The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-03
CHlLI'S ECONOMIC STATE.
PROGRESS or THE REPUBIIO SLOW
IN RECENT TEARS.


The Financial Outlook Observation-Disclosures.
e.ty of tho Government-Farmsrss Suffer
From Succession of Bad Crops-Increnss
of Drunkenness-No Advance In Eduea'
tion--A Corrupt eeism,
SANTIAGO DE CHILL. Oct 2l.--Economic
progress has been slow In Chill Of recent years;
indeed in some respects a retrograde movement
has taken place in the general conditions Of tho
country. The causes leading 70 this state Of
Affairs have been an unsettled policy with re-
gard TO internal questions complications In inter
national politics in connection with Argentina,
Peru and Bolivia: the necessity Of draining tho
country Of all available resources TO put tho re-
public on a war footing in view Of the danger Of
q conflict with Argentina: inclcment seasons ad-
versely affecting the agricultural industry: tho
thrftlcss habits Of the working classes and tho
great increase Of drunkenness among both men
and women: the absence OF railways and roads
10 allow easy communication with the mining
and agricultural districts: the grcearious ten
dency Of the inhabitants which results In the
people crowding into the towns In increasing
numbers TO the dctrimcnt Of rural Developments
and. finally, the general lack Of confidence at
home and abroad in tho future Of tho country.
The unsettled condition Of internal politics has
served as a deterrent 70 the extension Of exist
ing industrial enterprise and proved an efectual
bar to the introduction Of foreign capital 70 initiate
new undertakings 70 any large extent Tho
action Of the Government In suspcnding the Con.
version law in 1893 and substituting for tho gold
currency then In circulation q noto issue Of in
convertible paper % the amount OF $50 600 600
has upset all calculations to values, the ex-
change value OF these notes constantly fuctuat
ing The absolute dishonesty Of tho Executive
and the majority Of Congress toward the Gillian
people in this matter OF the currency has created
feeling Of uncertainty a. to the cour Of imam
cial legislation In the future, causing q general
depreciation In the gold value Of real estate and
seriously crippling the development Of the EGiural
wealth Of the country. Chill was shaken severely
by the revolution Of 1891 when the Congressional
party, after eight months Of civil war succeeded
in accomplishing the overthrow OF President lial.
mnccda Then Prosiden, Mont was in Office
for Ave years and worked steadily and honestly
TO repair the damages inflicted upon the republic
w the recent internal conflict Confidence Was
to great extent restored when President ErraEu.
riE SUCCEEDED TO power in 1890. Since the com.
menccment Of the existing Presidential term no
USEFUL economic legislation has been attempted,
no attention has been paid TO educational qucs-
tons pressing me- tiers in connc,tion with the
reform Of the judiciary have been quietly shelvcd
FOR an indefinite period, taxation has increased
and the only active efforts made b. the Adminis
trahon have apparently been IN tho direction Of
finding fat otfical posts FOR those people who can
bring political pull to bear. and the popping up
10y Official aid ot n number Of unstable banking in.
Suu,inns in which the friends Of the President
are interested
The effect ~ the Argentine war scafe in 1897
and 1893 Was thHt in Chill the regular army was
increase from 800 To- o 600 men a. )Oo men ~
the National Guard, and 10 900 Of the Territorial
Guard were called to arms In "iiNr words
IS OOO lnborrfs we're withdrawn from the ori-
nary OCCUPATIONS in order to I've IN readiness To-
take the field in case hNsiili~S began In u
small popui i,Iou Of 8 0OO.u souls This 4 AIN
on the working ClasSrs 10 supply food for powder
and shot was ,rrely felin the rural dslr ct,
and a sensible decline in the Prod uctun of asri
Iural products was the immediate result u 4
the effects Of this mobilization Of troops is moro
lar reaching than rur-rly tcmporary falling
II In the produce 81 tn" country The sources
~ the labor supply UPON which tai ucrs ami other
'arsr employers were accustomed 20 dc,cnd have
become disorCa nizrd ami lcmorrliScd and some
'rars must ,laps- before normal conditions are
ssl.a restored. Moreover. the cnroll.n.nl Of
thcs' large bodies 81 men in the central and south
tTn pa IS OF Elli hes LETT behind II feeling VI
unrest In the min Is Of tho men themselves and
dlsinchnhhon " return 10 steady employment
IS the outcome. The dHngcr II war with Argcn.
Una Is nov passed. but the evil results in connrc.
hon win the preparations made Tor the possible
conflict ore ncutnly cSperienced to-day in every
branch OF CHILEAN industry
The excessive rainfall during the last few years
has seriously intcrfcred with both agricultural
and mining progress In the south Of chill
where large area n land is annually laid down
n wheat and barley, succession ot poor Aarvests
have occurred 10 tishearten the farming commun.
ty. In addition TO the effect NJ Indictment weather
upon ihr crops, the roads have been practically
on account Of the depth Of mud and Inc damage
done to the bridges by constant a. obs in the rivers
No ACTON has been taken by the AUTHORITIES TO
of fFFn 1l...lz
ar cGlverts are left unrcpaired: bullock tracks
rive tor cart roads; railway construction is only
stances there is small inducement for new capital
70 come TO Chm Tor investment in agricultural
and south Of the rrpu6lic have also suffered rom
the supcrabundance OF water during the last
Se m sessp pns nH! The as rnnK Industry Is @
otNaipariso and not Therefore affected by weather
conditions The development Of mining is. how.
ever, choked for needs Of roads and railways
to allow o. the conveyance Of the ores 10 the sea
board thili Is rich in copper. but the lack OF
transportation facilities. causes so many ditfcul
Ties N the way Of working that the production
Ior isoo is only estimated at some l. 600 tons
great, , ' % last year IN spie Of rise OF 40
IN alarming feature in connection with Gillian
ssgnc1lturc y The enormous increase in the in.
fbtednesS OF ue farmers Ia the mortgage banks
~ the course Of the last three years In 1900
We value OF the mortgages registered In the hgri-
this amount had grown to 100 600 600 unsns
During this period Of three years the area under
suiHaHoh mas decreased ana little has anyw herr
neen accomplished in the shape OF improvements
This means that the farming community has
70 pay heavier annual charge with less resources
~ can only be question Of a very short time
when a severe agricultural crisis must occur
under these conditions and agricultural property
become K,ut in the market The Gillian Gov.
eminent docs not appreciate the grave nature
OF Me situation nor the loss 10 the country that
such crisis necessarily entails. The produc.
lion Of wheat In Chill a few years ago was some
2SOOO 600 bushels, and a large balance was
usually available for shipment 10 Europe; this
year the amount produced is barely suiflcient
ior home consumption this state Of affairs in,
nicallne decline In tho crops Of some l5 600 900
bushels In country where the populntion
barely reaches 5000, 900 loss Of wealth must bo
acuclY felt In many branches Of trade
one oi the most distressing features in the
economical situation Of Chill today il the whole.
sale drunken ess among the people This vice
~ not generally common among Latin nations
but has assumed most dangerous proportions
with The Chiliana Tho laboring classes spend
1ully % per cent Of their earnings on the pur-
chase al alcohol When Saturday comes round
ana The work for the week In paid for the drn Ing
begins and the people remain In a state Of abso-
lule INVESTIGATION until tho following Tuesday
morning when they return 70 their employment
being exhausted Tho women arc little better
man The men in this matter Of drinking Il Ia
Bthtoh thdt in the city OF Santiago