Evening star., 1901-12-28
Cause of the Strained Relations Be-
tween Chile and Argentine.
A QUESTION OF ROADS
Newspapers, It is Said, in Both
Countries Stir Up Strife.
CONCERNING THE BOUNDARY
Written for The Evening Star.


It is an undeniable fact that the relations
between Chile and the Argentine Republic
arc not on very friendly footing, nor have
they been so for many years past. The
real cause Of their animosity is a question
Of boundaries, but the latest rumors of
war arise regarding the making of certain
roads in Chilean territory, directed from the
Pacific coast eastward in the direction Of
certain Argentine settlements.
Some Of these settlements really belong to
the Argentine Republic by virtue Of treaties,
but others are situated on disputed ground
that most certainly belongs to Chile. but
has been occupied against the treaty by the
Argentines.
Others Of the so-called roads. again, are
merely bride paths, cut through dense for
ests to allow the boundary commission to
approach the scene Of their explorations
and to receive supplies with comparative
ease and comfort. Before these were made
the civil engineers, with their instruments,
spent from twenty to thirty days in cross
ing the coast belt Of dense forests, less than
a hundred miles in width. Now they can
pass in three or four days.
How diplomatic action can be taken about
such trif1tng matter and rumors of wars
speed over the wires is a problem hard to
solve, but 1t evidently shows the tension
between the two countries.
Another factoG is that there are news
papers In both countries, but especially in
the Argentine Republic, that seek to stir
up strife. The diplomatic aspect of the af-
fair Is by no means so serious as the news
paper discussion and the messages to for
eign countries would lead one to suppose.
The origin Of the boundary question is
far too complicated to be explained in few
words. For present purposes 1t Is sufficient
to say that before the independence of the
South American republics, when they were
Spanish colonies, very vague ideas existed
with regard to vast regions, then not pop
ulated, and that the centers of government
and population were near the sea coast
While the almost unknown ''hinterla and' Was
really in the possession of native tribes. AS
far as these regions and tribes were con-
cerned the nearest authorities were sup
posed to have power and dominion over
them, and the court Of Spain occasionally
fixed some vague limits, and, not unfre-
quently, very contradictory ones.
From the independence till the present
day the limit between the two republics
has been the Andes, and more strictly the
water divide of the continent, which was
the traditional limit accepted without dis
cussdon till 1881, when It was confirmed by
treaty. But within the last few years the
Argentines have cavied at what they re-
gard as rather loose and old-fashioned
wording of the treaty. Now they struggle
to exchange the watershed for highest
peak, theory, at all events in those parts of
the Andes where such line, If it were
possible to draw it would favor them.
Concerning the Boundary.
Curious to relate, the treaty Of limits OF
1881 was not intended to define the bound
ary between the two countries, as both
nations fully agreed that the water divide,
technically called the divortia aquarium,
was the boundary; but 1t was made to cede
all eastern Patagonia, from the water di-
vide to the Atlantic, a region about as
large as France, to the Argentine Republic
he
opinion of the great majority of the Chilean
people at the close of the Pacific war, when
after long and hard struggle Chile had
conquered Peru and Bolivia and earnestly
desired to turn swords into plowshares
and resume normal state of industry and
peace. Then it was thought by some of
the leading statesman that, though the
Chilean titles to the possession of Pata-
would be better to give up all rights to a
vast unpopulated region, supposed to be of
little real value: than to enter into another
war. 1t was also thought that such con-
cesson would insure the firm friendship of
a powerful neighbor.
Argentines Striving for Possessions
But recent events have shown that the
region ceded is much more valuable than
1t was supposed to be, and that the friend
ly act was mistaken for timid one, made
under compulsion. So since then the Ar
gentines are systematically trying to get
more concessions, while they invariably
represent Chile before foreign nations as a
bloodthirsty and turbulent neighbor con-
stantly striving to infringe upon their
rights.
In nearly all the inhabited valleys on the
eastern slopes Of the Andes Chileans
abound, forming very large percentage
OF the total population, and the greater
part Of the mineral and agriculturtl pro
ducts OF this zone are exported to Chile
While nearly all commodities imported pass
through Chile This is by no means a mat
ter of patriotism, but very natural result
from the Immense distance that merchan-
disc will have to travel overland from the
Atlantic, and the much shorter one from
the Pacific. Thus the transit expenses are
some five times higher by the former than
by the latter routes.
History of the Disputed Roads.
The roads in dispute are seven in number:
they extend from the Pacific coast eastward
to near the frontier, but they are all in un-
disputed Chilean territory. From north to
south they are:
l. From Lake Panguipulli to Lake Perl
huaico. This can hardly be called a new
road, as bride path has existed for CEN
turtles; now light ox-carts can travel on it,
1t Is a continuation Of the principal road
from the city of Valdivia eastward, and
terminates some five miles before reaching
the boundary line proposed by the Argentine
expert, and at least forty miles from the
line claimed by Chile. 1t is some eight
meters wide.
2. This is probably one Of the Oldest roads
in America; long before the Spanish con-
quest 1t was used by the natives Of the dis
trict round Lake Nalmelhuapi on their
journeys to and from the coast. 1t is now
slightly altered to shorten the journey by
crossing Lake Slanquihue in small steam
ers. 1t terminates in Chilean territory at a
point of the divortia aquarium, accepted by
both Chile and the Argentine Republic as
the international boundary, known as the
Perez Rosales pass.
3. This is merely a bride path, cut
through the dense forest by two Chilean
boundary commissions to facilitate their
journey to the scene of their labors It
commences at the Gulf of Reloncavi, and
follows the course of the Chilean river
Puelo and its af1uent, the river Puelo
There the Argentine expert has put in a
preposterous claim to vast extent of
Chilean territory, and the Chilean commits
slons had to cross this region of virgin for
est, pathless and totally uninhabited, to
find the watershed: the real boundary be-
tween the two countries. Under these cir
cAmstances,- blazing path is not only JUS
tif1able, but absolutely necessary.
4. This path was made to enable a part
Of the boundary commission to explore some