Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-26
A SOUTH AMERICAN CONTROVERSY.
Waiting for the Appearance Of the Argen-
tine kePn bile Com missiopers.

Waiting for the Appearance Of the Argen-
tine Republic Com missiopers.
The Brazilian commissioners appointed to
represent that country in the matter Of the
settlement Of the Misiones boundary have
arrived in New York. The Argentine commits
sioners left Buenos Avres some time ago, but
have not yet arrived in this country. 1t is
supposed that they are in Europe.
The President OF the United States has been
selected as arbitrator in the dispute and on the
arrival Of the Argentine commissioners ar
rangements will be made for presenting the
poin Is OF the controversy to him for his decision
The case is the direct outgrowth of the ses-
sions OF the Pan-American Congress Of 1880.
After that body adopted resolutions in favor Of
compulsory arbitration an expedient for
averting war, Brazil almost the fret state
to&ct upon the high moral policy which had
been proclaimed. 1t not only exerted its in
tuence strongly in favor Of the negotiation Of
arbitration treaties Ehich should have binding
force upon American states, but also in Its new
constitution 1t expressly prohibited wars Of
conquest. The Misiones question revives
memories of the Spanish conquest. For
$50 years the Jesuits endowed undisputed as
dian language to written idiom. taught the
natives the rudiments Of wood carrying al
European agriculture. planted orange groves,
cultivated yerba tea built model villages and
governed the country on humane principles.
No work more wonderful was ever done by
Christian missionaries than that Of the Jesuits
in the upper Parsna and in the region now
known as the Misones
When the expulsion of the Jesuits was de-
creed they offered no resistance, but quietly
left the country which they had governed for SO
long time In the course Of a single genera
ton q population of 10000, employed in
various industries. abandoned the plantations
and relapsed into barbarism. Then followed
the reign of three monsters and war of
exrerminatiou. In heartrending struggle
against three stronger states a simple minded
people endured manifold sufferings for the
sake of tyrant who had murdered his mother,
because rivals and allies. They fought for their
oppressor until he himself was dead in the for
ests and three-fourths Of their heroic warriors
were slain. The victorious coalition--including
Brazil, the Argentine and Uruguay-retired
from the old Jesuit mission ground with an IN
settled frontier question, which has continued
to excite suspicion and jealousy during years
Of secret intrigue.
The establishment Of the Brazilian republic
was followed by an era Of good feeling. Presi-
dent Feodors's minister Of foreign affairs,
Bocayuva, went to Montevideo and Buenos
Ayres on Q mission Of peace, and while
the convention which he made was sub
sequently condemned by the Brazilian con-
gress the question has been finally sub
mitted to the President of the United States
for arbitration memorial Of former ex-
ercise OF similar Offices exists in the opposite
quarter Of Paraguay, where one Of the new
cities is named Villa Hayes. in honor of the
American President, who acted as arbitrator in
dividing the Gran Chaco between disputing
powers. HIS successor now has the responsible
office Of adjudicating national titles to the work
ing field Of the heroic Jesuits and the battle
grounds OF one OF the strangest wars in history.