The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-04-04
CHILE MUST GROW FAST.

CHILE MUST GROW FAST.
Popular endorsement will be given the
| action Of the state department in de-
clining to entertain the idea of elevat-
! ing the United States envoy TO Chile
| from ministerial TO ambassadoriai rank.
! The suggestion that such a change be
made came, of course, from Chile itself;
/ but no sooner had the Santiago govern
/ ment made known its desire than there
! came from half a dozen other South
| American republics vigorous protests
! against any discrimination III favor of
| Chile. Argentina ana Chile are not on
good terms, and Brazil and Chile are re-
garded as being entirely too friendly
| for permanent peace and tranquility.
During recent years Chile has ac-
! quired high aims. 1t is the aspiration
OF the country to take d place in the
classification known in diplomatic cir
cles as world powers" The custom
of the United States has been, and still
/ is, TO send ambassadors only to the
courts Of frst-rank monarchies and re-
publics. For instance, the distinction
has never been conferred on the lega-
ton at ConstantinopIe. but there has
been talk Of raising the designation in
order that the Ottoman government
may more easily be brought 10 book. 1t
is, therefore, something to entertain Of
hcially an ambassador and To send one
to he entertained in return.
The Chilean government has not even
a minister in Washington at this time;
the diplomatic affairs are conducted by
the charge of the legation. The former
minister, Walker sIa~tinez, failed to re-
turn to Washington after the Rio ia
Metro conference last summer. 1t was
stated that this was due to the fact
that the Chilean congress had inten-
tionalIy or unintentionally neglected to
appropriate a sufficient sum for main
tenance. The real reason, however, now
appears to be Chile's determination to
feel the pulse at Washington. The re-
suit was that Chile got little satisfac-
ton.
The state department officials doubt
lGSS ltcAllLt Lilcll " SltON Id VI lNlHlil W
ward Chile would stir up no end of mis-
chief on the South American continent.
Every one of the republics would in
stantly demand that it. too, be accorded
the same honor as that enjoyed by
Chile Brazil and Argentina would in
sist. Peru and Colombia would plead;
Venezuela no doubt would demand. AL
together. the state department would be
overwhelmed with prayers for the ad-
vancement of this eountrys diplomatic
representatives. Think of Castros gov
ernment being represented by an am
bassadori ' Then. too. if all were not
treated alike, there would Immediately
be strife and warfare between the little
republics and the deuce would be to pay
all around.
As for Chile itself. the nation is not
yet sufficiently advanced as progress is
measured in the world today to aspire
to ambassadors recognition. Perhaps
Chile has greater right to lay claim
to the dignity than any of the other
South American republics, but at best
Chile will have to Crow a good bit be-
fore it becomes a full-hedged power
Chile has a population of $500. 900 scat
tered along a narrow strip of land be-
tween the Andes mountains and the Pa
cific ocean, and extending 200 miles
from Peru to Cape Horn. The country
is rich in mineral deposits, but these
have been developed only to a limited
extont. Agriculture and stockraising
are the chief sources Of wealth
One day, perhaps, after Chile has
taken a few more long strides forward
we may send an ambassador instead of
a minister; but not just yet.