Evening star., 1901-05-24
ATTITUDE OF CHILE
Authoritative Statement on Tacana-
africa Dispute.
WHY ARBITRATION Is NOW DECLINED
Proposals to Peru for Settling the
Question.
THE LAND IN CONTROVERSY

| Considerable interest attaches to the
statement from authoritative source
garding the attitude OF Chile in the Tacsna-
| africa dispute, which is as follows:
| "A treaty OF peace between Chile and
Peru, signed in 1884. conceded, by article
| III, to Chile the occupation for ten years
of the provinces Of Tacana and africa at
the end OF which time a plebiscite was to
be taken to decide to which OF the parties
| the provinces were thenceforward TO be-
long. The successful power to pay
the other the sum of ten million silver dol
lars The contracting governments were,
according to the treaty, to determine by a
special protocol the conditions on which
the plebiscite was to take place and the
terms which the payment of the stip-
ulated sum was to be effected.
! The negotiations between Chile and
| Peru began in 1892. Peru, shortly after
| 1893, passed through revolution which
! ended in the overthrow of Cacere's admin
istration and the institution of Pieroas
| government. These disturbances prevented
/ the negotiations between Chile and Peru
being carried on. They We're resumed
| when public order was restored, but the
| parties did not succeed in reaching an
agreement.
Peru's Contention.
1.-The government of Peru held that ac-
| cording to its way Of constituting the treaty.
| only Peruvian citizens residing or born I'm
! Tacana and africa were entitled to vote in
| the plebiscite, and insisted on the vote be-
| ing public. 1t also held that it was not
| necessary to constitute any previous guar
antee for the payment of the stipulated
| sum,
| THE government of Chile on the other
| hand, maintained that all the inhabitants
| residing in Tacana and africa, being equally
| concerned in the regime under which they
were to live. We're entitled to vote i'm the
| plebiscte which was to decide to that
regime. and, wishing that vote to be free,
| insisted on it's being secret.
with regard to the terms OF payment OF
| the stipulated sum the government Of Chile
offered guarantee by depositing the
amount previously agreed upon at Messrs.
| n. NJ. Rothschild & Sons In London. and
required from Peru that she constitute a
similar guarantee. as it was not compatible
! with the dignity of either of the govern
| ments to keep the provinces a pledge
for a money payment after a plebiscite
| pronouncement adverse to this rule.
| "1n the face of these conflicting views
| barring the way to a final settlement the
| government Of Chile proposed to that Of
| Peru. on different occasions. several ways
! Of compromising the question. but salts
| factory arrangement could not be agreed
| upon.
! Agreed to Peru's Conditions.
IN 1898 the minister Of foreign affairs Of
Chile accepted and embodied in a protocol
the only conditions to which the Peruvian
government would agree, and the Belling-
hurst -Lattore protocol was signed and SUBJ
lifted to the Chilean congress.
"Those conditions were that the matters
relating to the right of voting i'm the plebi-
scite and whether the vote should be Sc
cret or public should be left TO the arbitra-
tion of her majesty the Queen of Spain.
who would also be called to appoint a third
| commissioner to preside over the piebiscfte.-
together with one commissioner appointed
by Peru and another appointed by Chile.
and that the ten millions were to be paid
/ by the successful party in the following
form: One million ten days after taking
possession of the provinces, one million at
| the end of one year and two millions an .
nually at the end of each OF the following
four years.
| Action of the Chilean Congress.
This projected treaty was considered by
the Chilean congress, and after a long dis
cussion that body decided to send it back
to the executive, recommending to him that
negotiations should be reopened.
From these facts 1t clearly appears that
the policy adopted by the Chilean congress
is entirely justified. because a sovereign
country cannot, without disregarding its
most vital interests, leave to the decision
of an arbitration whether its own citizens
are entitled or not to vote and decide upon
the sovereignty of a territory actually oc-
cupied by it and.under it's control.
Chile has always accepted arbitration.
conciatory remedy more than any other
country in the world but question Of
honor like the present one with Peru. cam
not be left to the decision of arbitra-
tor"
European Governments Interested.
Interest has been aroused among the Eu-
ropean governments in the proposal that
arbitration be discussed at the coming
greSs of American republics at Mexico
City, and some Of the European establish
ments in Washington have received re-
quests for information as to the nature of
the program. This is rather difficult to
give just at present, owing to the differ
ences which have arisen among the repub-
lies themselves as to how far arbitration
shall be open to discussion.
In European cirdes the idea prevails
that the discussion may have some rela-
tion to the Monroe doctrine, since it ap-
pears to contemplate cooperation between
the United States and southern countries.
The Spanish government is naturally
much interested in the gathering. a like
assemblage was held I'm Madrid last year
for the purpose of uniting the interests of
Spain and the Spauish-American countries
AT that time arbitration was considered.
the general subject being approved by
unanimous vote except Chile. which re-
corded her dissent 1t appears to be I'm
pursuance of the general policy that Chile
has now advised the State Department
that she will not participate in ;he congress
II the arbitration debate includes past ques-
tions.
The Peruvian minister, Mr.. Calderon, had
a long conference with Acting Secretary
Hill yesterday. reiterating Perus position
that arbitration should be left open for the
congress to deal with on broad lines Ii is
understood that no further action will be
taken here until Secretary Hay returns
from the west.
Not Entitled to Reimbursement
rall