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 CHAPTER VI THE ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT PINTO President Errazuriz had brought disaster into the ranks of the conservatives,* in much the same manner as Perez had, with the conservatives, initiated a reac- tion against the oppression of the Montt-Varistas. Don Frederico Errazuriz had mounted the presidential chair upon the backs of the conservatives, yet he soon came to be more liberal in sentiment than conservative, and sought to curry favor with all parties, with both liber- als and Montt-Varistas, who had previously united sufficiently to urge together one or two advanced laws and political reforms. The favorite leader of the lib- erals in the approaching election was Don Benja- min Vicuna Mackenna, who was especially popular in the southern provinces. He was nominated, and his address at the time was a stirring keynote for the cam- paign. He favored religious freedom in the fullest sense; amenability of the ecclesiastical functionaries to the law; reform of the national guard ; civil marriage complete in law ; the rapid development of Arauco by means of railroads and colonization; the opening up of the province of Valdivia; railways over the Andes; the establishment of a college of agriculture; local ad- ministration with greater autonomy ; increase of com- mon schools ; abolition of monopolies held by the gov- 263
 * "Acordo romper con ErrSzuriz que se estraviaba." — C. Walker Martinez.