CHILL 



139 



ai)t he uninteresting to insert in this place the 

 following extract from an Argentine publica- 

 tion of n in l<ni lit cil authority, as the genuine 

 ^ion of popular sentiment in both coun- 

 tries concerning the possible ultimate mode of 

 set t lement. The writer says : 



We have given considerable thought and attention 

 to the Argentine-Chilian question through its succes- 

 sive plKix'-, iiinl I'-preially to the condition in which 

 loll at tho breaking down of the last two at- 

 tempts to consummate u tmity. The Fierro-Sarratca 

 tn-aty provided that arbitrators should settle all ques- 

 tion-- at issue, tho form, nature, and extent of said 

 o^iiMii'iis to bo arranged by the respective plenipoten- 

 tiaries of tho two republics, provided an arrangement 

 could be reached, in default of which tho Court of Ar- 

 bitrators were to take them in hand and finally dispose 

 of the question from beginning to end. It has puzzled 

 us ever -imv t > >ee any good reason why such a treaty 

 oould not have been accepted by both parties. Chili 

 accepted the arrangement, and by so doing has gained 

 a very significant moral advantage over tho Argentine 

 Republic, which hailed its acceptance by Chm with 

 great joy, and whose Executive sent the announce- 

 ment over the world with congratulatory words, the 

 united press of tho land calling it a great victory for 

 peace ; put as soon as Chili found itself at war with 

 two nations, the same press and people repudiated it 

 without new light or reason. Subsequent to this a 

 status quo arrangement, which involved all elements 

 of danger and trouble, and which afforded no safe- 

 guard whatever, was very properly thrown out. 



This leaves the matter unsettled from first to last. 

 The original dispute remains. Such aggravating in- 

 stances as the seizure of the Jennie Amelia and tho 

 Devonshire remain without adjustment, and therefore 

 liable at any moment to be brought into the case. By 

 the action before mentioned, this republic has declared 

 that it will not arbitrate tho pretensions of Chili, so 

 that there are only three alternatives: 1. Chili must 

 yield her pretensions to any part of Patagonia ; 2. The 

 Argentine Government must recede from tho position 

 which it has deliberately assumed ; or, 3. There must 

 sooner or later be war. Of these alternatives it is ex- 

 ceedingly improbable that tho first will occur. Un- 

 fortunately, this republic has made no material or vig- 

 orous protest to six or seven years of assumed and ac- 

 tual jurisdiction over the disputed territory ; and after 

 Chili has exercised the highest functions of govern- 

 ment, in capturing ships of friendly powers m dis- 

 puted waters because of assumed violation of Chilian 

 edicts, she can not recede without so much as making 

 a case in a Court of Arbitration ; and, in our opinion, 

 when it cpmos squarely to an issue between this ana 

 war, Chili will accept war. It is idle to deceive our- 

 selves on this point. It may and will probably be de- 

 layed ; but it will come at last. Chili we mean the 

 people of Chili lias come to think it has a just claim 

 to the disputed territory. We do not believe it has a 

 just claim, nor do we believe the projectors of the pre- 

 tension ever thought so ; but they have made pu iblic 

 opinion in Chili believe so, and so it comes about that, 

 while cabinets may change, tho people will not let go 

 unchallenged this claim. The Argentine Government, 

 at the outset, were grievously remiss in not meeting 

 the first pretension with a most vigorous and decided 

 policy, admitting no such pretension for a moment. 

 This laches, to some extent, gives the case a status at 

 law, and now it is too late to assume that position. It 

 would have been the highest wisdom to have proceed- 

 ed with an arbitrament; but we have decided other- 

 wise. Wo have now to decide whether we will insist 

 upon our policy. If so, we should lose no time in 

 preparing for war, for it will come ; and if we are bent 

 on it, we should take advantage of time and circum- 

 stances. We are utterly opposed to the policy of our 

 Government at the present juncture. Inaction is our 

 worst possible course. We should lose no tune in 

 getting at the question, and keeping at it until it is 



decided what U to be done. Delay* were never more 

 dangerous than hi this ca*o, and there should be no 

 further procrastination, but prompt and decided ac- 

 tion. 



The real interpretation of all this is, that the 

 theory, right or wrong, of a lawful claim to 

 the territory in dispute * has, thanks to Ar- 

 gentine supineness, taken possession of the 

 people's minds in Ohili ; that Chili's prompt 

 and hitherto successful retort on Bolivian usur- 

 pation of her asserted rights may be regarded 

 as premonitory of the course she might, under 

 pressure of popular opinion and flushed with 

 one victory, be led to adopt in pursuit of an- 

 other ; and consequently that the Argentine 

 Government should, while Chili's hands aro 

 full, lose no time in preparing for all issues. 



The Republic of Chili is divided for adminis- 

 trative purposes into seventeen provinces and 

 two territories (de colonization), the former be- 

 being subdivided into departments, and these 

 into sub-delegations, each of which is appor- 

 tioned into districts. The provinces, with 

 their population on January 1, 1878, and their 

 capitals, are as follows : 



Of this total about 50,000 were Indians. 



The foreign population, estimated at 26,635 

 in 1875, was composed of the following ele- 

 ments approximately : 



Argentines 7,188 



Germans 4,678 



British subjects 4,267 



French 8,814 



Italians 1.9S3 



Spaniards 1,228 



Americans (United States) ' 981 



Peruvians 881 



Austrians 8S8 



Portuguese 819 



Bolivians 289 



Swedes 175 



Spanish Americans (not classified) 897 



Europeans (not classified) 688 



Asiatics 186 



Total 28,685 



The number of males in the republic, accord- 

 ing to estimates of 1878, based on the census 

 returns of 1875, was 1,065,169. The cities of 



* See " Annual Cyclopedia" for 1875. 



t New province. J Formerly Angtlet, 



