Evening star., 1901-05-27
Her Side of the Tacna-Arica Dispute
Stated.
WOULD ADHERE TO TERMS OF TREATY
Chile Charged With Desire to
Evade and Obstruct.
THE PROPOSED PLEBISCITE

/ controversy. published exclusively in last
! Fridays Star, has attracted considerable
! attention in diplomatic circles The repre-
/ sentatives of Peru and other South A,neri-
! can countries intercs sted in the dispute take
| exception to Chile's statement of the case
! and the issues involved. In response thereto,
| the Peruvian authorities today made the
! following authorized statement of the case
| from their point of view:
The statement of Chiles position goes at
length into the Tacna and africa question.
Peru is always ready to have that question
| discussed. feeling confident that an en-
| lightened public opinion will sustain the
justice of her contention that she should
receive back her ancient provinces. But it
is clear that in bringing forward this cues
ton at the present time, the purpose is not
much to discuss its m erits. but to have
it appears that this is a cause of recent en-
barrassment in the discussion of the pro-
| gram of the congress of the American re-
| publics to be held in Mexico. This Ni,w of
| the would tend to show that Peru is
| seeking to introduce specific question.
| that of Tacna and africa, before The celiber-
| ations of that congress. But Sucn view
| is quite erroneous. and in order to correct
and misapprehension. it can be stated that
| Peru has never asked, and does not TOW
| ask. that the program of the congress shall
| specifically include any question. whether
| it be Tacna and africa, or any othe". On
| the contrary, Peru has Sought to avoid any
prejuGging of specific questions, either by
including excluding them, as tneir in
cluson might be construed as favorable to
Peru, while their exclusion might be con-
strued favorable to Chile. Therefore.
Peru has asked that no advance SctiOn
either way be taken, thus leaving this con-
gress, like all others, free to frame it's own
course on the exalted subject of arbitra-
tion.
This would involve no advance deter
mir ion hot he To. and Too
tiOn was to come before the congress. for
it would still remain for the congress itself
to determimne whether this or any other
specific question to be considered. and
whether arbitration was to be principle
applicable broadly to all questions. pending
or future. or was to apply only to those
hereafter arising. On the other hand 1t must
be evident that ifin advance the discus
sion Of arbitration is narrowed to questions
of the future, this operates as specific
exclusion of the Tacna and africa and all
other pending questions. The position of
Peru. therefore, is that specific questions
shall not be included in her behalf, or ex-
cluded in Chiles behalf. Advance Ques-
tions either way would PREJUDICE issues of
grave Importance to those concerned.
''As to the merits of the Tacna and africa
question and the contentious of Chile in
reference thereto, the reasons why the
treaty of peace has not been carried out
and why she will not submit the question
to arbitration are the following:
Il. That the internal disturbances In
Peru nave prevented the negotiations be-
tween Chile and Peru.
III. That Peru was not financially able
to constitute a previous guarantee for the
payment Of the 100000 Chilean pesos
of the treaty of peace.
III That Chile has rejected arbitration
because the pending controversy involves
question of honor and therefore cannot
be left to the decision of arbitrator
'IV. That Ehe Chilean congress has rec
commended to the executive that negotia-
tions should be reopened.
Chile's Statement Answered.
These are all very poor reasons for not
carrying out the treaty of peace and for
refusing 20 arbtrate the question at issue
1T is a well-known fact that Peru has
enjoyed internal peace since the beginnin,
or 1879; besides, it Is not true that internal
politics have ever stopped the negotiations
which Peru has initiated since 1892 these
having been broken off invariably by Chile
During the course of all these wears Peru
has asked for the compliance with the
treaty OF peace pure and simple-nothing
more and nothing less. And this stands to
reason, because Peru has wished naturally
to regain possession of it's provinces by the
| only means at her command, viz, the
treaty of peace, which in its article III saws.
"A piebiscite shall decide by popular vote If
the territory of these provinces shall re-
main definitely under the dominion OF
Chile. If they shall continue to form,
part of the territory of Peru. The country
in whose favor the plebiscite results shall
pay unso the other ten million dollars in its
currency. A special protocol which shall
be considered as an integral part of the
present treaty shall establish the form in
which the plebiscite shall take place and
the terms and dates on which the payment
of said sum shall be effected
1t Is to PeruS interest that the treaty.
be carried out in its entirety. whereas it is
Chlle'S interest to leave the question in
definitely unsettled. because in the mean
10 ,nf fr1,-
which the two provinces bring into her
treasury but she gains more time wherein
to further the policy Of Chilenizing the
territory.
"All the propositions which Chile has
made to Peru in view of a settlement have
heen contrary to the spirit and letter of
the treaty of peace, thus proving her ce-
sire to ignore that solemn pact She has
always made such propositions on the
basis of her permanent retention Of the ter
ritory by purchase, a consideration which
Peru could not entertain because she could
not sell her citizens who clamor to return
to her fold. and who are entitled to elect
their future nationality by article III of
the treaty of peace.
Terms of the Treaty With Chile.
With regard to the terms and dates Of
payment of the stipulated sum the treatv
of peace says in very plain language that
such terms and dates will be the subject
of the special protocol, but there Is no
mention whatever of deposit of any pre-
vlous guarantee. This is one of Chile's
contentions-Peru's inability to pay ready
CO 2sh-forgetting. perhaps, that il is with
the millions obtained from Bolivia and Pc
ruVlan territory that she Is able to have a
deposit with Messrs. Rothschild Sz Sons
however. Peru wishing to be ready to meet
her oDilgationS In the event that the terri
tories should revert to her, has made ample
provisions for such a contingency and as
further proof that she can well nav the
d.
patch os a few weeks ago which .tates
that the government having applied to The
salt monopoly for a loan of 81 5000 il
was subscribed ten times over within eight
days. Besides in the Billinghurst-I,a 70, re
protocoi, lately rejected by Chile the form
and dates of the payment were clearly set
forth, and no mention was therein made
OF previous guarantee deposit Apart
from this Perm is al -.