The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-05-18
A CHANCE TO INTERVENE.

Trouble is brewing in South America
The aftermath OF the three-cornered war
between Chile. on one side and Peru and
Bolivia on the other may prove as seri-
Gus as the first struggle.
Following the doctrine that the victor
may dictate terms of peace to the van
quished, Chile secured by the treaty Of
Ancon as condition of peace, the alb.
solute cession Of the province Of Tara
paca and the conditional cession Of the
two provinces, Tacna and africa. The
treaty provided that Chile should enjoy
the possession of these provinces for a
term Of ten years, at which time a vote
of the people Of the provinces should de-
termine to which nation they should be-
long. The nation securing the provinces
was to pay to the other the sum of $10.-
100000. The treaty provided that a sub
sequent protocol should arrange for the
pleblscite how 1t was to be taken and
who should vote. During the period of
ten years large beds of nitrate were dis
covered in africa making the province
very valuable addition to any nation.
Possibly for this reason, the term of
temporary occupation passed and still
Chile neglected and refused to agree to
the protocol which was to determine the
status of the two provinces. Not until
1888 when war cloud of some consider
able dimensions lowered over Argentine
and Chile did the diplomatic Chilians
consent TO negotiate the long delayed
agreement. This protocol signed by The
representatives Of both parties, provided
that the matter OF the elective franchise
should be left to the queen of Spain
and that the money to be paid should
be turned over In instaliments one MIL
lion ten days after the determination
of the question of possession and two
millions at the end of each period of four
years thereafter, until it was all paid.
This protocol was promptly ratified by
the congress Of Peru and also by the
senate of Chile, but the house of repre-
sentatives has thus far refused to carry
out the terms of the treaty.
In the meantime Peru is losing the rev.
enue Of the provinces and BMivla is left
without Il seapors, there being an I'M
Outstanding between the former allies
that BOLIVIA is to have access to the Pa
cifc at the ancient city Of Tacna. which
during Jae palmy days Of Spain was a
thriving commercial. port Of $1,000 inbabi-
tants
The integrity Of Peru and Bolivia is re-
garded by the South American republics
as essential 20 the peace Of South Amcri-
ca and there may be concert Of powers
inaugurated TO compel Chile to carry cut
the terms Of the treaty For some years
there has been intense rivalry between
Chile and Argentine in both com
merciai ana political sense. Chile has
ambitions to pose as the dictator of
South America, and the war with Peru
and Bolivia was deliberately brought
about to further that ambition. The
luminosity of the Chnans toward the
Americans today, dates from what they
are pleased to term the unwarranted in
reference Of the United States in their
international politics
1t is the guilty conscience of Chile in
regard to her unwarrantab.e position on
the question of Tacna and africa that
causes her to refuse to join the Pan
American congress unless the question of
arbitration be omitted from the delibera-
tons \ more convincing confession Of
national guilt could not have been enter
ed. The United States has enough on
its hands just now, but should the Pan
American congress meet, either with or
without the participation of Chile. this
nation should use its good offices to bring
about the fuldlment of the express stip-
ulations of the treaty of Ancon.