Page:A history of Chile.djvu/372

 336 A HISTORY OF CHILE demption of the paper currency; nine foreign minis- ters had succeeded each other in rapid succession ; Balmaceda adhered to his policy and continued to choose new parliamentary selected cabinets, for, not- withstanding the power granted him by the constitu- tion, the unwritten parliamentary law which had grown up was, that the ministers should be in harmony with congress. It now became the general impression in congress that the president was scheming to have Senor San Fuentes succeed him, as his presidential term was far spent. It was alleged bj' his opponents that he wished to enrich himself by promoting a scheme to form a syndicate to purchase the Tarapaca nitrate beds; hence the first step was to elect a successor. It had been the custom for presidents to name their succes- sors, and to use all the party machinery to accomplish that result. It would have been strange if Balmaceda had not done as his predecessors, whatever truth there may or may not have been in the nitrate story. However, he disclaimed any intention of supporting San Fuentes, as also did the latter of having any designs on the presidential chair. Congress doubted the intentions of both, perhaps with good reason, and when San Fuentes was made prime minister by the president, a vote of censure was passed. The president insisted that his ministers should remain. This was against the precedents, but not, apparently, against the con- stitution. Congress, therefore, refused to pass the ap- propriation bill until a ministry should be appointed in harmony with its views. With funds cut off, the government could not long carry on its expensive works, or even exist, so that Balmaceda yielded and formed a new ministry with Judge Belisario Prato of the supreme court as prime minister. Congress was satisfied, and