The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-01-28
Phases OF the Chilean Affair.

! The Presidents ultimatum OF Jan. 81 ap-
pears to have taken the Chilean govern
ment by surprise. According to our dis
patches this morning that government
thought that progress was being
made toward the settlement Of
the trouble between the two coun-
/ tries. As late as Friday, Jan. %, a
/ dispatch was received at Santiago from the
! Chilean minister at Washington that every
thing was progressing favorably toward a
settlement. The Chilean president in
/ formed his cabinet that his advices from
Washington were Of the most encouraging
character.
All this bears out the statement that has
been frequently made that there has
been all along lack of harmony between
the President and Secretary Blaine relative
TO the course the government should pursue.
Secretary Blaine believed a settlement
could be reached through diplomatic chan
nels. and was in favor Of giving Chile
plenty Of time TO come to a conclusion as 20
what she would do with respect to the de-
mand that had been made upon her for an
apology and repsration. while the President
insisted that the only way this country
would get satisfaction was TO insist upon an
immediate answer.
In view of the fact that the Chilean
minister based his dispatches to his home
government on the assurances he received
from Secretary Blaine it looks very much
as if the President made up his mind to
send a message to congress without consult
ing Secretary Blaine. If Secretary Blaine
knew that the President had finally made
up his mind TO take steps looking toward
severance of friendly relations with
Chile it is difficult to understand
why he did not inform the
tanning the information that the Chilean
government was surprised at receiving the
ultimatum is true it is certain he did not
keep the Chilean minister well informed Of
the purpose of the President.
Another phase of the Chilean affair is the
suspicion that cropped out in Washing
ton that the President knew that Chile had
decided to grant about all the demands con-
tanned in his ultimatum Of Jan. 81 before
he sent his message 70 congress. If the
Chilean government had reached such de-
oision and information TO that effect had
been received by him, the Withholding of 1t
under the circumstances would not have
been creditable 90 the chief executive of the
nation. Such an act wonld have put
him in the position of seeking little
cheap glory upon false pretenses. For the
credit Of the country it is gratifying TO know
that he Is guiltlsss of resorting tosuch
means to improve his chances for renomi-
nation. The ohairmen of the committee on
foreign affairs says that the President was
not notified Of Chile's action until the day
after his message was sent to Congress.
Politics In this country undoubtedly has
had something to do with the way the
Chilean trouble has been handled by the
President and Secretary Blaine, but it would
be difficult to believe that the President
would seek 20 gain a point by trying by
questionable means to make it appear that
his aggressive course. against the advice Of
Secretary Blaine. brought from Chile the
acknowledgment that she was In the
wrong. II it should appear that Chile's action
was not taken because of his message there
would be disposition to withdraw some Of
the credit that has been given him and to
give more to Secretary Blaine than the lat
ter has yet received