The Political System Of Chili

By reason of the military successes which have made Chili luie strongest Power on the West Coast oí America, the Congressional elections in that Republic a few weeks ago deserve unusual attention. They aro the h'rst since peace, and foroign publicista will look to them with curiosity for signs of the effects oí a five years war upon the spirit of the people. Tho political acrimony which bas grown to great proportions between the Government and the church invests them also with anotber and peculiar interest. The Chilean President serves for five years and is not eligible for the next term. A Presidential election will come next year. Tho Congress consists of tvvo houses. The Senators serve for six years and the Deputies for three. Those were elections for both Senators and Deputies which have just occurred. They are reviewed in a letter from Santiago that we print to-day, and no change in the old system of tho control of the electors by the Executive is indicated, unless it be onc for the worse. The Executive seems more potent than ever to crush opposition and elect its own Congross. There is no symptom of the development of ademocracy; and without it the only peaceable way in the past, for a chango of the party in power seems to be by the possessors of the Government themsolves changing from one party to another. This was practically what happened in tho case of President Errazuriz lifteen yoars ago. Chili thu8 far has been exempt from those forcible overturnings which have been frequent in all the other South American republics. Rovolutions, to be sure, have been attempted sevcral times, but always quickly extinguished. The present President, 8enor Santa Maria, was in his youth a conspirator against President Montt, and in that case, as in every other, tho perfectly centralized power of the Executive was too strong for the rebels. But can any oligarehy perpetúate itself indetimtely tnus? With tho increasing iatelligence of a large number of the people will not a successful revolution some day be provoked? That is the most important practical que3tion for the Chilean statesmen ot the day. Are they wise in negleoting to develop something like what we in the United States umierstand by the phrase "an intelligent public opinión" as a safeeuard iie-ainst revolution? -