The morning call., 1892-01-28
CHILE AND CONGRESS-.

The sudden determination Of Chile to
surrender all The points a5 Issue il the con-
trsv-r-v with the United States placed the
House Of Representatives in an EN- baTTass-
ing position. The Presidents message,
which was seu1 10 Congress on Monday,
was written in ignorance Of ChIle's change
Of front: and, while it was a conservative,
temperate document It was evidently in
soirei by an idea that il would be necessary
60 adopt vigorous measures 10 bring Chile
60 her senses Al the very hour when this
message WAS being read tie Government Of
Chile was composing a dispatch which
wiped the cause Of quarrel cut Of existence.
It's perhaps as we'll that BTeckinridge's
resolution was referred to the apDrOpTi-
ste committee. In the present stage Of az
fairs q few days delay VIII do no harm.
There is now no danger Of war, and nothing
viii be lost by a brief p0stp9nement Of ac-
ton. When the President transmits the
Chilean dispatch to Congress it viii be TT
ting that he should accompany it with
sta ement Of lis views ora the alternative
which Chile has offered. Il VIII necessarily
take a little time for him 70 elect between
foreign arbitration and a submission Of the
ease to tie supreme Court, and as this Is a
matter " HIGH properly belongs 10 the exec
utive and not the legislative branch Of the
Government, il will be but fair that in &C
Ouaiuting Congress with the settlement
which has been reached be should also ap-
prise il Of the conclusion at which he has
arrived. If MI Breckinridge's resolution
had passed, and the President had promptly
complied with it, Congress would still have
been at a stand5till for want Of information
"a 10 0f -l
It must be gratifying to every right
minded citizen to observe the moderation
with which the controversy has been
handled in Congress, and the pTomptitude
with which party was efTaced before the
prospect Of fore gn trouble The forbeaT-
aaca which has marked the speeches Of all
Congressman contrasts wildly with the wild
vaporiugs Of certain journals, which have
clamored for war with Chile, as if war were
q thing TO be desired, or as though the
United States had anything to gain by con-
queriug foe which would hardly be a
match for one Of our largest States single
handed Nothing could be 10 better tas t.
than the few speeches which have been re-
ported. M ali Of them the duty Of protect
ing the American sailor at all hazards and
all costs was emphatcally stated Congress
has entitled Itself to the respect OF the civ
uzed world and to tie gratitude Of the
American people.
The speeches Of the Democratic members
Of the House show that the country has
Iipeued to an understanding of the prin-
ciple that in the face Of an enemy all men
must stand shoulder to shoulder That has
not always been the case. When the war
of1612 was declared, forty-nine members of
the House Of Representatives and thirteen
members Of the Senate voted against it, and
throughout the contest a large minority Of
the people endeaVOTed to obstruct the meas
ures necessary for its prosecution. If the
dispute with Chile had reached a point
where war would have been inevitable it IS
improbable that any such divisions Of opin-
ion would have been manifested. The en-
tire people, without distinction Of party,
would have stood by President Harrison.
II viii always be remembered that with
the exception OF very condensed report Of
one debate in the Chilean Chamber of Dep
uties we have no intelligence from Val
paTaIsO regarding the temper with which
Chile's surrender has been received. The
general tenor OF the dispatch from Santi-
ago was known at the time our latest tele-
grams left, but 1t remains to be seen how
the details Of the proposed settlement will
be received 10y the turbulent anti-American
populace Of the seaport. and how any pop
Mar demonstration will be met by the
Junta The new Government is hardly
firm on its legs; the mob, having cOwed the
police and the magistracy, may be in no
temper to digest a scheme Of surrender
There may yet be trouble in which. for the
protection Of life and property, we may