Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-01-14
CHILEAN SITUATION.
Congress An1iOuSly Awaits the Cor
reSpOndenCe.
THE CASE OF PATRICK SHIELDS,
An Irishman, not Natlralized in This Country bat
Serving on an American Man-Of-War, Is Al
tracing Great Deal Of AttentOn-Prss-
ident HarriSon's Position.

WASHINGTON, d. c., January l3.-
There can be little doubt that the de-
velopments Of the last few days in the
cause Of the investigation now being
conducted at San Francisco by Judge
Advocate General Remy into the attack
upon the Baltimore's crew; that the
publication OF the testimony in the
Shields case and the ugly demonstration
at Valparaiso against the Yorktown's
gig have had the effect TO create a very
uneasy feeling at the Capitol.
Senators and Representatives who
have long since derided the idea OF any
serious result following the Chilean cor
respondence and have had the greatest
confidence that Chile would soon tender
an ample apology and make reparation
for the misdeeds of her citizens are now
willing to admit privately that the situ-
alton is full Of the gravest difficulties.
One ominous sign is the great mac
tivity Of Congress in the matter. Here
tofore 1t has been customary whenever
a matter of the smallest public interest
is the subject of diplomatic correspond
ence for one Of the two Houses Of Con-
gress to call upon the President for all
the information In the possession OF the
State Department in relation to the
| matter.
But no Senator or member has yet
been venturesome enough to Introduce
a resolution calling for the Chilean cor
respondence, although 1t has been ap-
parent to all of them that the relations
Of the United States with Chile have
been strained nearly TO the point OF
rupture within the last few weeks.
The very gravity Of the situation
appears to have had repressible effect
upon Congress. The Republicans are
indisposed to embarrass the President
by calling for the correspondence, hav-
ing in view his significant promise to
transmit 1t to Congress at an early day.
The Democrats are fearful OF interfer-
ing with the negotiations, and thereby
| preci pitating trouble that may then be
chargeable to their action.
OF course the President might decline
to accede to request for the CORES
pondence as he has done in other cases
in the ground that it would not be expe-
dent or against the public interest to
| publish 1t, but he would find 1t hard to
do so after the strong expressions upon
the subject contained in his annual
message.
So the situation in Congress is one OF
anxious waiting in the hope that the
President will soon relieve the general
desire for information, by voluntarily,
or by means OF prompted request,
supply the correspondence.
Secretary Morgan, who is the leading
Democratic member Of the Senate Com
mittee on Foreign Relations is particu-
larly indignant at the revelations in the
case of Patrick Shields, the fireman OF
the American steamer Keeneaw, who
was cruelty treated in Chilean prison.
He declares that Shields is undoubtedly
entitled to the protection OF the Ameri-
can Government, as he was serving on
an American vessel.
He predicts that the Chilean Govern
ment would never raise the question OF
Shields citizenship as had been suggest
ed, in view OF the fact that he is an
Irishman and has not been naturalized,
as a plea for refusing reparat.on. In
the House, the members Of the Foreign
Affairs Committee have discouraged all
who spoke TO them in favor Of calling
for the correspondence, but there has
been no consultation among the men,
bers of the committee as whole on the
subject.
Members OF the committee said 1t
would not be wise to precipitate dis
cussion in the House while the CORES
pondence was incomplete, for fear OF i'll
considered utterances, or action might
result in embarrassing negotiations II
indeed it did not prevent an honorable
understanding from being reached.