Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-09-24

>-1<s<zsSI--<
-~ ing it. Not long ago
-~ the secretary of war
resigned + m the
cabinet. telling h e
president that he accepted the place be-
cause he supposed that Chile was going to
fight the Argentine. and that if there was
to be no war he preferred to resign. The
president and his administration would like
TO avoid a conflict if possible, but the feel
ing of the people is such that the least
overt act on the part of the Argentine
would infame them beyond control. The
government appreciates this, and it has for
months been making military and naval
preparations The national guard has been
called out, and at this writing 30 900 Hen
are under arms and soldiers are being rig
idly drilled in every part of Chile l saw
them first in the northern provinces. At
Valparaiso | found the Alameda filled with
young men going through the military evo-
lutions OF the German army many hours a
day. and the drills of the artillery, cavalry
and infantry are to be seen daily in the
parks Of Santiago. In the meantime every
one is talking war. You hear it in the
clubs and on the streets. Congress sits in
secret sessions on the subject. and at a
convention held a few weeks ago resolu-
tons asking the administration to declare
war were adopted and sent to the presi-
dent. At the same time the people Of the
Argentine are also much excited over the
situation and the newspapers of both coun-
tries are filed with war editorials.
Question of National Boundary Line
The trouble between the two countries
Is as 10 just where the boundary between
Chile and the Argentine Republic lies. This
has been the subject of diplomatic discus
sion for years and it has again and again
threatened to cause war. In 1876 the rela-
tons of the two countries were so strained
over this matter that an armed conflict
seemed imminent. and it was only avoided
by the governments negotiating for a joint
commission of experts to mark out the
boundary line. The present excitement is
the result Of the conflicting Interpretation
OF the treaties which Were made through
these negotiations. The first attempt to
settle the matter failed Another trial was
made in 1878. but it was not until 1881 that
a treaty was entered into and this was
largely the result of the friendly offices of
Thomas O. Osborn. then our minister to
Argentine. and his cousin, Thomas A Os-
born. who was then United States minister
to Chile. This treaty stated that the
boundary from Peru as far south as the
ffty-seCond degree Of latitude which is
about the eastern entrance to the Strait of
Magellan. should b. the cOrdillera of the
Andes. The treaty stated that the frontier
line sh Duld run along the highest SUBMITS
of the mountains that divide the waters
and should pass between the sources of the
streams which lie on one side or the other
the Argentine getting all on the side of
those flowing into the Atlantic and Chile
taking all on the Pacific side. In cases
where the boundary line was not clear it
was to be settled by two experts one
chosen 10y each country. and if they were
not able to come to decision a third
agent chosen by both governments was to
decide the matter. 1t was also provided
that chile should have no port on tae At
lantic and the Argentine none on the Pa
ClTC. The line fixed was to remain for
all time. and if other matters Of dispute
arose they were to be submitted bv the
two governments to some friendly power
Cor arbitration.
This was 4 beautiful treaty full of COM
mon sense and brOtherly love but when
the experts began to work on the bound
AIRY the temper of the people changed and
all sorts of disputes arose. In 1888, in ad-
vance of his report 10 the government the
Chilean expert published his statement of
the situation
This was attacked at once by the Argen-
tine press. and the relations of the two
countries again became strained. Then
little later on the Argentine expert rushed
into print in q book on the subject. which
was bitterly attacked by the Chilean press
and which is the cause of the war talk of
today. According 10 this book the Chilean
line in the south is close to the Pacific
while the people here believe il should be
far inside OF Patagonia. The land in uues-
ton is, am told. not worth the price of
the powder that would be burned in the
impending conflict: and. in fact the real
cause OF the ill-feeling dates considerably
further back. BY this treaty the Strait of
Magellan and the greater part of TERRA del
Fuego are given To Chile. The Argentiues
think they should have Il large part of them
and that the Chiledns have really no right
to anything east of the Andes although
they have agreed to the contrary They
think Chile is scheming to grab a great
part Of their territory, as she did the rich
nitrate nclds of Peru. and feel that she is
after Il war OF conquest. Chile feels that
The Argentine took large part of Pata-
gonna from her. and knows that a mort on
the Paclhc would be of great advantage To
her neighbor. She knows the Argentine is
growing and wants a war now before the
Argentine gets SO rich and powerful that
she cannot hope to conquer her
Why Chile Must Fight Now.
1t Is barely probable that these troubles
can ever be finally settled without o war.
Both countries realize this and the Argei;-
tines know that their best policy is to put
the conflict of long ~ possible. The
Chileans must fight soon. Y at all. They
cannot stand the expenses of their present
army ana navy are now costing about
$1,000. gold, a day. Enormous sums have
been spent FOR arms and ammunition and
during visit which l made this week to
the various military establishments here |
found that the guns and equipment are of
me nnest and the most recent makes. The
soldiers are armed with Mauser rifles In
the artillery barracks | was shown noun
fair guns which were made at the KrupD
works In 1896. and other arms If the same
date. The soldiers are well uniformed and
their drill 10 as good as that of any army