ountered, took matters into his own
hands. Since the Congress refused to pass the appropriation bills, he
declared that body dissolved and proceeded to levy the taxes by decree.
To this arbitrary and altogether unconstitutional performance the
Congress retorted by declaring the President deposed. Civil war broke
out forthwith, and a strange spectacle presented itself. The two chief
cities, Santiago and Valparaiso, and most of the army backed Balmaceda,
whereas the country districts, especially in the north, and practically
all the navy upheld the Congress.

These were, indeed, dark days for Chile. During a struggle of about
eight months the nation suffered more than it had done in years of
warfare with Peru and Bolivia. Though the bulk of the army stood by
Balmaceda, the Congress was able to raise and organize a much stronger
fighting force under a Prussian drillmaster. The tide of battle turned;
Santiago and Valparaiso capitulated; and the presidential cause was
lost. Balmaceda, who had taken refuge in the Argentina legation,
committed suicide. But the Balmacedists, who were included in a general
amnesty, still maintained themselves as a party to advocate in a
peaceful fashion the principles of their fallen leader.

Chile had its reputation for stability well tested in 1910 when
the executive changed four times without the slightest political
disturbance. According to the constitution, the officer who takes the
place of the President in case of the latter's death or disability,
though vested with full authority, has the title of Vice President only.
It so happened that after the death of the President two members of the
Cabinet in succession held the vice presidency, and they were followed
by the chief magistrate, who was duly elected and installed at the
close of the year. In 1915, for the first time since their leader
had committed suicide, one of the followers of Balmaceda was chosen
President--by a strange coalition of Liberal-Democrats, or Balmacedists,
Conservatives, and Nationalists, over the candidate of the Radicals,
Liberals, and Democrats. The maintenance of the parliamentary system,
however, continued to produce frequent alterations in the personnel of
the Cabinet.

In its foreign relations, apart from the adjustment reached with
Argentina, Chile managed to settle the difficulties with Bolivia arising
out of the War of the Pacific. By the terms of treaties concluded in
1895 and 1905, the region tentative