Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-08

can look II Iuiiy as e4ecttXely, and the way
they pause just short of jerking the bell
cord fntimidates the hardest passenger My
first experience was to jump from the plat
form into the ditch in my haste, to the
amusement of the other passengers Yet
later observation has convinced me that
that woman conductor had no intention OF
pulling the cord, and would have given me
time to descend FROM the, car with proper
The Climate Objectionable.
If should have addhafrel with Santiago
1t would be over the climate This is the
winter season, almost midwinter. And 1t
is cold. Yet the orange trees in the patios
of the dwellings aredyellow with fruit, the
slopes of Santa Lucia II not of the rich
velvet green Of the spring and summer are
still green. and the foliage along the Ala
media, while little brown and thin, is not
sere. At most the appearance is of early
autumn. But the cold is damp penetrat-
ing cold indoors and not crisp, invigorat-
ing cold outdoors. Few Of the houses have.
chimneys, SO that open fire places are rare.
The paramne or oil stoves which are the
only means OF heating. are woefully un-
satisfying. The trouble, the native resi-
dents say, is that the rains are too moist.
Certainly they are not dry rains. These chill
the air and keep 1t chilled. But the Santa
guans insist that they manage better than
we do In the north with our blast furnaces
of houses Many families get along with
out artificial heat the whole winter through.
All the poor people do. They shiver for
four months.
are somber-'triste.' sad is the Spanish
word. November gray in English-the snow
slopes and ridges of the Cordilleras of the
Andes are visible nearly always through
the haze. At times the sun shines on them.
Then 1T is like the spring and one is tempt
ed to start out for a brisk hours walk to
greet the snow, for Santiago has a snowfall
only once In ten years. and then 1t is q light
one. The hour would be long one, but
the submits seem that near when the sun
shines. The drawback at this season is that
the sun Is too stingy with his light and
warmth.
They have political situation" in Chile
most Of the time, as they tell me. It takes
the form Of ministerial or cabinet crises.
To read Of these crises a long distance
of gives the impression that they are seri
GUS Interruptions of government functions
Seen on the ground they are less serious
They are, in fact, nothing more than the
natural outcome Of the political system
which does not make the chief executive
the head of his party or assure him a homo
geneous administration of his own during
his term Of Office. Instead he has to gov
ern jointly with the congress under the
parliamentary theory carried to the extreme
limit. Political changes are frequent. and
the cabinet has to be shifted to meet them
Hence the ministerial or cabinet changes
A crisis was on when I arrived. It has
since been resolved in the usual manner
and the administration is proceeding
smoothly. The new congress was elected
in March. Its life is three years. that
being the term of the deputies or repre-
sentat1ves. The senators serve six years
and the president five. There are ninety
four deputies and thirty-two senators.
Opening the Chilean Congress.
I had a chance to see the opening Of
the Chilean congress 1t Is quite dignifed
function. Mounted troops from the garrison
were drawn up in the street, detachment
Of military cadets lined the entrance to
the congress building. and the state car
riages. each with their four horses were
in waiting. The sena,ers and representa-
tive assembled In the large salon where
their joint sessions are held; the diploma
tic corps. with the papaI delegate. was
seated at one side. while the diplomatic
among whom were a number of ladies.
Their presence was said to be an innova-
ton of recent years. The. acting president
and the members of the cabinet were seat i
ed on the raised chair or platform.
The message was delivered personally
to the congress. for the executive himself
read it. The committee of senators and
deputies escorted him to his carriage, the
military band played the Chilean national
hymn. and the carriages rolled away under
military escort. 1t was something like
an Inauguration in Washington, and did
not seem unduly formal, but 1 read in
some of the newspapers, the next day a
criticism of the formalities incident to the
opening of the congress and a suggestion
that it would be enough to transmit the
message by secretary. --Gs-as.fl
The evolution of the Chilean congress
may be seen in q single square Of ground.
The brick walls of the early building are
still standing. Close by is the substantial
structure in which is housed the national
library. with extensive and valuable col
lection of colonial archives and rare vol
umes of Spanish-Amertcan history. Across
the way is the really handsome new con-
gress building. erected almost on the site
of the Jesuit Church. the burning of which
with its hundreds of victims, was one OF
the world catastrophes.
When II was explained to me that the
message was being read by Vice Pres dent
Barros LucO a popularity of the Chilean
common to most South American countries.
The president actually can abdicate his
authority and turn the functions of govern
ment over to the vice president. In Chile
there IS the additional popularity that the
vice president Is not elected. He comes
from the ministry or cabinet and the m n
lister of the interior heads the list. Presi-
dent Riesco and been i'll. and for two
months Minister Barros Luco had been dis
the executive functions very salts
The pres dent was not ready on
the opening of congress to resume his du-
ties, but he did so few days later, and is
now the responsible head of the govern
ment.
0c1OIS IAc SOuSTcSS.
Many problems are before this Chilean
congress. The majority is coalition ma
jority, and is not Of any one political party
Various groups are represented in the cabi-
net and their fusion assures the admins
tration the support necessary to carry out
the government measures Several public
men have told me that one thing which ails
Chile at present Is the existence of too
many political parties, but no organization
is willing to efface itself. Two TENDENCIES
are seen. One is to approximate closer to
the system of the United States and get rid
of the ministerial crises. The other is to
hold fast to old forms and practices.
The present time is one of great friendli-
ness to the United States not only by the
which always have been friendly.
but by those which at times have been an
tagonistic. For this universal good feeling
Minister Wilson Is given much credit He
has now the respect of all classes for his
and for himself.
Commerce and industry are not in the
most fiourishing condition. and that is why
the new congress has serious problems be-
fore it. Prosperity has waned. In seeking
the causes there Is difference of opinion.
NO political group cares to be held re-
sponsible for hard times and none Is able
to fix the responsibility on its opponents.
Hints of popular discomfort are heard in
the wOrkfngman'a movement which is I'M