The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-09-28
TIE FINANCIAL FORUM /
MR.. EDWARDS, OF CHILL.
IaIks of the Financial Question i'm
Two Republics

IaIks of the Financial Question in
Two Republics.
rev. John ]. Conway sends to the GIoba
from Paris the following interesting inter
view with Augustin Edwards ex-presjdent q,
Tue Chilian senate and leading citizen OF
saio MI Augustin Edwards. the ex~nresfdan+ a,
one Chliian senate, when discussing the finan-
C CA question Of the United States and Of
Cnln with me in his Paris hotel. overiookine
the beautiful garden of the Tuileries EX
PRESIDENT Edwards has been travelling in
Eni IN search Of health. His long and
authority upon the questions which he dis
cussed with me- 1t was only last wear thar
da a,neaia9 compelled him to resign the presf-
TO go abroad for mental and physical recrea-
9on. MI; Edwards was commander OF the
I p OF valparaiso during the war with
Peru, in 1879. Then he became success
Nely, deputy, senator counselor Of state
minister OF finance and Of public works min,
i ss OF war and, finally, president Of the
senate nate The first query put to him was:
Does the financial question in the republic
OF Cn1h throw any light upon the chief issue
OF tne present campaign in the United
Il take 1t that you mean by the chief issue
III tne United States, the fight between gold
anu silver. The circumstances of the two
countries are so different that / fear the
history OF the Gillian currency. or its pres
ent condition throws but a 1ickering eida
hgnt upon the financial question, which so
profoundly agitates the great republic of the
North. republic like ours having a ponIi-
iation OF only 5000. 900, cannot teach much
Dy example to republic with a population
OF 10000 oO Smaller countries must follow
larger ones in matters OF finance The great
money markets of the world chiefly London
Berlin ana Paris, practically dictate the cur
rency Tor commercial countries. You know
that bimetallism obtained In my country for
q long time Chill produces silver and gold
BuI oy reason OF our war with Bolivia and
Peru 1t was found necessary to issue paper
money, Just as the United States had to issue
greenbacks during the war of the rebellion.
Under the present administration however
the paper money has been recalled and we
have but one financial standard, namely. that
or gotd. When VIC returned to a metallic
currency we did net want to go back to BIZ
metallism, because gold and silver were no
longer the same price. The enormous silver
mines CT your Western states and the de-
monetzation of silver by Germany after the
F'ranco-Prussian war had so reduced the value
of silver that it would have been bad fnan-
clai policy for my country to return to BIZ
republic of Chilli and of the United States
there are then these points In common: We
had to issue paper money; so had the United
States. We tried the bilnetallic currency and
had to abandon it; die the United States.
We found 1t necessary to adopt gold stand
ard and we mean to stand by It; your APP
ably show that che United States means to
stand firmly by gold as the sole financial
standard"
do the relations between your country
and the United States continue to be
strained?"
mo, not now. In fact, we have very little
communication with the United States. You
may easily recall the two chief causes of the
strained relations which existed between
Chill and the United States. Naturally
enough, we were angry because one of your
naval officers. belonging TO Admiral Browns
staff, counted our marine and military forces
and reported their strength to Balmaceda,
himself unclaimed n
Chill. Then, four American sailors Of the
Baltimore landed at Valparaiso. They went
on a spree with some of our men. and having
got into a brawl. one of the American sailors
killed. OF course, we could more
help that than the American government
could have foreseen the recent lynching of the
Italians at New Orleans. 1 may also add
that the American ministers to Chill have
not always been personae gratae. AT pres
ent, however, let me repeat that no ill-feel-
ing exists"
Chilli and the United States stand?"
Except in agricultural implements
have not extensive commercial relations with
the United States. Your agricultural imple-
ments are the best in the world. Most OF our
great houses of commerce English. We
have large Germany colony also in VAL
davia, many of whom are engaged extensive
ly in breweries. Our French coIonists mostly
own small stores. The United States is as
far away from Europe. Communica-
ton is, If anything, more difficult. United
States articles of commerce, though very
good are very dear We have had long
Standing relations with certain European
countries, so you can easily understand why
our commercial intercourse with the United
States is comparatively small"
How is the republic of Chill doing since
the overthrow Of Balmaceda?
"Splendidly. The present administration
Is one of the best the country has ever had.
1t has settled in satisfactory manner three
great questions which alone are sufficient to
entitle Il to the everlasting gratitude of
the Christian people. First, as / have already
mentioned, 1t has taken up the paper money
and has adopted a metallic currency in the
form Of gold monometallisnl. Secondly, 1t
has given absolute freedom in the election OF
senator's and deputies. Thirdly, it has am
icably solved the boundary dispute with the
Argentine Republic by referring the matter
for arbitration TO the queen OF England
..Wiil the present political campaign for
the election of president OF Chill have any
bearing npcn that country's relations with the
United ea1rcs?'
"AbsO,rtely none. The issues OF the cam
paign ara entirely domestic. II President
Motto cor'd es candidate he would surely
be re elected. 60 admirable has been his ad-
minstration But the constitution OF Chill,
unlike that " !h% United States. does not
allow a prcs.SGII tc be elected for two terms
in succession. Tie present candidates rs51e-
sent radicaiisH snd mild liberalism respect
lively. The r.6;cAl os.ad.aate wants to Aays
church and st$te ers.rsiY separate, sueh as In
the United Stat1s He wants to have all re-
ligious denomiGsr@na On an eqaal footing.
At present othu religious bodies besides
Roman Catholics sIs tolerated. But they
are not permitted. You viii take note that
tItSio 10 uiHoIr%To EotEecr tue technical
terms, liberation ss79 rermisa!en.s u q re-
ligous body is m9fs'J tolerated, this means
that the law Is aga.ssss IT, but Ia srot enforced
II religious body u r-rs.Itt-d. ihkn thera
Is no law. not even fnsS otter law. against
You have just come t,sss speLn. VIII you
kindly tell me what IL Hrs.I .sh feeling tow
ards the United States Az CaSaF'
considering .as los.tIjE KpAsn has taken
up in refersnss 70 cuba,~ nae. 8 iITx enough
that conIssfg . .sa!ous OF enyth.Ga Ont even
hints az i:Ia.asencs on tho part sof the
AEeffosa .e16ia. SPANS pride Is aroused
She "sii s-fed her laet dollar and send her
ssal rnxa IN ydslsr to hold her last colony"
@c ! 2sfnn with u financial question let
~ ssx "s1. one. How muci In Chiilan
hSrs.s ne price OF the bellion. The sov-
si1n.al; staInD adds nothing to 1t. Its value
+afsE tne intrinsic vajus OF the silver,
would cen ~ honest dollar