Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-01-06
What Chile %
And Peru Are q
. Quarreling About

n Peru may stage a llttle
war Of their own. Diplomatic rela-
tions are fractured, or at least
strained, and it is all about a piece of
commerce reports, isn't worth much
anyway. Here is the gist of it:
The region of Tacna and africa,
which is the cause Of the acute from
tier controversy between Chill and
small economic value. The PROVINCE
of Tacna, as organized by the govern
ment of Chile, has an area of 1858
square miles, mostly lying among the
western, foothills of the Andes. Like
most Of the contiguous coastal
regions, it is arid, except where it can
be irrigated from the scanty and in
termittent streams hat rise in. the
Andes.
Railroad Important Feature. -
The most important feature in the
industrial life Of the region is the
Arica-La Paz railway, rather than the
relatively small intrinsic u of
the province. This line furnishes the
shortest route from the plateau of the
coast, and is the natural gateway for
the foreign trade of M most Of
Bolivia.
The war, If 1t does come, will be
simply a, repetition of an old battle
which lasted four a and attracted
the worlds attention.
The Observation-Disclosures Bolivian war
of 1879-1883 was the most pretentious
military conflict which has yer been
staged in South America, although
the southern continent has scarcely
been free from the clash OF arms since
the beginning Of the overthrow Of
Spanish power in 1908.
Nitrate Beds Caused Trouble.
The war Of 1S79-18s3 was primar-
lily due to rivalry over the possess
sion Of valuable nitrate beds in the
Atacama desert, which were opened
by Chilean capital. Owing to the alb
sence OF definite boundary lines in the
region disputes arose with Bolivia.
which had a treaty of alliance with
Peru. In February, 1879, Chile seized
the Bolivian port of A~ntofagasta and
In April Peru, as the ally of Bolivia,
declared war, on Chile.
The Chilean armies were outnum-
bered. but we're far better Differed
and equipped than their opponents
and Chile's fleet was much superiqy.
Naval operations were watched with
special interest by the entire world
as being the first between modern
oh 'oCIOUcT d, 1853, LHc
Peruvian battleship Huascar wus
taken by the Chilean fleet, and on
November 10 the combined Peruvian
and Bolivian forces were almost an
initiated at Dorlores. In October.
1880, Chile was in possession Of all
the disputed territory and the United
states minister succeeded in bringr
ing about negotiations for peace.
The conditions imposed were not
accepted by the allies, however, and
negotiations were broken off and hos
tilities resumed. Again the armies of
Chile. were uniformly victorious.
Bolivia coded to Chile the province
OF A~ntofagasta, maintaining. how
ever, custom houses on the coast;
Peru gave up Tarpaca in perpetuity
and Tacna and africa for ten years, a
plebiscite at the end Of that time to
determine whether the inhabitants
wished to return to Peru or continue
under Chilean rule. The plebiscite,
however, has never been held. and it
Is chargd by Peru that the Chilean.
government has repeatedly refused to
make arrangements for the express
sion of the popular will.
In 1900 the Chilean re-
Jected a convention concluded with
Peru in 1898 providing for a plebis-
cite. Although Bolivia seems to have
accepted the severe fortunes of wal
ana TO nave become friendly with her
erstwhiie enemy, the relations be-
tween Peru and Chile have always
oeeh near the breaking point.