Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-12-13
CHILE AND PERU.
Dispute Explained From the View
point Of Citizen Of Chile.


BY Salvero Salcedo, correspondent Of
La Nacion, Of Santiago.
Having read with due attention the
"confectioned" cablcGrams and the
partial articles in favor Of Peru which
appeared in the newspapers OF this
city with reference to the Chilean Pc
ruvian. question I question that l be
permitted to take up some historic
p9nts regarding this old difference.
as noticed a manifest intention to
lssd the public astray as to the true
ffslts.
For some years Chile and Bolivia
cI3imed the possession of some terri
tofy north Of the Chilean province Of
AAcama, situated between the Pa
lie ocean, and the Andes. In 1866
| ar agreement for the boundary limits
WI signed to put an end to these diff
fefenees: efsht years later a second
Ik5tHpsxts ancrzeate3 the paiRta
ssreed upof> IN that pact In spite
Of this the aspertty in the relations Of
the two governments continued. be-
cause the government Of Chile had to
make frequent claims in support Of
the rights and interests Of her citi-
zens living on the border Of the Boil
ivian frontier. One Of these claims.
ignored by Bolivia. gave place to the
incident that in 1879 Chile declared
the agreements OF boundary limits
null and void.
Peru, presenting herself as a friend
OF Chile and Bolivia, offered her med
iation to avoid war. and to this effect
sent special envoy to the captain Of
Chile. About this time 1t was discov-
cred that since 1875 a secret alliance.
offensive and defensive, had existed
between Peru and Bolivia When the
government of Chile became aware Of
this. she considered the said allies as
enemies and declared war upon them
on April s, 1879.
Peru had a navy stronger than that
of Chile, while Bolivia for her part
had a larger and veteran army. Chile
had lived in peace, except for her war
with Spain in 1866. when she helped
Peru to drive the Spaniards out Of
her territory, while Peru and Bolivia
had lived in their arms in perpetual
civil war. Peruvians and Bolivtans
took pride in esteemlng themselves
hellicose people and looked down upon
the pacific Chileans, who. according
to them, were strong for work but not
for war At that time the small
Chilean army was modelled after the
French army, guided by the same
rules and tactics. even to using the
uniform Of the French. and was not
Prussianized," as stated by an after
noon paper of this city. Chile tri-
umphcd in all the battles until the
capital of Peru was occupied by her
on the 17th OF January. 1881. The
Peruvian army dispersed and each
general declated himself chief, just as
1t happened in Mexico with Villa, "a
patio and others. without one citizen
able to assert himself and take in
hand the reins Of power. In view Of
this fact, part Of the Chilean army re-
mained in Lima to prevent the suer-
rilla generals from coming in and
making trouble. and at the same time
sent troops to combat with the Peru
Wan chiefs who prevented a national
government from being formed. just
as the United States did Cuba after
her victory over Spain and as she will
now continue to do in Russia until
stable government Is formed in that
country.
After these chiefs were overcome
by Chilean forces. a Peruvian govern
ment was organized with whom a
peace treaty was signed in October,
1883. which was confirmed with the
approval Of the congress OF April 1884.
BY virtue Of this peace Tacna and
africa were to remain in submission to
the Chilean authorities for period OF
ten years, after which time the popu-
lation was to decide by popular vote
between the domination either OF
Chile or Peru. The country that
would take the provinces would pay
81. 100000 to the other. When this
period Of ten years had expired. Peru
on account Of her constant poor gov
eminent, could not get together the
SO o.oo0.000 required to bring the pleb-
iscitc to an issue. For this reason 1t
had to be postponed.
Each time that q Peruvian person
age desired to become a president he
promised the people to bring the pleb-
iscite to an issue, but once that he Is
In power. he does not fulfill his pro-
| mise either for lack Of funds or fear
ing that he will be unsuccessful. In
consequence Of which he would be ex-
PEELED from power. This comedy has