The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-11-26
SOCIALIST IN
SOUTH AMERICA
Hon. {. 7. Tucker Has Spent
a Year Abroad.
DESCRIBES COUNTRIES
Gives Some of Incidents of
the Latin Republics.
DESCRIBES COUNTRIES

Guthrie o. T.. Nov. &.-Hon. h. J.
Tucker. who was the Socialist candidate
for congress from Oklahoma in 1900, has
been in the South American republics for
nearly a year, examining the country
with view of purchasing mining claims.
He recently wrote a letter, describing the
countries through which he passed, to
Walter Olds, editor of the Asher Altruist,
as follows:
What Cape Town was to the Dutch
South African republics this Chilean sea-
port is to Bolivia-her jailer and toll col
lector. Every pound of ore shipped TO
Europe or the United States must pass
through Chilean custom house and now
that other points of ingress are closed by
the plague all the -four, rice, salt, sugar,
coal and oil consumed in Bolivia pays
tribute TO the toll taker once this whole
coast for 20 miles was Bolivia's, and for
rnidable navy of one gunboat rode proudly
: at anchor in this very bay. Never waved
more bravely the yellow. red and green
flag of that mountain republic than when
the high admiral was directing the ma
1leuvers Of his feet by wire from the cap
itRl, 200 miles away.
But one day vast deposits of nitrate
We're discovered in the Gesert that lies
along the coast. Then, as now. the Bo-
livian was willing to accept the owner
shin of this new clement of wealth, but
he would not risk his life in It's defensa
when the Chilean came TO take it from
him OF the part played by Bolivia s
navy in the war that ensued many ridlc-
ulous stories are told
One is that soon after the outbreak of
hostilities, the Bolivian gunboat captured
a Chilean vessel of ''fifty-five tons bur
den" The Bolivian admiralty was noti-
fed by wire and asked for instructions
as TO the disposition of the captured
prize The answer was: Unload the hf-
ty-five tons and sell the boat" on land
the Bolivian army ran away, leaving
the nitrate beds in possession of the Chill
eans No treaty of peace has been signed
since the war The Bolivian looks upon
the Chilean as "a thief and robber, while
the Chilean despises the Bolivian for a
coward and ignoramus.
As usual in South American brawls,
the United States alienated all the par
tieg to the row At first our government
gave support TO Bolivia and Peru, thus
earning the hostility of Chile. But when
the Garfield administration learned that
England was supporting Chile, Secretary
Blaine decided that a good run was bet
ter than a poor stand. Bolivia and Peru
wel-e thrown overheard, thereby gaining
the contempt of both parties This feel
ing exists today, where not displaced by
one Of fear. Only in the remote interior
of the continent. where news travels
slowly, and traditions of Washington and
Lafayette still exist, is there found a
feeling of love and gratitude or respect
for the United States.
The United States flag is seldom seen
in South American waters. Nearly all
information respecting the United States
filters through English and German chan
nels before reaching the people of these
countries. and, as might be expected, our
reputation suffers somewhat at the hands
of our English and German cousins
took the stage for Ouro. 16O miles to
the south. recently, and left IN snow
storm. Besides the driver and an In
dian runner. whip in hand. there were
on the stage man, his wife and an
Indian girl from the Argentine frontier;
Bolivian engineer on his way to Potosi;
two Spaniards from Barcelona, who con
tinuously bemoaned the lost greatness of
Spain; a Turkish traveller from Beyruth.
Syria; an American engineer from New
Jersey, and myself, representatives of four
continents.
When we passed out of the La Paz
valley. the air was a fog cloud. and
'snow was several inches deep. Indian
burro drivers were padding along as
usual, in bare feet. Only their neck and
ears were wrapped more snugly than
commonly. For $50 miles by stage and
rail. we were never lower than 1900 feet
altitude. Only the table land of Thibet
rises higher than this bleak, barren Bo-
livian mesa.
Near Sicasica we passed near the cop
per mines of Corocoro, where the native
mineral is found almost pure in small
grains permeating red sandstone strata
The percentage of copper varies from /
to 30. The average is about $50 pounds
20 the ton of ore. The rock is simply
crushed to powder. the waste washed out
by the action of running water. and the
remaining product, which is 90 per cent
fine copper, is shipped to Europe Only
in the Lake Superior country of Nichi-
gan are there similar deposits of COP
Per. Two companies-one Chilean. the
other English-are working and paying
dividends upon the selling prices of their
properties. which are two and four million
dollars. gold, respectively.
The ground Is titled by means of two
bulls yoked together by piece of tim
Der tied with rawhide TO their horns. To