Page:1902 Encyclopædia Britannica - Volume 27 - CHI-ELD.pdf/38

 12

C H :

L E

[history

an active member of the Opposition and involved in vai ions to an end, and another Liberal, Senor Balmaceda, then revolutionary conspiracies; for his participation in these succeeded to power. The election of Balmaceda was bitterly opposed by the plots he was at one time exiled from the country, but Conservatives and dissentient Liberals, but was finally returned and received official employment under President successfully carried the official influence Perez. The principal task confronting President Santa exercised by Presidentby Santa Maria. On as-^^™^ceda Maria on assuming the presidency was to negotiate a suming office President Balmaceda endeavoured president. treaty of peace with Peru and provide for the President evacuation of the Chilian army of occupation. to bring about a reconciliation of all sections Santa The presence of the Peruvian General Caceres of the Liberal party in Congress and so form a solid Maria ' and his forces in the interior of Peru prevented majority to support the administration, and to this end he nominated as ministers representatives of the different for some two years the formation of any Peruvian political groups. Six months later the Cabinet was national administration in Lima with which the Chilian reorganized, and two most bitter opponents to the recent authorities could deal. In August of 1883 the Peruvians were defeated by the forces commanded by Admiral election of President Balmaceda were accorded portfolios. Lynch, and a Government was then organized under Believing that he had now secured the support of the the leadership of General Iglesias. A provisional treaty majority in Congress on behalf of any measures he decided of peace was then drawn up and signed by General to put forward, the new President initiated a policy of Iglesias and the Chilian representative, and this was heavy expenditure on public works, the building of finally ratified by the Chilian and Peruvian Congresses schools, and the strengthening of the naval and military respectively in April 1884. By the terms of this treaty forces of the republic. Contracts were given out to the Peru ceded to Chile unconditionally the province of value of £6,000,000 for the construction of railways in Tarapacd, and the provinces of Tacna and Arica were the southern districts; some 10,000,000 dollars were placed under Chilian authority for the term of ten years, the expended in the erection of schools and colleges, three inhabitants having then to decide by a general vote whether cruisers and two sea - going torpedo boats were added to they remained a part of Chile or elected to belong once the squadron; the construction of the naval port at more to Peru. In the event of the decision being favour- Talcahuano was actively pushed forward; new armament able to Peru a sum of 10,000,000 dollars was to be paid was purchased for the infantry and artillery branches of by Peru to Chile. On the ratification of this treaty the the army, and heavy guns were acquired for the purpose Chilian forces were immediately withdrawn from Lima of permanently and strongly fortifying the neighbourhoods and other points of occupation in Peruvian territory. of Valparaiso, Talcahuano, and Iquique. In itself this The Government of Bolivia also attempted to negotiate policy was not unreasonable, and in many ways extremely Unfortunately corruption a treaty of peace with Chile in 1884, and for this beneficial for the country. crept into the expenditure of the large sums necessary to purpose sent representatives to Santiago. No satisfactory terms, however, could be arranged, and the negotia- carry out this programme. Contracts were given by tions ended in only an armistice being agreed to, by which favour and not by merit, and the progress made in the Chile remained in occupation of the Bolivian^ seaboard construction of the new public works was far from satisfactory. The opposition in Congress to President pending a definite settlement at some future period. The administration of President Santa Maria met with Balmaceda began to increase rapidly towards the close of violent opposition from the Conservatives, who included 1887, and further gained ground in 1888. In order to the Clerical party in their ranks, and also from a certain ensure a majority favourable to his views, the President section of the Liberals. The dislike of the Conservatives to threw the whole weight of his official influence into the President Santa Maria was occasioned by his introduction elections for senators and deputies in 1888; but many of the law of civil marriage, the civil registration of births of the members returned to the Chambers through this and deaths, and the freeing of the cemeteries.. Hitherto official influence joined the Opposition shortly after taking no marriage was legal unless celebrated according to the their seats. In 1889 Congress became distinctly hostile rites of the Homan Catholic religion, and all registers^ of to the administration of President Balmaceda, and the births and deaths were kept by the parish priests. Civil political situation became grave, and at times threatened employees were now appointed under the new laws to attend to involve the country in civil war. According to usage to this work. Formerly the cemeteries were entirely under and custom in Chile, a ministry does not remain in office the control of the Church, and, with the exception of a unless supported by a majority in the Chambers. Balmafew places specially created for the purpose, were reserved ceda now found himself in the impossible position of being solely for the burial of Roman Catholics. Under the new unable to appoint any ministry that could control a regime these cemeteries were made common to the dead of majority in the Senate and Chamber of Deputies and at alf religions. Under President Perez, in 1865, a clause in the same time be in accordance with his own views of the law of constitution had been introduced permitting the administration of public affairs. At this juncture the exercise of all creeds of religion, and this was now put the President assumed that the Constitution gave him into practice, all restrictions being removed. On several the power of nominating and maintaining in office any occasions, notably in 1882 and 1885, President Santa ministers he might consider fitting persons for the purpose, Maria used his influence in the elections of senators and and that Congress had no right of interference m the deputies to Congress for the purpose of creating a sub- matter. The Chambers were now only waiting for a. stantial majority in his favour. He was induced to take suitable opportunity to assert their authority. In 1890 this course in consequence of the violent opposition raised it was stated that President Balmaceda had determined tonominate and cause to be elected as his successor at the in the Chambers by the liberal policy he .pursued _ in expiration of his term of office in 1891 one of his own connexion with Church matters. This inteivention friends. This question of the election of another caused great irritation amongst the Conservatives and personal dissentient Liberals, and the political situation on more President brought matters to a head, and Congress refused vote supplies to carry on the Government. To avoid than one occasion became so strained as to bring the to Balmaceda entered into a compromise with country to the verge of armed revolution. No outbreak, trouble Congress, and agreed to nominate a ministry to their however, took place, and in 1886 the five years of office for which President Santa Maria had been elected came liking on condition that the supplies for 1890 were voted..