The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-01-21
The Grounds OF Gillian Brayado.

It IL natural that many newspapers on the
Continent Of Europe. with the defective in
formation at their command. should take
IN erroneous view Of the Gillian imbroglio.
They reason thus: Here is petty and
poor State. containing at the utmost $780,
600 inhabitants. deiying the resentment OF
an imperial republic possessing limitess
resources and n population OF $4,000, 900
souls. To them such phenomenon appears
inexplicable except upon the theory that
the Santiago Government is guiltless OF
wrongdoing. and conscious OF its inno-
cence. declines to humiliatc itself by an
apology which the facts do not call for.
Tho attitude OF Chilli does indeed seem
at first sight incredibly ridiculous except
on the assumption OF conscious innocence:
and to reconcile it with the deliberate wrong
doing Of which she has undoubtedly been
guilty. requires knowledge of the state OF
public opinion in Valparaiso and Santiago
as well rs OF the agencies and conditions
which have created it. Tho contempt and
detestation with which We are popularity
regarded by the Chilans cannot be ac-
counted for on the ground that. being iso-
lated physically and morally from the rest
Of the world. they are stepped in ignorance
and prejudice as regards all foreign peo-
pies. II is not true that they are Him
formed about England. Germany, or France.
or that they regard the natives Of any OF
those countries with aversion. II. in the
case OF the United States. they evince both
ignorance and rancor. this is due to several
causes. for some OF which we are ourselves
responsible. while others should be looked
for In the self-nterest and jealousy OF Eng
lish and German traders who have hitherto
monopclizcd the greater part OF Chi!i's
foreign trade. That the mass OF the inhab-
ttants OF Valparaiso know next To nothing
about tho great American republic while
they know a good deal about England and
Germany. Is duo primarily to the fact that
they seldom see an American citizen. The
English and German resident traders out
number the American at least ten to one,
and still greater is the disproportion among
the casual sojourners who pass a few weeks
ashore while vessels are unloading and
loading. Not only has there been nothing
III our commercial relations to direct the
attention OF the Chilians to the magnitude
~ our resources. but. having allowed our
lavy to collapse after the civil war. we have
until lately shown them no concrete proofs
OF our real power in the shape of arinored
vessels Of high class. Our own failure to
cultivate trade with their country and the
insisnilcance of our naval demonstrations
would. taken by themselves. suffice to ex-
plain why the Chilians SO strangely under
rate our capacity OF standardization.
tits. however. through the efforts Of inter.
ested foreign residents that what might
have remained passive indifference has been
converted into active dislike. Since the
adoption OF the reciprocity programme by
our Government. and especially since its APP
plIcstlon to Brazil. the British and German
traders living at Valparaiso have perceived
that their monopoly Of Gillian commerce
was seriously threatened. They foresaw
that reciprocity treaty between the United
States and Chilli could only be averted by
stirring up So much animosity against MS
among tho masses of the Gillian population
AS would .coerce The Santiago Government
into adopting the same unfriendly attitude.
The drift OF events subserved their purpose
for BALMAoEDA. who favored reciprocity
policy.was overthrow: while the Itats case.
the rupture OF the cable by which the nitrate