Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-01-26
THE QUESTION OF WAR.

thize with are they sufferers in conse-
quence.
THE QUESTION OF WAR
The President has sent in his message to
Congress, which amounts to a practical
declaration of his position on the war plat
form. This is shown not only by the
tenor of the text, but in the very fact of
its having been sent; a message on the SUBJ
ject having been foreshadowed as to come
only if it were deemed necessary to ask
for the action of Congress, and the only
positive action which Congress can take in
the matter is declaration of war.
The considerations advanced by the
President as requiring the nation to take
this grave step can be more fully learned
by reading his message than by summary
here. With some of his positions there is
little fault to find, but as a means of
judging the final correctness of the result,
it is well to study the whole history of the
case. The documents accompanying the
message, it must be remembered, give
only the side of the case presented by rep
resentatives of the United States who
have already been shown to have sup
pressed and misrepresented important
factors in the chain of events: but even
that eg pGrte statement does not conceal
some important facts. To begin at the
beginning, it is shown that during the war
for representative government, Mr.. Egan,
in the language of the telegrsphic sum-
mary, chad an abiding faith in the ulti-
mate triumph of Balmaceda over his ene-
miles, and the downfall of the insurgent
cause; Admiral McCann declared that
"Balmaceda is the master of the situa-
tion;" and on June IL, while negotiating
with Senior Errazuriz, the Congressionalist
leader, artlessly aided the mediatory nego-
tiation by telling the CongreSsionalists
that ''the Government at Santiago cannot
be disturbed" After these displays by
the representatives of the United States,
is it any wonder that the CongresSionalists
took the opportunity to show that the
turbed, and did not entertain especially
friendly sentiments to the United States?
This unfriendly feeling on the part of
the popuace undoubtedly produced the
Valparaiso riot Whether the onflict be-
tween the sailors and the mob involved
the Chilean Government to any degree
depends on whether the police suppressed
tire riot or took part in it. On this ques-
ton there is an issue of fact. One con-
clusion is expressed as the result of the
investigation of the Chilean courts; an
other as the result of naval investigations.
Both are to certain degree ec parte; but
both sides were represented in the Chilean
courts, and moreover that method of set
ting the question is exactly what was
laid down as rule of international law
by the United States in the New Orleans
affair, namely, that the trial of the case
must be according to the constitutional
forms of the country where the disturb
ance took place While there have been
attempts to suppress the fact, it is vital
share of the controversy that the Chilean
Government, while disc!aiming respon-
sibility, have from the first promised full
investigation and punishment of the guilty
parties, and have already carried that
pledge nearer fulfllment than our Govern
ment was ever able to do in the case of
its own mobs.
Under these circumstances the Chilean
Government has formally rendered to the
United States Government the following
expression of feeling:
l have also received special instructions
to state to the Government OF the United
States that the Government of Chile has
felt Very sincere regret for the unfortunate
events which occurred in Valparaiso on the
10Th of october. Although incidents of this
nature are not rare in ports frequented by
sailors of various nationalities, the fact that
deaths and wounds were caused in this dis
turbance the zeal with which the Chilean
authorities are accustomed to watch over
the personal security of all who tread its
territory, the fact that persons employed in
the service OF friendly nation were con-
cerned, the frank desire for American COR
diality which my Government entertains,
have led it to cordially deplore the afore-
said disturbance and to do everything in its
mower toward the trial and punishment of
the guilty parties.
1t is for Congress to decide whether,
after this declaration of "Sincere regret"
and the renewal of the pledge for ''the trial
and punishment of the guilty parties" it
is becoming for great nation to insist on
making war against small one, because
it wants the more abject terms used.
We cannot but regard the Presidents
criticism of this language as inspired by
the feeling that we must have war with
Chile, in order to cover the blunders of
our Government which caused the incep-
ton of the ill-feeling. The attitude of the
Chilean Government indicates that little
liberation and conciliation would win
from it an even more positive disavowal
of the riot.
The decision of Congress will doubtless
be made in few days. 1t is to be
hoped that it will decide against going
into costly and, at best, inglorious war,
on mere question of language.
If the people of this country are once
satisfied that Chile will not make full
reparation for any wrongs or insult to our
Government or to our representatives of
any grade, there will be unanimous ex-
preston for war; and in any event, if war
is declared, there will be but one feeling
but meantime there are enough features
of the case to warrant Congress in making
quite sure it is right before going ahead.
THE WAR PARTY'S LEADER.