Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-01-18
IS MINISTER MoNTT TALKING?

is MINISTER MONTT TALKING?
Same Alleged Remarks That Are Not at
All Diplomatic.
The Post prints the following interview
with Senor Muntt, the Chilian minister:
as there really a general unfriendly feel
lug against Americans in ChiIf?7 was
asked Mr.. Montt.
NO that is false" he replied at Is as
il You say because the Irishmcn in New
York city DO not like the English, all the
the people OF the United States
are uniricndly to England. ! have lately
talked with Americans who have lived in
Chili-Mr' Oswald, Mr.. Nelson, and Mr..
Logan-and they say it is not so. Besides
the officers of the Baltimore themselves
must say the same. Their sailors had
trouble on the streets, to be sure. but that
did not hinder, many weeks after the Off.
cess of the Baltimore giving a ball TO Chill.
ian people.
Discrepancies in Testimony.
After referring to this ball and telling
how the Valparaiso papers praised the
Baltimore's officers. giving columns in dis
criptiOn of the ball and laudation of the
hospitality shown thereat. the minister
said 1t looked strange that while raging
over an insult to the American flag these
officers should have put their very best
foot forward and sjlunnonc6 ChiIian
Iadled and gentlemen to dance "around
their insulted flag on war ship belonging
TO their outraged government" Proceed.
ing Montt said, "Thcn You know the sail
ors of the Baltimore give one testimony on
which our courts in Chill base their action
and when they get back to the United
states they give testimony quite different
So what is to be donc:"
Thinks the Explanation Doesn't Explain.
But the sailors explain this differenccin in
that they had to sign Il paper in the Chilian
courts without knowing what was in it,"
Tell me, tell me" said he. bending for
ward, the vertical lines in his forehead
deepening into bitches, his eyes streaming
fire, his words Sizing and tripping over
one another, the bronze of his face looking
almost hot enough to run and blister. tell
me what would you say if some one told
you a man signed paper that he could not
read; what would he the first thing that
you would say"
"Ths. the mans fool. of course
Declares the Statement False.
Exactly. exactly: and that * what | say
to these sailors 1t Is absurd. absurd: and
II Is false that they were m1dc to sign pa
perS that contained they ku,v not what
by the court of Chill. Made to si-n. in.
deed! Are not the sailors American and
hrave2 Could they he made. Have they
ever told what means of force We're used tC
overcome their brave resistance Was it
the rack, the screw, the knife or the gum
Faugh. / tell you they never signed any
paper in Spanish that was not read to
them in English
Wants TO Know II 1t Is Reasonable
rs it reasonable that any court of Chill.
even though that court We're acting i'm
what yOu call 'Star-chamher' session would
tamper with the testimony Of an American
which it was To forward to the American
government, knowing that the man was to
return 10 his country and have the privi-
lcgc of giving his testimony in person TO
that same government? Bah. II the Judge
had made the sailors sign some paper and
then had killed the sailors, it might have
been done.
4 Question Of Veracity
i know the sailors have testified differ.
ent to this government, but tell you.sin
IT narrows down to a question of veracity
between an American sailor and a court of
Chill, American and Chilian are in it no
longer II is like n question of veracity
between Justice Brewer and Chilian
sallor-between two men, a judge and a
sailor. Now, answer me, which has most
at stake?n
Non-ConmittaI but Suggestive.
"If this IS the view you take of it, SiCnor
Montt, how 30 you account for the appar
ent determination of the United States to |
60 to war with Chih?'
Il do not. Your press and your politics |
and ambitions-perhaps, may bel do not |
know; cannot say. The English-speak- |
ing people in Chilli are mainly English sub |
iects. The Americans who have been i'll. |
treated there are mainly Irish. Perhaps, !
maybe-I cannot say"
Object to Statue to Newntau-
LONDON. Jan 1s-The local press of OK |
ford is flooded with protests agains; the |