Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1892-01-04
.MATTA'S BAD MISTAKE.
Chill to Repudiate Her Mino
ister's Saucy Reply.
WASHINGTON IS READY FOR WAR.

Preparation for Possible IIostiIitios Stead
ny Progresses, and whether We Have
Flight o. Not We win Surely BE in
Pair Shape for the Fray.
WAHrmGroE, Jan. 4-Chilian affairs are
likely % b. brought 10 a crisis within the
next two or three days The report 81 the
procurator fiscal has been concluded and is
TO be cahled TO Minister Montt today and
win be leid by him before Secretary Blaine.
Enough has been learned unonicially Of the
findings 70 Say that there Is a distinct issue
as TO facts between the results Of the trial
by the Gillian authorities and the presonta-
tion OF the case made by President Halri-
son in his message, which was based on the
report made by a board Of officers Of tho
cruiser Baltimore President Harrison
says in his message: "These attacks were
unprovolsed, and our men were conducting
themselves in peaceahle and orderly man
ner, Some Of the police Of the city took part
in the assault and used their weapons with
fatal effectn
Tho Americans at Fault.
The report Of the Chilian procurator finds
that these rioters are guilty Of stabbing
American sailors But here comes tho di-
vergence. Mr. Harrison states that the as
sault was unprovoled, while the chilian
prisoners contend that they attacked the
American sailors IN order to defend some Of
their comrades whom the Americans had
first knocked down, thus claiming, of course,
that the American sailors were the aggrcs-
d. H. ll..
the Chilians ARE sustained by the evidence.
The police are entirely vindicated, accord
ing TO the procurator's report, although,
according Go Mr.. Hnrrison'e position, the
Valparaiso police took part In the assault
and used their weapons with fatal effect
The procurator concludes. st Is impossible
to determine who fired the fatal shots in the
case OF Riggin.n
Arbitration Necessary.
There appears 20 be no disposition on tho
part Of the Chilian judge to probe too deeply
into tho part taken by the Gillian police,
Tor the evidences Of a witness before Judge
Of Grimes Foster that he saw three police
men hold the American sailor who was
killed receive no further attention from the
reviewing Judge. Summing il up be finds
that the American sailors were the aggrea-
sors and that the Chilians were merely on
the defensive. It is clearly impossible 10
reconcile these two views There Is an alb
solute conflict ON fact Of every position.
With two statements 50 widely at variance
there appears 10 be but one course-an in
vestigation Of the subject by some entirely
impartial tribunal. tits quite probable that
the representatives Of the British govern
ment, both at Valparaiso and Washington,
are doing their utmost TO advise an apology
from the Chilians
To Have . Navy Now.
There Is the highest authority for saying
that the activity Ia naval circles viii not
ceaee even II within the next few weeks
Chilli shall come forward with the amplest
reparation. The Chilian imbroglio has
served 70 emphasize the Importance Of the
steps taken months ago to provide an ade-
quate naval equipment
II is one feature Of the new Blaine policy
which calls for peace but comprehends
readiness for war at a moments notice Mr..
Blaine has exercised so far a restraining in
huenee on the president in the Chilian mat
ter because he realized that an n considered
show Of temper would have a bad effect all
over South America on his reciprocity pro-
| iect AT the same time he has sympathized
fully with the programme for increasing the
strength Of the navy Mr. Baine's idea is
that powerful navy is necessary for the
protection Of the American trade be Is now
, extending,