Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-03-24
IN THE HOTEL CORRIDORS.

''The present difficulty between Chile and
Peru over the province OF Tsrstaca," said r.
II. Anderson. ex-minister 10 Bolivis. 10 THs
STAR representative at the Ebbitt this morning,
"calls up the condition OF Affairs In Peru.
"They have a very lax way Of doing business
throughout Central and South America. and
one who sees the expeditions manner In which
the great affairs Of this country are managed In
Washington involuntsrily contrasts 10 with the
slow methods existing in the southern repub-
lies, where they are constantly putting OF
everything until the morrow and subordinate
state and business affairs to the conventional
ties OF society. All these countries are suffer
ing greatly today for want OF proper business
methods.
The situation in Peru il especially serious.
Unless the Unforeseen results Peru before many
years will cease 20 be q republic Of Sonth Amer
lea and will be absorbed bv her neighbors. She
mas cut on her three great sources OF income
ana country cannot hive without = revenue.
The railroads which were built by Henry
Meiggs, the bonds for which were hosted In
England. have been taken by the English
guano deposits
The seabosrd province Of Taratsca, which
was taken br Chile indemnity at the Close
OF the war between the two countries contains
the rich nitrate beds, and thus has poor Peru
''C nder the treaty between Chile and Peru
the province OF TaratacA was TO remain In
ohnean hands for ten years. THIS time has
now about expired The question whether it
should still remain part OF Chile or revert 90
Peru Is TO be settled by popular vote in the
province. The party winning the province by
this vote Is 20 pay the other country 10 600 OO0
IL IA needless to say that Chile will hold on 10
her accession and that the people there viii
vote TO remsin within her borders. II has been
roll sd k.-T ~.
veloped it very largely, looking forward TO the
present time. for Chile has no idea OF sur
rendering the nitrate deposits
Peru with an empty treasury and demorai-
lzed generally Is not in = condition 60 enforce
her side Of the argument with the force Of arns
She still has another complication Confronting
her. The slO. 00O. 900 she would receive from
chile would tide over the affairs but a short
time, but it would be something. Peru. how
ever, is largely indebted 10 MIR. Drevfus of
France and be wants Chile 20 paw this money 20
him direct Peru wants to paw the debt in her
own way to Dreyfus. and so thew are having q
parrot and monkey time generally with the dis
integration Of unhappy Peru not very far
ahead
"Who is that gentleman2" asked stranger st
the Arlington last evening as a tall man with
gray whiskers and hair. black frock coat and
silk hat stood for minute in the center Of the
hotel lobby.
That is Secretary of State Gresham, " was the
response.
Secretary Gresham's form was quickly hid
den by a crowd of friends and men who were
willing to be his friends who speedily sur
rounded him. He said few pleasant words 90
each AID breaking away walked through the
lobby to the central staircase and assembled to
his room.
Four of the cabinet ministers are at the Ar
lington-Secretary Gresham. Secretary Lamont,
Postmaster General Bssen aud Secretary
Smith. Mr.. Gresham is the only one who
comes down into the lobby during the evening
once in awhile Since he has been in Washing
ton 1t is probable that Secretary Lamont has
not been at the outside desk more than once or
twice, If at all. He keeps himself secluded in
his rooms and takes most of his meals there.
Postmaster General Bissell. while dining
frequently IN the main dining room. also dimes
largely in his own apartment. Mr. Bissell
never stands IN the lobby, but takes his keys
and kilograms when he does enter and goes ut
once upstairs. Mr.. Smith follows his example.
Once in a while their friends will buttonhole
them, but they quickly break away upstairs.
Secretaries Smith and Gresham o rule dine
in the main dining room.
Whenever any one of this high official quartet
appears on the marble floor of the lobby there
Is a commotion in the crowd. a showing back
OF chairs. craning Of necks. everybody evinc-
ing great desire TO catch a glimpse Of . csbi-
net minister.
"The natives OF Alaska have a very peculiar
custom when they engage in BATTLE said Thos
F. Ford, a tourist from Buffalo. to The STAR
representative. Il spent nearly a year in
Alaska several years ago and found the study Of
the natives most interesting.
with most people. civilized and otherwise,
when they engage in combat IL is with the pur-
pose OF wIping out the opposite side il possible.
and they never stop during their tight TO adjust
matters. In Alaska two rival tribes would en-
gage in warfare. After fighting each other and
killing wounding number ON both sides
they viii stop the combat and the rival chiefs
viii adjust the damages. as II were.
The Custom at fret seems laughsble, but il is
very serious. nevertheless. Here is one in
stance. A chief of comparatively low rank Was
wounded through the cheek by ball from a
musket from his opponents. In the adjustment
of damages which followed IL ordained that
the side which had done the wounding should
even things up by killing one and a half men.
As they couldn't kill half a man they killed two
men. SO that the relatives of the second man.
who would have been half man if such q thing
were possible. might be treated squarely they
were given forty blankets.
"After adjusting their differences the tribes
would fight again, and they might suspend hos
tillties two three times during the day. III
high chief is killed his death calls for the death
OF many men from the side which did the kill
ing. The rank of the native and the character
of the wounds are taken standard of the
damage which the people did the killing must
pay There is old Alaska chief. Capt Sitka
Jack. who has 1000 blankets, valued at from IS
to so each, stored away, which he has received
from time to time in these peculiar adjust
ments. Blankets are considered property, for
the natives have desire TO acquire real estate,
as they consider that the land there ID all their
own.
"ln the wars they ascertain. il possible. who
on the opposite side did the wounding or kill
ing Of the native wounded or killed. To square
matters those who inflicted the injuries or their
kin killed to satisfy the other side. The
chief is supreme. and it is he who generally
designates who shall suffer. The Alsskans at
one time owned a great many slaves, the lives
of which were considered valueless and the
slaves were generally killed. their throats being
cut on tine beach with no more conjunction
than that OF Staying dog"
Adolf Fischof of Austria Dead.
Adolf Fischof died in klsgenfurth. Austria,
Wednesday night of Inflammation OF the lungs.
If