Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-01-26
TUESDAY. =. JANUARY rs. 1892.
The United States and Chile.

President HARRISON yesterday sent TO
Congress his expected message on the sub
iect OF the relations of the United States
with Chile.
1t is short and plain document He
INDUCES in no bombast Rightly rhetoric
has no place in it. 1t is studIously calm;
but he no doubt relies upon the CORE
spondence which il encloses to fire the
American heart and to Justify the Admin
istration in having delivered its ultimatum
TO Chile.
Neither in the message nor IN the cor
respondence will the reader find much
new information. Diplomatic secrets are
not kept by the newspapers, and every i'm
portant fact contained in the message and
accompanying documents has long ago
been published by the journals of this
country and Europe. Nevertheless the
people want to hear the story from the
President. aud here they have it. and 1t
gives to Congress the first official informas
ton that il has ever had that we are on
the brink Of war with another republic.
Upon the face of the papers it appears
that the Chileans were guilty of or
eanizing mob TO attack. maltreat, and
murder men because they wore the uni
form of the United States navy. We are
left to conjecture why it was that these
folks who had been our friends so long
should have so suddenly become our enc
mics. The President does not explain 1t,
but the newspapers have done so time and
again, when they pointed out that our
m g Rar
cEDA in the lifetime of that usurper. I'm
don ytedly there was reason-real or I'M
aginary-for the change in the Chileans'
feeling for America, and great majority
of our people believe that IT was because
Mr.. EGAN espoused the cause Of BALMA-
cEpl, and made little concealment of his
preference.
As to all of this the message is silent.
And yet we cannot very well censure the
President, because it was not until few
days ago-when greater questions had in
teryened-that the Chilean Government
represented to the United States that Mr..
EaAN is persona non 9rdta. We shall always
believe that the President made mistake
in the selection of minister to Chile. but
we do not see that it was incumbent upon
him to anticipate the wishes of the
Chileans; wishes that until recently they
never expressed or limited at in official
form.
II is clear that the attack upon the Bal
timore's men was premeditated; that 1T
was participated in by soldiers and police
both, and that our gallant tars were saw
agely treated. 1t is true, also. that the
Chilean Government has never expressed
any regret at the occurrence, and that 1t
is proceeding as lelsurely is If it were en-
gagged in chancery suit in bringing the Of
Tenders to justice. Meanwhile Senior
malta, its Minister of Foreign Affairs, has
issued note-publshed card as 1T
were--whlch Is offensive to the President
and to our naval officers; in fact, as good
as gives the lie all around.
The President informs Congress that he
has notified the Chilean Government that
unless this note is withdrawn and an
apology is made as public as the offence
will terminate the 'iplomatic relations"
The request for the recall of MIR. EaAS he
will not consider now and he Is OF the opin-
ION THAT the demands made Of Chile by
this Government should be adhered to and
enforced if the dignity and influence of
the United States are not TO be wholly
sacrificed" Of course when he says 'en-
forced" he means by arms
The matter Is now with Congress. Mr.. EeAN
and the President, however. have made
up the record for us, and TO certain extent
they have committed tho Government
beyond recall. II is understood that the
position of the President is more advanced
than that of Mr. BLAINE, and that rupture
OF their relations may possibly be the con-
sequence. We know nothing about that,
but we trust that some means to avert war
will yet be found. England will deserve
our gratitude if she can manage to become
the mediator IN the interest OF peace. 1t
is eminently case for arbitration. The
arrogance, stupidity. and brutality of the
Chileans precludes the idea that they are
capable of dlplomatizing their case to a
successful conclusion, and though they
might resist US in war long and courageous
ly they would be beaten in the end. That
would be no great triumph for us, and
hence we hope for the friendly interven-
ton of some European power.
One way or another Chile must apologize
and make repAration or fight.
No other course is open.
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