Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-12

l DlPLOMATS VIEWS ON THE SHIELDS
| cAsE-Ar roDAYs CABINET MEETING.
|
At the Capitol the Chilean situation is looked
upon as grave. The reports Of the testimony
taken at San Francisco have been read with
greet Interest by Senators and Repre-
| sentatives, and some Of those who have
heretofore been extremely skep.ical have
suddenly come to the realization of the fact
that war with Chile is probability. They have
not been able to get full information on the
subject and the reports that have been circu-
lated recently that Chile was on the point Of
making an apology have led them to believe
that the matter would be settled.
| The testimony taken by Judge Advocate
General Remcy has proven startling to them
and the Chilean situation has been the subject
OF very serious discussion at the Capitol
today Besides the testimony published
showing the extent Of the outrage
information has been received in an under
ground way that there is no foundation for the
reports that Chile has assumed q more friendly
tone and that prospects of a speedy settlement
are being held out 1t is known
positively from the best possible authority that
this government has received no intimation of
peaceful overtures from Chile
THE PRESIDENT DEEPLY MOVED.
President Harrison has been deeply moved
| by the reports from San Francisco. He expects
that as soon as the investigation is concluded
brief Of the testimony and report will be sent
| to him by wire. If the report is Of the
| character which the testimony thus far taken
indicates it will he will send it to Congress at
| once, together with the correspondence be-
tween this country and Chile.
AT THE CABINET MEETING.
| At the cabinet meeting today the President
| expressed the opinion that the situation was
more serious than 1t has been at any previous
time. After looking the correspondence
over very carefully he finds nothing
in it that indicates the least regret
on tho part of Chile for the outrage. He re-
CARDS the so-called unofficial reports that
Chile would apologize as rumors given out for
the purpose merely OF allaying popular feeling.
Officially there has been no intimation of
! an amicable disposition on the part of
Chile. As far as this government knows, as far
| as the President himself knows by Official COM
| munication or by unofficial intImation. the
| Chlleans are as unfriendly, arrogant and offen-
sive in their attitude as they have been at any
| time.
The testimony taken by District Attorney
Carter in San Francisco in the case o! Fireman
| Shields OF the American merchant steamer
| hS"Seudii, WHICH rs gwen III dDstTact
part Of The STAR today, is causing a revival
of the war feeling against Chile. some people
do not accept the a worthy one. yet
most men in official life are inclined
t to accept it as indicative Of the
Americans. That there is a brutal tendency
whenever people Of this country are to be
legally or illegally handled in Chile is very
| evident they say, from the testimony Of the
| officers and men of the Keweenaw.
|
SHIELDS NOT TO BE AN ISSUE.
| 1t is not probable that the administration
will make an issue OF the Shields case. for there
is grave doubt as to his citizenship, and
some authorities are inclined to question
the merit Of the case However,
| it is considered that there is enough in the
port of the district attorney to form a good
| stifener to the war policy Of this government,
and there can be no doubt that the details of
Shields story will intame the public to
great extent
Shields citizenship is doubted in the absence
OF evidence to show that his father-with whom
| he came to this country while minor-was ever
| naturallzed. Such an act on the fathers part
makes citizen OF the son. as in the case Of
McKenstry, the other seaman of the Keweenaw,
who was arrested in Valparaiso.
A CHILEAN's OPINION.
| STAR reporter had an interesting CONVEX
sation this morning with well-known Chilean,
WIN CdIuc W tuis COuubIv W pt
| of the Washington legation under the
Balmaceda regime. The victory of the
insurgents occurred during his passage north.
and on his arrival here he found himself to be
diplomat out of a job. He was
sitting in one of the offices of the
| State Department this morning when the
| porter met him. When asked his opinion in
regard to the Shields case, he said with a
shrug: II do not place much stock in that
story. 1t is sensational Ny theory is that the
man was drunk and abused the police
But they were evidently brutal to him, for
| his condition showed that he had been horri-
| bly, beaten" urged the reporter.
| "You cannot tell what may happen to a
drunken sailor in a foreign town." said the
Chilean. on the defensive at once. Then.
too, you must not be surprised at anything
done by the Chilean police"
| 'WhyY' was the natural query.
| THE CHILEAN POLICE FORCE.
because they are the poores. in the world.
| assure you the Americans have no idea of how
wretched our police force in Valparaiso is 1t
! is composed OF the worst class of men, and they
are regarded with the utmost contempt by all
classes"
Does that excuse them for brutality?" was
| asked.
What can you expect of police force that
| is composed Of such men? To be policeman
| is the last resort for a man in Chile. 1t is the
lowest occupation in the country.
Here and elsewhere 1t Is an honor to be
| policeman; but there, bah! the pay is but SIS
a month in Chilean money, 50 in
yours. The lowest peon on the farms
| gets more money, besides his food and shelt1
l repeat, what can you expect Of such police
menu
Whose fault is it that there should be such
| a force?' asked the reporter.
Il do not attempt to say, but insist that
| your people here 10 not realize the state OF
| things in Chile" replied the diplomat
''Does not the charge OF brutality revert back
| upon the government if it does not provide a
proper police forceY'
Il cannot discuss that point. merely re-
| gard the Shields case as unworthy of promi-
| nence. You must see that any disso-
| Lutte sailor who wants to can mako
| a combination with his followers
and officers to cook up a charge like this upon
| which he can claim indemnity, and you must
not put too much faith in the stories of sail
| ors"
| When asked if it was likely that an intelli-
gent responsible man like the captain of the
vessel would make SO grave q charge without
| evidence and when the statements Of the cap
tain we're referred to the diplomat said:
Il do not know anything about the case. I
| regard the whole story as sensational, however.
Let me picture to You the town of Val
paraiso--in no place on the fiat
portion more than fivo streets wide, with
| cliffs rising abruptly behind. On one of these
heights the bad people of the . town
are located. There are three terraces
II