New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-18
AFFAIRS ~ CHILL.
NARROW ESCAPE FROM POLITICAL AND FL
NANCIAL DISASTER
From The Pail Mall Gazette.

From The Pail Mall Gazette.
Ais well that ends we'll yet there is no get
narrow escape eo from political and financial disaster.
Writing from Santiago on the morrow or the ar
Of our q the longs
standing dispute with Argentina IS In fair way
economzing on the enormous expenditure for
ornaments, and an incubus Will be lifted which
like preparations seem to have been considered in
Eur9Pe reprehensioie n3t to Say suicidal ana ana
folded and sell some OF her expensive ironclads;
I'm response 10 this benevolent advice. would
quote the CHILEAN proverD 10 the effect that a mad
man knows more of his own affairs than sane
man does OF other peoples our only way to pre-
bitraion was 70 arm to the teeth and bluff for al
Since the foregoing candid opinion was penned
the troublesome outstanding Puma de Atacama
Senate having by an overwhelming majority APP
proved its reference to Join, 9mmission with
Ayres. as exclusively announced fortnight ago
In these columns The Puma issue. 10y the way; is
rather OF political than OF purely geosraphica!
character. dependent the Interpretation OF differ.
ent treaties. and accomplished by ''water-dlyide
considerations. for The sufficient reason that water
Is conspicuous b. its absence in the region. The
latest item Of intelIisencc from South america.
coupled with the continuous fali n the Buenos
Ayres gold premium, Is undoubtedly the most I'm,
proof of the subsistence OF the antagonlsn between
chill and Argentina; Ths decree orderings me me
%SSn the chn Be GuirS sss
good example Will promptly be followed on the
publcs to enter on the path OF rstrenchmsnt
urgently required by their finances. The Cabinet
crisis and Ministerial designations recently cabled
from Valparaiso would appear to have existed only
in the Imagination Of certain correspondents: at
all events the portfolio of foreign affairs remains
I'm the hands of Admiral Latorre ttwice reported 70
have resigned) TO whose admirable handling OF
the boundary negotiations the present improved
situate Is 20 great extent due.
AS with Chilps external relations, so with her
finances; the black cloud having Fitted from tho
former an immediate improvement may be ex-
pected in the latter the strain on which would. 4
continued, have reached the breaking point. All
depends on the curtaiment of extraordinary"
expenditure. the country's revenue being fortunate
Nv comparatively unaro ctel by the depreciation Of
the currency and amply sufficient 10 meet the
receipts forming three fourths OF the CHILEAN reve
nue. amounted in the first eight months Of the cur
year s363l sfs o2 against sSi2si99 % in the
corresponding period OF 1897 being an Increase OF
81 35i 0s and the export duty on nitrate in tho
Remaining four months Will yield further Increase
OF 100000 With the aid OF the taxes
1amounting to slOGOOoM referred to in Mr. Salas
Edwards's Official brochure, and leaving aside tho
more or less problematical surplus. brought for
ward from 1898. the Minister OF Finance should
possibly be able to pay of the floating debt mex.
wear and start the twentieth century with n clean
sheet new day rs da~ning Tor Chill. II only her
statesmen will obey the dictates OF financial pru-
dcncp.