The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-24
EYES TURNED TO BOLIVIA.
ruE OpEyIyG-UP or THE ISOLATED
REPUBLIC NOW NEAR.

n
n.,c IA a strong similarity between the position
.,p,l,yi, In the South American continent and
a., ~ ,h.-TrsnSvaal In South Africa Both
.,,,ttics contain great mineral wealth as yet
,,lv p,rdally developed and both are cut OF
tom d.re,t access 70 the seaboard. While In
~. T,,nsvn,l tho mining industry In almost
.,.lu.ivcly confined to the search for gold, 10
ur,, IL rich not only In that metal but also In
lin. coppei, silver, antimony. bismuth, borax
and manganese In the 1ransvaal the OBJ
,urlcs set up by the Government did not prove
. sufficient bar 10 the influx Of foreigners and
t,rcirr CAPITAL; in Bolivio q constant succession
Of revolutions has prevented the development
n, the wealth OF natural resources known TO exits
nv, , vast expnnse of territory. The period
I. NV however, close at hand when tho bar
,,s,s bv which bolivia has hitherto been enclosed
will he broken down and foreign money and i'm.
migration will come 10 this far away State in
the fa.e TO uncover the store OF hidden treasure
living buried for 80 many ages. Argentina and
Chill arc both looking with longing eyes Al this
central region Of South America, and schenng
a. Il, how hes, they secure control OF these
u.t-ttl Districts in the near future Ralways
arc now projected from the cast TO link up With
The Argentine system. and Chill. not TO be left
oil, In the cold. Is a, last seriously considering
now h.s, TO establish moro easy means Of com
board In the course NJ tho next I'VE years II
(. reasonable to suppose that the projects Of to
d,v will have crysla,lncd into definite form, and
from that stage to the practical one Of the work
o, constructing the required roads "a very short
ste? To make
glance Al tho recent political history Of Bo
ly,, may not r. without interest at tho present
fun ,,iro when the march Of civilization has ar
ty,t At tn. threshold OF this hitherto practically
Unknown country. In 1878 relations became
strained between R,livin and Chilli in consequence
Of a dispute in connection with the right Of the
former TO levy duties on the expectation 81 nitrate
o, spta from the port Of AntoisGas,a that place
being st thu tim, portion ot R,'ivian territory,
bu, subject to certain restrictions in regard TO
duties by an agreement made between the two
Governments in 1873 The Bolivian authorities
insisted on their right to impose additional duties.
Chill seized the rrctc1t that this course wns
drec, injury 10 Chilian capital and Ch!lian labor
employed in the nitrate industry in the An,ofh.
pasta district. and without further consideration
DISPATCHED an armed force 10 the locality Of the
dispute Antotagasta was occupied and a state
q, war with Bolivia proclaimed Underlying
hi. acton was another motive for such rrrrmp.
tory proceedings In 1879 both Peru and Bolivia
sar their interest threatened by the aggressive
policy Chill was incn-d 10 pursue and as means
OF common protection the Peruvian and Bolivian
Governments entered into secret alliance for
defensive purposes This compact came 10 the
eosniIance Of the Gillian authorities. and this
vas undoubtedly N, real cause prom ping tho
ACTON taken In r--,-i 70 An'o'ag.sia Tho
SUCCESS Of the Ch!laa military forces In tho strug
r- inferred n" a'luls hon Of tbs nitrate bearing
grounds owned hv iiv.a and al@o the future
possession ~ ;h- rich p--uvlan province Of Tara
r,.i bv night ~ conquest BOLIVIA was totally
-
viii tn. help ~ Peru II the Chilian invasion
sai .rsi IN. whole ~ hs' territory on tn" Pacific
lib.'l' Jni-- an agreement made in lSl4 an
.r-'siire between Chilli sll Bolivia was pro
tanI b. which .ricnllv relations were again
.sA) !Shei. Call remaining in possession o. the
maritime province, 81 Bolivia bu, promising
ii. future date 10 deliver convenient seaport
4, The latter country Thre- years notice was
Hpr.,isi Ia case either Republic wished to de-
,,la,c this aSreem N and rcsum, hostilitics
70 n the present Chill has not handed over IN
Bolivia the promised port. and no treaty has been
t:nNi recognizing Gillian rights Of sovereignty
In the former y ,vlan maritime territories
Aier tho suspension Of hosyiliurs with Chill
the Bolivian POSITION became conpliCa,ed by
succession " Internal troubles Revolution fol.
lowed revolution. and President after President
Wa drp2scd THlS unsettl I'd condition ofaGsirs
combined With the isolated geogrn' hical char
scIsr 81 tn. country acted as an "feciiv" check
20 any rapid Development of mining industry
o. "sonomiG PROCESS 1t was n., anni iSa2;
political oder IVES once more restored The
new President made several attempts 10 come To
terms Win chill IN regard 10 seaport on the
Pacific coast. but one excuse or another was nj
ways put forward q delay am settlement Of this
preached Ii" xrs.n,ine Government on The SUB.
Iect Of closer relations between the two countries,
sSS a. OH 9sg d , vent 50 S t. pSp9ss thai
uon. Further regulations in this direction wcrn
Interrupted by the acute stage reached IN the rcia'
Ions between A-c-ni'nr and Chin in regard e. IA.
BOUNDARY d SpIlr between those two republics
DurinS thrthr"" year, from 1895 10 1897 the hostile
feeling between Argcntin-s and Chilians was SO
strong, that tn latter would assurcdly have re
gNf-d any agreement 81 the nature referred 10
a. sufficient cause for a declaration of war. and
ms contingency the Arg-nines were not pre-
obtaining control Of noliyia. In 1905 The term
disapp,arance the question Of annexation to
h'stn,ine dropped into the background, and IL
hss not since been again actively brought for
President Srvrro Fernandez Alonzo. who sue
eeed.d senior baptls'a as Pre,iden, q''he Republic
70 tl;lI 1898 mad served a. Minister o! War
70 ,ht ADMINISTRATION Of his predecessor and wos
.Ss 1ron a. lHrly to be able 10 preseL,c peace
,9H opparenI N several quarters, The question
S,oaI hted lngnty Tor The nH,i"nnl csp,mi ya'
.lyan Con,u,pllon the headquarters OF The ad-
;,aa!si'a'lon were moved at intervals from a Paz
10 1.-TWO And th"ncc to Sucr,. Thi' shifting Of
ia
:" anolhe' was iuil Of inConveniences TO all con
SeIhei and proposal Was brought forward 10
ma. We town Of Sucre the official capital OF the
!!epaolc The Inhabitants Of la PhZ objected
olhs selection OF Sucre ON the grounds that their
M9 CITY was the commercial centre OF Bolivia
ana more easy Of access than tho proposed site
rlosdent AlonZo decided In favor OF Sucre, and
..s W 1879 was made the preteAt OF a revolution.
Sy outbreak headed by Col. Pando and supported
~ ihe people Of the city and district Of La Paz
nesut0ry warfare was sustained betv cen tho
40 lacilonS until July OF 1893 when President
.nonAN found that popular feeling WAS rapidly
sp'ealihY IN favor Of the instruction. Finding
10 PH,lupn becoming Impossible the President
Suush' Nhe revolution 10 an end by hbdIcaunR
or. .s once and seeking All asylum in Chill This
ncuoh Of Scngr Alunzo left Col. PandO in clear
sseSsoh OF the country and he at once set about
,HsahAhg government Elections for Sena.
Ut ahd Deputies were held and the National
noongfehs 70 due course assembled at Sucrc In
p.TGntt 1879, Congress elected Col Pando 10
&c IiGSd"ni ot the republic. Col Pando is
send'alS regarded in Bolivia 8 a more enliBhl
mel mel and progressive man than his several probe
mSsPPis Of recent years, and the opinion com
!. ny expressed al the present time in Bolivia
v 'na' y n" new President can fulfil his four
Ssns % once without serious internal disturb
CSI mo material prosperity Of tho republic
~ M" maAr substantial progress in the Immediate
'',,it'' under his guidance.