The sun., 1894-01-28

| Inc clergy nhteQ BalmhCeua because I6 was
accused OF being a treethinker, and had un-
doubtedly cut down ecclesiastical revenues,
particularly through the institution OF civil
marriages The tradesmen in Santiago and
Valparaiso were found. as might have been
expected. on the side OF their wealthy patrons.
Many people espoused the cause OF the Con-
gross against Balmaceda on account OF the
suspicion and resentment with which they re-
garded one-mhn power. The influential
foreign elements in Chile were also against the
President because he had hinted at curtall-
ments OF grants to foreign corporations. and
had lamented the fact that though Chilean
blood had purchased the nitrate fields OF Tara
paca, their wealth was rapidly passing away
into foreign hands
In order to understand the causes or pre-
texts OF the revolution OF 1891. and to compre-
| hend why the author regards Balmaceda as
an Andrew Johnson rather than a Robes pierre
| we should glance at the political parties In
Chile. and then follow In detail tho events
which Immediately preceded the civil war.
| Balmaceda had been returned In 1885 by the
| Liberal party. posed OF at least four ele-
ments. but loosely united. These were re-
spectively designated as Liberales del Cobb
| erno who were out and. out Balmacedists: as
| Nacionalists. comprising those who were op-
| posed to making a wide distribution OF the
Offices on tho ground that 1t would be unfair
to the old Liberal party: as Sueltos. who were
OF all shades OF political liberalism; and final
ly. as Radicals. who were extreme Liberals.
and came at last to view Balmaceda's ad-
ministration as tending toward Con-
servativs reaction. Tho Conservatives. on
their part. were split into three di-
visions - the Montt-varistas. aristocrats
believing in aristocratic government: =:
Clericales. who held that the priesthood
ought to exercise an influence upon the Gov
eminent. and. finally. the Conservadores
proper. who in point OF fact were less reac-
tonary than either OF the groups Just named.
Balmaceda. as we have said. had been elected
by the Liberals, and. for two years ruled not
unsatisfactory to them: but his pertinacious
| adherence to the strict letter OF the Constitu-
ton as against the deference to Parliament
eyinced by his predecessors. his manner OF
distributing the spos. his zeal in erecting
public buildings and pushing public works re-
quring lavish expenditure. eventually excited
disaifection on the part Of most OF his former
supporters, until finally all but the Liberals
del Goberno, the oflceholding faction. were
arrayed against him in conjunction with the
three factions OF the Conservatives
| Thus matters stood In January. 1890. Four
| Cabinets had gone to pieces over the question
whether costly public works should be con-
structed while the redemption OF the paper
| currency was still unprovided for; nine Min
listers for Foreign Affairs had succeeded each
other In rapid succession. for. while Balma-
ceda persisted in his policy. he still con-
tinued for while to choose Cabinets repre-
senting the iuctuating Parliamentary major
| ity. not having yet made up his mind to
disregard the unwrtten Parliamentary law
which had grown up. that the Ministers should
be In harmony with Congress. Finally when
! Senior San Fuentes, who was supposed to be a
candidate for the next Presidential term, was
made Prime Minister by Balmaceda vote OF
| censure was passed by the Chamber OF
! Deputies. The President now determined
to take the bull by the horns. and
insisted that his Ministers should re-
| main in Office This was violation
| OF precedents. but not OF the letter OF the
| Constitution. Congress replied by refusing to
pass an appropriation bill until a Ministry
should be appointed In accordance with its
views. Thereupon Balmaceda yielded and
| formed a new Cabinet with Judge Belisario
| Prato OF the Supreme Court as Prime Minis
ter. Congress professed to be satisfied. and
voted temporary supplies. But the Chamber
| of Deputies and the new Ministry soon began
| to seek the removal of Objectionable inten-
dsntes and other administrative officers for
| the purpose OF trammelling the President in
| the forthcoming election. particularly II he
was scheming for the return Of San Fuentes
The President had now come to the end OF his
| concessions; he refused to remove anybody.
save for an indictable and proven offence.
pointing out that the session OF Congress was
an extraordinary one called for the express
| purpose OF passing the annual supply bill At
such a session. Congress had. so he maintained.
| no constitutional authority to go outside Of
the business for which It had been eonvoked,
and take up the matter of the removal OF OFF,
| GERS and the consideration OF Australian ballot
| bills and other measures intended to carry the
election against his trisnds Congress- never
theless. refused to vote the supply bill until
the Questionable officers were removed, and.
as the President now showed himself inex-
orable. tho Prato Ministry resigned. Balma.
cedA then appointed a new Ministry in sym
pathy with his We've. and closed the session
on Oct. IL 1890. The next move was made by