The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-04

saw barren shores with no vegetation.
fut when we reached AFRICA itself We
found green trees and other verdure.
which have caused one traveller to
call this little port The Emerald Gem
Il tho West Coast"
Hero there 10 an open harbor. pro.
'ected on ono side by I'll MORO. SIS
fcct high. We did not have to he
hoistcd mp In chairs AZ at Mol,cn,lo.
but could step from open boats d.
rcctly on to a landing stage. The
constant quarrels which have usually
resulted In Chile's gaining more of
Inc territory Of Peru. and therefore
the great wealth of the nitrate lands.
constitute a large part OF the history
OF this region, where most Of the
fighting took place. Indeed. the
boundary line 10 not absolutely set
tied yet. I believe.
~ In other coast cities, the houses
- africa are Of one story and painted
In various colora A highway con-
structed by the Incas to Bolivia has
been IN use ever since. and ore is
still brought down over II on llama
hArk. although a railroad Is now COM
pfeted 20 La Paz. Freight rates are
very high over 80 heavy a grade.
II one cares for grewsome things one
may like to visit the prehistoric GEM
etery which contains preserved num-
mics. said to he equal TO those OF
Egypt. Some OF these mummies have
translucent eyes with rich amber
tint. which scientists say have been
taken from cuttlensh. and substi-
,uted for those OF the dead.
AS we entered Chile. consulting our
maps the while. we realized what n
curiously shaped country II is. Its
size and Importance can be best APP
preciated by considering that IL runs
up and down the west coast OF South
america mostly in the Temperate
Zone. Just as our own west coast
borders on the Pacific Ocean. and
that II the southern end Of Chic were
placed at the southern boundary Of
Mexico. its northern line would reach
Canada. In other words. while its
average width Is only about ninety
miles, 1t extends $500 miles north
from the Straits OF Magellan to the
Peruvian border. with correspond
ing variety Of climate and products
put four Nebraska They would
certainly have to be stretched length
wise.
No country in the world is so
strange shape as Chile. except
Egypt The latter il 700 mile. long.
and except in the delta. IL nowhere
more than twelve miles wide. Chile
Is nearly 5000 miles long. nowhere
wider than 1870 miles. and in most
portions much narrower. II has
thirty-eight times the area of Massa-
chusetts. hut its population IL con-
,iderably less than that OF the Bay
state.
Chile is divided long!tudinally by
the Coast Range in the west and the
.tndes In the east. and from where
am writing here at Santiago, in the
central valley. | can see borh ranges
According 10 zones, the northern par,
D parallel 90 degrees, is tropical and
lare though rich in minerals tn
III ddle to the thirty-e.ghth parallel il
temperate and includes fertile plains
and the largest towns and commercial
titles. The southern section. extend
ing To the tip OF the continent. is
ihickly wooded, subject 10 heavy rain
fail but little developed and with
sparse population.
The central part is the real Chic
II is easy 10 remember that the iati-
tude of Santiago. Chile. is practically
the same south as that OF San Diego
is north.
After the founding Of Lima. Chile
vas invaded by the Spanish, grants of
and being given by the King to
I'iZarro and others. These naturally
wanted to gain more territory, and
ncouraged by the reports given out
~ the Incas doubtless in order to
''et the Spanish out ~ their country
nat the regions to the south were
ct more rich in gold and silver. they
ushed southwark and eastward suf-
!, ring almost incredible hardship.
Those going east met with no success
hut Valdivia. going along the shore,
reached africa.
There he made rude vessels and pro-
ceeded by water, and In l5+l founded
he city Of Santiago Continuing south
ne made other settlements, but was
alter treacherotisly captured and put
% death by the Indians. For $50
YEARS the strife went IN Tor the sub
ugation of the Indians; hut when the
Z hilsans finally rose against Spain, the
indians Joined them against their
common enemy. and a sort of friend
mess was established which still
cxists
The revolutionary movement for in
dependence which swept the American
ointment at the beginning Of the elGh-
zenith century found an echo In Chile
m tho year 1910. On September is OF
hat year Chile proclaimed her inde-
1endence, but II was only after a
strus9le Of eight years with Spain
hat Chile attained her cherished de-
sire.
An independent government was
founed in that year. but II wan not
lin 1888 that tho constitution was e.
tablished. which. with but slight
changes has remained unaltered up
to the present time. The principal
theoretical characteristics of this con-
stitution are as follows:
I. The Government Of Chile Ii
f popular and representative body
9. The Republic Of Chile Is indivis-
,ble, that Is, not federation.
8. The governing power resides I'm
the people," who confide this power Ia
Ia a