The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1892-01-27
The UltImatum.

From the Chicago Inter Ocean
The Chilean question now has this
much Of certainty about it, that very
shortly it either will be eliminated by
apology and reparation or translated from
the arena of debate to that Of war. That
which henceforth is done must be done
quickly.
It is to be hoped rather than expected
that the ambitious little republic may 90
the right thing. Precedents give little
ground for expectation that the Chileans
viii apologize without compulsion- For
years past they have been insolent and
quarrelsome toward all foreign nations
though theirill-win toward the United
States has been most Extensively pro-
nOunced.
The Chileans are ike the Chinese in
this, that they believe that their trade,
their commerce, their navy, their army,
their everything IS greater and better
than that Of any other nation. They
think that the United States is a tenth
rate power, because, and this is largely
our own fault, our ships visit their ports
but seldom, while the subsidy fostered
vesselsofGreat Britain and Germany are
coming and going continually. Trade
goes with ships, and as there are ten Brit
ish and German vessels to one American
visiting the Chilean ports so there are
ten German and British merchants resi-
dent in Chill TO one United States ciii-
zen.
During the late war of Revolution in
Chill the German and British residents
we're in sympathy with the Congression-
alists and opposed to Balmaceda, because
he was favorable to a reciprocity agree
ment with the United States. On the
other hand, the administration Of this
country, while not specially favorable to
Balmaceda, felt itself obliged toaeknowl-
edge him as the elected President of the
Chilean Republic, and to prevent the
revolutionary or Congressional party
from obtaining munitions Of war from
the United States ports. It could not do
otherwise, in view Of the position ihst
it assumed and the demands that it tn
forced upon foreign countries during the
war Of secession. The German and Brit
ish merchants resident in Chill have
made constant use ofthe Itata affair to
embittsr the Chilean mind against the
United Sraies, and thereby TO prevent
the eonsummation Of a reciprocity treaty
that would initiate against their present 1
control Of Chilean commerce. They sent 1
false dispatches to London and Berlin /
concerning the status, and they read Ger |
man and English newspaper opinions,
founded on these false dispatches, to the |
Chileans, intending TO delude them into |
belief that the navies ofthe two great |
European powers wonld interfere we're
the United States TO proclaim war They |
counted something, also, on our some |
what disorganized war navy. They did
not know what powerful vessels We had
in course of construction, and they had
forgotten how quickly We created a navy
in 1912, and again in 1901 and the years
directly following. Chill listened credu-
lously 70 be British and German stories
and grew more insolent toward US with /
the repetition Of them.
This belongs to the p2s, The future
must bring speedy and SIMPLE apology or /
speedy and vigorous war. Nor, in the |
event Of war, should It be forgotten that |
the modern rule Of Britain and Germany
is that the conquered nation shall Pay
the cost.