The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-01-28
HARRISON AND THE CHILL QUESTION.

Just one week ago to-day President HAIR
RIsoN, as he said in his message of last
Monday, "caused to be communicated" to
Chilli by Minister EGAN his ultimatum,
asking for a suitable apology and adequate
reparation for its injuries to this govern
ment. Whether this communication was
made on the same day by the minister does
not appear from what has been published,
nor was any date fixed prior to which
reply was expected. Almost simultaneously
with this order to demand apology and
reparation, the President caused to be
put upon the telegraph wires, and sent to
every Associated Press agent throughout
the country, partial and garbled
synopsis of the correspondence be-
tween the two countries, the whole
of which, as stated, would cover
100 columns of an ordinary newspaper
This mass of matter the agents were in
structed to hold until released by word
from Washington. There is great prob
ability that the Presidents message to ac-
company this summary had likewise been
prepared and was ready for transmission
to Congress with the documents referred
to. At any rate, promptly Monday morn
ing last, previous to the hour when diplo-
matte visits are made or correspondence
delivered, this belligerent document was
sent out.
The closing sentence Of the Presidents
Gillian message, thus hurried into the Sen
ate and House of Representatives, reads
81 have as yet received no reply to our
OF If hfaO 1ct inst h,f MI
ought not to delay longer to bring these
matters TO the attention of Congress for
such action as may be deemed appropri-
ate." In point of fact, whilst this was
being read in Congress, the wires
were bearing the news from Santiago that
the MoNTT government were willing TO
withdraw the offensive language of ex-
minister malta and to apologize for it, to
cancel the request for the recall of EGAN,
and submit to arbitration the question of
responsibility and damages relative to the
Baltimore affair.
1t will occur to HERALD readers that a
strong desire for peace, wish to exact
nothing from Chill but ample PREPARATION
for wrong, might have suggested to the
administration at Washington the with
holding of that message until 1t was ascer-
tanned directly, or by lapse of reasonable
time, that the accused country refused tc
accede to the proposed terms. Not only
was this not done, but the following day
after it was positively known that the
cabinet had been put in possession Of
Chile's reply, the state department and al
others who knew what it was, refused tt
even answer !any questions on the subject
As is well known, no small part of tbs
trouble and anxiety which have beer
brought upon our country by these Chiliai
affairs has resulted from the desire ant
determination of Mr.. BLAINE and Mr.
HARRISON to uphold the course of thei
appointee, Mr.. PATRICK EGAN-a man VIII
had been naturalized as a citizen only
short time before he was sent to Santiag
as an American minister. EGAN has
throughout, exhibited narrow partisan
ship in behalf of the Balmacedans, an
opposition to the new government which
crops out in almost every line of his CORE
spondence. Not only did he throw tn
sheltering arms of the United State
around a number of the most notoriou
ploOtSio dhO lntIiRuSrS VI VIC uoGuIOuc'
/ government, to prevent their tris
, for treason, supporting them q
, the expense of this country, bu
, he permitted them by their behavior to cor
vey the idea that BALMAcEDA himself wa
among the refugees. No wonder tn
Chilians watched the legation premises
t ard no wonder they could not guarante
r safe conduct to place of safety. Ye
{ throughout Mr.. EGAN is sustained by Nj
S BLAINE, and the President scarcely enter
upon the points Of his message until he d.