.
The article referred to in the Demo.
cracia. however, showed.that there was
a higher and more patriotic sentiment
pervading the rejecting and respectable
classes. This article represents that
sentiment and handles the policy of the
braggarts without gloves. 1t refers tc
the Malta dispatch as ''the
stupidity that eclipsed all pre-.
vious efforts" and deprecates in
strong and dignifed diction a policy
that would force Chile into a rupture
with so just, liberal and self-respecting
a nation as the United States. 1t fouts
the idea that any question arising be-
tween Chile and the United States
could not be adjusted without resort to
extreme measures, and holds out the
idea that the American people would
only draw the sword of war when it
found that the Chilean government so
conducted itself as to leave no other
course open for high-spirited nation.
This is undoubtedly sample of the
views entertained by the sober, substan-
tial and intelligent element in Chile.
That their protestations were for time
drowned by the deafening outcries oI
the Mattaists, is doubtless true, SO that
every kind of information which reached
us from the South American republic
was such az to leave us fully impressed
with the idea that all Chile was up in
arms and "eager for the Fray
We shall not now stop to inquire
whether the sober second thought OF
the Chilean government was brought
about by the determined attitude as
sumed by our government and the
preparations made to concentrate our
naval strength in South American
waters, or whether the sensible and re-
spectacle element in Chile asserted it's
dominance by demonstrating the JUS
tice of its opposition to the policy of the
senseless mob. We shall merely say
that it is fortunate for Chile and graft
flying to the United States that sense
and reason at last assumed their sway,
that oil was poured on the troubled
waters and that "white-winged peace
rested her pinions upon the banner OF
Cancellation.
1t is needless to say why it is fortu-
nate for Chile that her bloviators failed
to carry her into an absurd war. But
the unfortunate effects of such a wal
upon the United States it is not diff
cult to forecast. Ever since our war
with Mexico it has been the aim of our
most enlightened statesmen to secure
and cement close alliance of friend
ship with thatand all the Spanish-Ameri-
can republics on the continent. It has
been our aim and policy to bring them
into confidential and harmonious re-
lations with us, and to encourage
and develop reciprocity OF
goodwill everywhere on the con.
tinent. The fruits Of this wise and
benignant policy were just beginning to
exemplify themselves when this unfor-
tunate rupture suddenly became omin-
GUS. If war had ensued, the Spanieh-
American people could not have es-
capped the conviction that there was an
antagonism between the two races
which no amount of professed friend
ship could overcome.
1t would have set us back another
generation in our efforts to bind the in
terests of the American republics in one
comprehensive league Of amity. We
know that the wounded pride of Mexico
has survived the period Of its infiction
forty-five years. A.