The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-04
Remarkable Interview with the
Head of the Most Progressive of the
south American Republics.
DISCUSSES MONROE DOCTRINE
AND ALSO OUR PROPOSED BUILDING
OF NICARAGUA CANAL.
influence OF the Catholic Church in
Chile and It's Enormous wealth.
Richest Nuns in the World.

pointment that l called upon the President
of Chile yesterday afternoon to have chat
with him concerning matters of mutual in
terest to our respective countries. The
President is one of the progressive men of
this progressive people. He is the head of
the liberal or progressive party, and is at
the front of every movement to make Chile
prosperous. He comes of one of the oldest
families of Chile, his father having been
one of the most popular presidents of the
past. He is a very rich man, and his per-
sonal interests in the advancement of Chile
are great. He is now in the second year
of his presidential term, and as he has three
years more to serve his views upon inter-
| national matters are Of especial interest.
My audience was arranged through our
minister to Chile. and at the time set for
| it, D. m, Mr.. Wilson and myself entered
the doors of the Moneda.
| The Moneda is the White House of Chile.
| 1t is a vast three-story building situated
in the heart Of Santiago. You could put
| our white House in one corner of it,
| and its ground floor is, judge, larger than
that of the Capitol at Washington The
building covers more than four acres, but
| it is constructed after the Spanish style,
! with its rooms running about patios
| courts, so that there is much waste space.
These courts, however, are filled with flow
ers; in some of them fountains play, and
they form the only gardens of the Presi-
dents house. The Moneda contains not only
| the offices and the private apartments of
the President, but also the offices of sew
| eral of the departments of the government.
He has his principal Cabinet secretaries in
the same house with him, and large part
| of the building is given up to clerical work.
AS we entered the Moneda we PASSED the
| guard of soldiers which always stands there
| with drawn swords in their hands, and it
was military officer in uniform who led us
| into the Presidents room. There is great
| deal more pomp about public Offices here
| than in the United States, and the Presi-
dent of Chile has military guard of 200
on all state occasions. His carriage itself
is far more pretentious than President Nc
Kinley's 1t is drawn by four magnificent
horses, and the coachmen and footmen are
! dressed in gorgeous liveries
THE PRESIDENT OF CHILE.
We first met Don Edwardo Phillips, the
assistant secretary of state and the chief
medium of intercourse between his Excel
lency and foreigners. He told us that the
President was expecting u.s. and a moment
later we were in the Presidents room. This
is larger than any of the business rooms of
nished, and it was at the back of it that
| President Errazuriz was sitting at desk
which was Uttered with papers and docu-
ments. He rose as we came in and shook
my hard as 1 was presented to him. 1 was
rather surprised to find him so young a
| man. He does not appear to be over forty,
and as yet there are no gray strands in his
hair. He is of slender build, but very
| straight. He has rather dark but hand
| some face, and his manner is quite digni-
| fed. His Excellency asked us to be seated,
AMI taking chair beside us, chatted for
| half an hour very entertainingly, one of his
| friends, Mr.. Edwardo MacClure, acting as
| interpreter. AS we rose to go. however, he
| said he would prefer that should write out
my questions and he would give me his
answers in writing. This he has since done,
and the matter which follows is made up of
the questions and the translation OF the
Spanish document have just received from
the presidential mansion.
| Correspondent - Will your Excellency
| please state what is the position of Chile
as to trade with the United States. and
| suggest some ways in which it might be
| increased?
The Presdent-Among the best measures
| to increase this trade would be the estab-
lishment of new steamship lines. There
| should be more frequent steamship COM
munication between the two countries. An
other method that might be adopted to fur
ther trade would be the establishment Of
| expositions to show the respective products
| of the countries. Chile should have such
expositions Cd the United States, and the
United States should establish them in Chile.
think that the consumption of nitrate in
| he States might also he Sfirnnla ted
by practical experiments and active prop
| uganda.
Observation-Disclosures is now much Amer
| lean capital seeking foreign investment.
! What are the chances for such capital in
| Chile? Is foreign capital so invested safe.
| and what especial fields now offer the best
| opportunities for profit?
| The President-There are a number of
| investments In Chile which will yield good
| profit TO foreign investors. Among them
| are banking establishments, the working of
the nitrate fields. the exploitation of miner
| ais, and especially the development of our
| gold, copper and silver mines. AS to wheth-
er American capital is safe in Chile. would
say that all foreign capital circulates here
| subject to the same conditions as native
| capital, without other risks or other bur-
dens to bear. and that American capital
that are enjoyed by capital from any other
| source.
Correspondent-How about the conces.
| sions which the government offers to CAPT.
talists for the establishment of steel and
| iron industries?
The President-Congress recently came
| to the assistance of persons interested IN
| the iron business. but this does not mean
/ the protection OF any monopoly in favor of
| native capital. ANY responsible foreign
company will find equal protection under
| our laws and customs
| THE NICARAGUA CANAL.
| Correspondent - What does your Excel
| lency think of the Nicaragua canal, which,
as you know. the United States is about to
| build?
The President-I consider the proposal
of the United States to open the Nicaragua
canal as worthy of high praise. l am in
favor of 1t or Of any other undertaking
which will facilitate communication be-
| tween the west coast of South America and