The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-01-27
the same power that created Con gress and
derived its power and authority from the
WILL 1T BE ACCEPTED?

Chtifs Proposal Not What Was Desfred-Be-
lief that 1t Has Ulterior Motive.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, Jan. 25.-Whether Chilli
had or had not made some kind Of, On an
swer, yesterday, to the last note of Presi-
dent Harrison on Jan. 81 was the absorbing
question at the national capital to-day.
Up TO late hour this evening it was i'm
possible to confirm the press dispatch from
Santiago announcing that Chill had made
q series of propositions in reply to the
United States. During the day every
member of the Cabinet refused TO answer
any question bearing upon this point. and
in reply to similar inquiry the President
declared that he had nothing to say for
publication. Later, at the State. War and
Navy Departments. and also at the White
House, it was positively stated that no
official communication had been received
from Chilli. Senior Montt. the Chjiian min
lister, continued to preserve his obstinate
silence to all requests for information.
The general belief In Washington ls that
this dispatch from Santiago was inspired.
as so many other from that source have
since turned cut TO be inspired. by agents
of the Chiiian government. The purpose
of these inspired dispatches, which may
have been sent In good faith. has been to
|. influence public opinion both In this coun-
try and in Europe. There is an equally
obvious motive for this latest report It's
design. it is thought here. is to counteract
80 far as possible the effect of the Presi-
dents message upon public opinion In this
country; to assuago the war feeling. and to
bolster up Chllrs political standing and
financial credit among the courts and
banks of Great Britain and the continent.
Even should the report from Valparaiso,
thus discrediJed in Washington, be con-
tirmed by later information. it is pointed
out here that the terms which it suggests
do not at all meet the demands formulated
by the President in his last communication
to the Chllian government through Minis
ter Egan. These demands were: (1) Apol-
ogy, ~ reparation, 81 the withdrawal of
Matta's circular note. These demands were
unconditional. while the alleged PROPOSE
tion reported from Santiago contains in the
first place no apology or suggestion of an
apology. In the next place it evades the
demand for reparation by a vague sugges-
tien OF arbitration, with an alternative
suggestion of hearing and decision by the
United States Supreme Court.
NOT MATTER FOR ARBITRATION.
It is certain that the President does not
regard the assault and arrest of the Balti-
more's sailors, not as men and not for any
individual misconduct, but because they
wore the uniform and were under the flag
of the United States, as proper matter for
arbitration. The President made this
point very clear in his message when he
said: The attack WAS upon the uniform.
the nationality, and not upon the men,"
Moreover, the President has stated to sew
eral Senators, who called upon him to-day,
that arbitration was out of the question.
There was nothing to arbitrate; the point
at issue 10 one of national honor. More
over. as has been repeatedly pointed out.
q suggestion of arbitration would come
with poor grace from Chilli in view of her
refusal to JOIN In the plan of arbitration
proposed at the international American
conference. In the third place, the Santi-
ago report says that Chilli offers to with
was IAN error of judgement" The United
States simply asked for the withdrawal of
the note. The suggestion that the request
for the recall of Minister Egan be with
drawn is regarded by members of the Cabi-
net as entirely aside from the question,
and wholly irrelevent, because this coun-
try has already refused this request.
Tho cali Of Minister Lincoln aud the
Chllian ministers IN London on Lord Sails
bury to-day, as reported In cable special
dispatches, brought out much comment at
the State Department. Officials there
stated that tho purpose of Mr. Lincoln's
interview was to prevent, il possible. the
leaving of any war vessel or the shipment
of any war material from any British port
for Chilli. 1t was, freely intimated that Mr..
Lincoln, In London. and Minister Whitelaw
building of Chilian war ships in those
countries, and that our ministers were TAX
ing steps TO see that the ships were not al
lowed to leave In case hostillties occurred.
Great Britain's experience in the Alabama
case is so recent that it is thought she will
be very cautious in allowing ships and
arms TO 60 to Chilli in anticipation of q
declaration of war.
1t is certain that Minister Reid. at Paris,
has been advised to keep his eye on the
Captain Prat. being built at Toulon. This
was made spparcnt when several Senators
called on President Harrison and referred
to the fact that the Captain Prat would
have our entire Atlantic sea-board at her
mercy. To this Mr. Harrison emphatic
ally replied: Il think notv The tone in
which he uttered these words was inter-
preted to mean that the necessary steps
had already been taken in France by our
minister to provide against this danger. as
we'll as against the danger that the Chilian
cruiser Presidente Pinto might sail from
Havre.