THE PEOPLE
The people of Chile are descendants of Spaniards and native races. About
one-third of the entire population are pure white. The Spaniards who
came here were Basques and Aragonese—a hardy and industrious people who
made thrifty farmers and merchants. They are among the best class of
Spaniards, for they are much more energetic and have less of the Moorish
admixture than those from Southern Spain. These people were not a mere
army of occupation, but they set about developing the real resources of
the country. The native element too were probably the hardiest of any
of the native races of South America. Notwithstanding the difference
in numbers, the Creoles, the name given to the descendants of Spanish
immigrants, rule the country absolutely and own the most of the property.
In few countries have the landed aristocracy exercised such absolute
power as in this narrow and elongated republic. The half-breeds form the
labouring class of Chile, and one will find those two classes all over
the republic, with the lines between the two strongly marked. There is no
clearly defined, well-developed middle class.
The Chileans delight to call themselves the “English of the Pacific,”
or the “Yankees of South America.” In neither case is the comparison a
perfect one, although they are probably the hardest working race on that
continent. The Chileno is very proud of the progress that his country has
made, and this pride sometimes carries him to peculiar extremes. It at
least causes the average Chileno to become more or less of a braggart.
He is inclined to take all the credit for this advancement to himself,
when, in fact, much of it has been due to the English and German elements
in the country. His ideals of life, however, are not German or English,
but rather French, with its love of polished surface and general dislike
for disagreeable truths. Peru has retained more of the old culture and
grace of the Spanish cavalier than Chile, but the latter is far more
robust. The climate of Chile is remarkably healthful, and it has produced
a vigorous race. This is a general truth, whether applied to the race
amalgamated with the virile Araucanian of the south, or to the mixture
with the more delicate and refined descendant of the Inca at the north.
The ordinary _roto_ is tough and wiry, and capable of prolonged fatigue
on the poorest and simplest of food.
The creoles have inherited all the traditions of the original
_conquistadores_—love, sentiment and passion, and the habit of intrigue.
It is not uncommon to see in a family the natural children of one or
the other parent, generally of the father, living side by side with the
legitimate children. The percentage of illegitimacy is very large, as
shown by the government statistics, for they do not attempt to cover up
this flagrant fault. The café and club life of the cities appeals to the
Chileans, and they have acquired a love of alcoholic stimulants. The
light wines, with which most of the people of Spanish blood are content,
do not satisfy, but they must have the stronger alcoholic beverages. As a
result there is much drunkenness in Chile, more than in the neighbouring
republics. It is an unfortunate fact, but true, as all who have made a
study of the subject agree. The first establishment in a new community
is generally a factory for the production of _aguardiente_, brandy made
from sugar cane, wheat or some vegetable. Some of it is as bad and
ruinous to the health as it is cheap.
Chile has perhaps suffered in recent years from too great prosperity.
Like the child born with a silver spoon in its mouth, this country
found itself with seemingly inexhaustible treasure within its borders.
Its training under the autocracy of Spain was not a good education in
representative and democratic government. Then came the wealth of the
nitrate fields, after a successful war with Peru. The government coffers
were filled to overflowing with practically no effort on the part of
the government, and little tax contributed by the average citizens. As
a result, the habit of office holding and the desire for sinecures have
been a bad thing for the country. The enormous revenue has been used
up, and there is little to show for much of it. In public offices the
officials are oftentimes almost tumbling over each other, and everything
is checked and counter checked over and over again. Positions are created
and no equipment for carrying out the work provided. So long as the
government does not complain the appointee does not, and many salaries
of that kind are paid year after year for services unrendered. I verily
believe that the official work of the government could be carried on with
less than one-half the force employed. But the members of Congress have
friends, or sons of friends, who must be provided for, and the government
revenues are thus subject to a constant drain.
Politics is the most genteel occupation in Chile to-day, for the army,
navy and church, formerly so popular with the Spaniards, no longer
appeal to the Chileno of good and influential family. A government
appointment means easy or no work, fair pay, and less danger than martial
occupations, where the call to arms might come at any time. It is not
because of lack of courage, for no braver or more courageous people can
be found in South America than these same Chileans, who sit in the cafés
and drink their spirits or puff tobacco wrapped in thin paper. With the
Chilean a valiant spirit covers a multitude of sins. His greatest boast
is the courage of his race. He is willing to make almost any kind of a
personal sacrifice for his country, if the occasion demands, but to pay
taxes is a hardship.
The Chileans resemble very much the Irish in some of their
characteristics. One of these is their love of fighting, and the Chileans
have made about the best soldiers of any of the South American people.
They have an intense spirit and patriotism, which has shown itself in
their wars and revolutions. In addition to the Spanish blood a large
percentage have more or less of the blood of the Araucanian Indians,
who were the most stubborn race to conquer of any that the Spaniards
encountered in South America. As soldiers the Chileans have no sense of
mercy, and this characteristic has shown itself in all of their wars.
They are impetuous, impulsive, passionate and generous, but have very
little self-control. Many of them fight simply for the love of fighting,
just as do many of the Irish, who seem to scrap simply for the sake of
scrapping.
The Chileno as a rule has a fiery temper. He loves a fight. It is not
a fist fight that he will indulge in, but it must be a fight with
revolvers, or, better yet, with knives. The knife is an indispensable
equipment with the _roto_. It used to be said that as many lives were
lost in a Chilean fair as in a decent battle. It is a sad fact that
murders are extremely frequent, and scarcely a day passes in Santiago or
Valparaiso without some fatal affray. _Aguardiente_ may be placed at the
bottom of most of these, just as rum is the primary cause of most of the
murders in the United States. It inflames the naturally hot temper of
the race and brings out all the passions of envy, hatred and jealousy.
The death penalty is seldom inflicted, although sentence is frequently
imposed. The prisoners are kept in confinement, and their sentence
commuted from time to time. If the convicted one belongs to a family of
prominence, he will eventually be released; if of poorer origin, he may
be sent to some remote section of the country and set to work. Among the
_rotos_ there is a general contempt for death, which also adds to the
prevalence of murders, and sometimes of brigandage in the mountains. A
little judicious weeding out of some of these criminals would not be a
bad thing for the country.
The _rotos_ constitute the masses in Chile. In the country the _roto_
is a peon or inquilino,—an agriculturalist; in the city he is a
longshoreman—a roustabout. In all of them there is a race admixture with
the white race. Of the native races this mixture is not all Araucanian,
for there are at least ten distinct aboriginal tribes. This _roto_ is
not always an agreeable companion, for he is not generally so cleanly as
he might be. But he is not a hopeless element in society. His vices are
generally the result of a lack of restraining power of the passions. His
virtues are independence and industry. He is a prejudiced individual, and
persists in his prejudices. He is intensely patriotic, and has fought the
battles of his country—and always in the ranks. Neither in the army nor
in the navy has he been permitted to rise above this position.
Peonage is the common form of labour on the large landed estates,
although it is somewhat more favourable to the labourer than in Mexico or
Peru. The labourer, or peon, is rented a small tract of land, including
a little hut, and is allowed to grow his own vegetables. He may also be
allowed to pasture a few animals. In return, he must work, or provide
labour, for the _hacendado_ as required. For this he is paid a certain
small wage. The landlord allows him credit for supplies at the store,
which is invariably a part of the establishment, at prices which mean a
good profit. As long as he is indebted to the owner, the peon must stay
on the place. If he is even in his account, he is at liberty to depart
wherever the notion takes him.
The proprietor is a magistrate, and has power to put a man in irons if he
deems it necessary. As a rule the peons do not change employers often,
and it is seldom that one is compelled to leave. They are not ambitious,
and a living, permission to celebrate holidays, and, perhaps, get drunk
occasionally, constitutes their idea of happiness. So long as these
conditions exist the peon does not seek anything better, for, to his
mind, such a condition is ideal in itself. He has,
“The sun, and moon and air,
And never a bit of the burthen of care;
And with all our caring, what more have we?”
The landlord, on his part, is satisfied, for he has labour at hand at a
small cost, just as his fathers had before him. It is true that it takes
more labourers of this kind to accomplish a given amount of work, but the
total cost is still comparatively small.
The _rotos_ in the city are not attractive individuals. Their appearance
is often hard and repellent, and the stranger is almost inclined to fear
them. They are restless, too, and serious labour disturbances have
occurred in the cities, for trade unionism has entered the social fabric
there. A few years ago a wild mob resulted from a strike against the
steamship companies, and it took to destroying property after the most
approved fashion. The offices of the Chilean companies were burned, but
foreign property was not disturbed, although the grievance was the same.
Santiago has also had a grievous experience with strikes. This was due to
a tax upon cattle imported from Argentina, which resulted in an advance
in meat prices. Rioting and the destruction of property were again the
forms it took.
These instances show that a social question has been developed in Chile
as well as other countries. How much is due to socialistic propaganda,
it is difficult to estimate. It is probably only a protest against the
condition in which this class finds itself. The _roto_ holds a grievance
against the Church, also, because that organization possesses immense
wealth and pays no taxes. He feels that he does the real work, but is
always kept in an inferior station, a ball to be kicked and rolled around
at the will of the governing and military classes. It is no doubt true
that the _roto_ has many legitimate grievances, and the government will
eventually be compelled to recognize them. Thousands of _rotos_ have
emigrated across the Andes to Argentina, being drawn there by the higher
wages that can be secured. Whether the movement will become greater or
not, the future alone will reveal.
The _rotos_ of Chile work hard when they work, but they are generally
improvident and do not think of saving money. The only occasion which
leads the average _roto_ to save any money is the prospect of a holiday
ahead, for which he will sometimes save a little surplus, in order that
he may have sufficient funds to celebrate the occasion in the way he
thinks it should be celebrated,—and that is by carousing. His idea is
that he must imbibe plenty of liquor in order to get the proper effect.
This is not universally true, for the savings banks of the country show
that thousands of those in the unskilled occupations have at least
small bank accounts. As wages are comparatively small, this indicates
considerable thrift.
Drinking in Chile has become a curse. Monday is said by employers
of labour to be a very unsatisfactory day, because so many of their
employees have not yet recovered from the dissipation of the previous
day. This is likewise true after some national holiday, such as the
18th of September, for which occasion five days are set aside, as this
is the Chilean 4th of July. The better element of the Chileans have
long realized that the drunkenness incident to these celebrations is a
serious menace to the country, for, on the day following, the hospitals
are oftentimes filled with wounded. There are always several deaths by
violence, because every Chilean peon does not consider himself properly
dressed until he has a knife placed in his belt where it can be easily
reached.
To correct the errors resulting from this excessive drinking, a society
has been formed in Chile, which has become quite prominent, and is called
La Liga Contra el Alcoholismo, which, literally translated, means an
organization against excessive alcoholism. It is not, as one might think,
a prohibition or total abstinence society, for such an organization
would be very unpopular among all classes of Chileans. Its object is
to restrain as much as possible, both by legislation and persuasion,
the appetite for liquor, and cultivate habits of moderation in its
indulgence. The courts have been asked to impose certain restriction upon
the sale of liquors, and employers of labour have been asked to change
the method of paying their help.
“The women of Chile are as pious as the men are proud,” says a writer.
Nowhere will one find women more conscientious in the performance of
their religious duties. The morning mass is always crowded with women
and children in attendance upon these ceremonies. One is impressed by
the piety of the Chilenas when he sees the _penitentas_—as women who are
doing penance for some sin are called. Skirts of white flannel are worn
with the _manta_ by these women. They will be seen hovering around the
churches, where they will sometimes rest on their knees for hours before
the altar of some saint. They may be clustered around the confessional
awaiting absolution from the confessor. Some of these women have
committed sin, while others are simply carrying out a vow, in order to
perfect themselves and thus get nearer to heaven. They will go about the
street with downcast eyes and recognize no one—not even a friend. Among
these _penitentas_ one will find women of high social rank, as well as
young girls of wonderful beauty. Those who feel that this more simple
method will not atone for their sin, or raise them to a state of absolute
perfection, retire to a convent in the suburbs of the city, called the
Convent of the Penitentes. There they dress in sackcloth, feed on mouldy
bread, and scourge themselves with whips. These scenes are more common
during Lent, or at the end of the social season. It is said, however,
that the number of women doing penance is becoming less each year. It is
also a fact that one never sees a man humiliating himself and proclaiming
his wrong-doing in this public way.
The women of Chile, the Chilenas, are of medium height and well formed.
The real slender type is the exception, and the average maiden is
well-rounded and plump. As the women grow older they run to adipose
tissue, and many of the matrons are decidedly fat. They look healthy,
and a vigorous body carries with it a corresponding appetite, and this,
together with little exercise, is responsible for the later development.
The type is quite uniform. Black hair, and dark, lustrous eyes are almost
universal. Dress is as much sought after by the Chileans as in any part
of the world. Paris creations are in demand by those who can afford
them, and the others purchase the best gowns that their means will permit.
Etiquette is very carefully observed by the Chileans. There is an
etiquette for a man toward a woman, and one for a person of a lower rank
toward one better born. And all are scrupulously observed. A man must
always speak to a woman first. A girl of the better families could not
appear on the street alone without her mother, aunt or servant with her.
A little nurse girl, though of no earthly use, is a sufficient compliance
with the requirement of etiquette. Her best young man, instead of being a
protection, would be an occasion for the severest tongue-wagging. These
things are the inherited restraints upon the liberty of women which have
come down from a thousand years of custom.
A young man and young woman have little opportunity to become acquainted
before marriage. In many instances the young people have very little to
say about the matter, supposed to be one of hearts, and are scarcely
consulted. About the only way he can learn anything about the disposition
of his intended is for a young man to bribe the servants and thus get
first-hand information. He can never see her except in the parlour,
surrounded by all the family, or at dances, where she is always under the
eye of her chaperon. In fact, during the whole of her maidenhood a girl
is closely watched, and is seldom permitted to be out of sight of her
mother’s vigilant eye. The girl naturally thinks that these restrictions
are unnecessary, but mamma thinks that they are essential, father
approves, and so the custom remains. The lover bears the name of _novio_,
and his sweetheart is _novia_. Neither dare pay any attention to another,
and for a _novio_ to dance with any other girl than his _novia_ would be
a direct offence, and probably cause a breaking of the engagement.
Every girl looks forward to marriage as her sole career. The independence
of the American girl has not influenced her, and the suffragette
agitation has not reached Chile. Marriage is the beginning of freedom for
a woman, for up to that time she is practically kept in a cage, or is
tied by a string to some guardian. When the priest performs the wedding
ceremony, however, the shackles are broken. Nevertheless they make good
wives, for their tastes are domestic; and they make good mothers, to
whom children are welcome, and the more of them the better they are
satisfied. Musical clubs, literary clubs and missionary societies do
not exist to interfere with domestic duties. A houseful of servants are
usually kept to do the work, for each servant will only do the particular
duties for which he or she was hired. The groom often takes his bride to
his father’s house, and one will frequently find several families living
under the same roof in seeming peace and harmony.
[Illustration: A GROUP OF CHILEAN GIRLS.]
The colonies of Chile, such as Valdivia, Osorno and others around Lake
Llanquihue, are principally made up of Germans and Dutch. Most of these
were poor and ignorant when they came to their new homes, and some have
remained so. They have built up several prosperous communities, however,
and there they will be found, a quiet, peaceable and an intelligent
population. This frontier had quite a boom at one time, and thousands
were attracted here by the seductive literature sent out by the wily
agents stationed in Europe. Town after town sprang up. Men who had never
done a day’s work on a farm and ne’er-do-wells came over. Few of them had
any money. For several years there was much hardship. The government was
not always prompt in carrying out its pledges, for the officials could
not see why “to-morrow” would not do just as well. Some finally returned,
and others drifted into the larger cities. But many were very successful
and now have good farms to show as a reward for their industry. After the
war with Peru many of the disbanded soldiers were granted tracts of land
here. Considerable lawlessness followed, as they robbed the unresisting
Germans of their cattle and other animals. The outlaws being in league
with the officials, no redress could be secured, and the colonists
complained with good reason. These conditions have ended. The Teutons
have generally remained apart from the Chileans, and the percentage of
intermarriage has been small. Some have not even mastered the Spanish
tongue, and few take any part in the government. These two races may
become amalgamated eventually, and it would be a good thing for Chile to
receive into its fold this sturdy Teutonic blood.
Of all the nationalities, other than Spanish, that have entered Chile,
the British is the most prominent and has been the most prosperous. It is
likewise the most numerous. Britons, such as the O’Higgins, Lord Cochrane
and Captain Prat, have helped to fight Chile’s battles, and their
financiers have advanced the money that has developed her resources.
Hence it is not surprising that one will find the characteristics of that
tight little island impressed upon the country, and, in many instances,
upon the people. English names are quite common among prominent Chilean
families, for they have become nationalized. Men who came there a
generation or two ago married the daughters of Chile, and the families
are essentially Chilean, although bearing English names. Many of these
English-Chilenos are very prominent. One man, who had been a member
of the Chilean Congress, told me that one-fourth of the members of
that body, at the time of his membership, had had English fathers or
grandfathers. The progress of Chile in many lines can be traced to this
influence.
Valparaiso bears many British characteristics. A walk along the
principal business streets will show almost as many English signs as
those in Spanish. The English language will be heard on every corner.
The Anglo-Saxon face is a familiar sight. In the banking and shipping
quarters nearly everything is British, with a sprinkling of the Teuton.
At Iquique and Antofagasta it is still more marked, for the nitrate and
copper interests are almost entirely in the hands of English capital.
Each year scores of young men come out from the home land and accept
positions with the banks, railroads and manufacturing interests. Some of
them remain permanently, and others claim only a temporary domicile. Most
of them do not assimilate very readily with the Spaniard. There is both a
racial and religious antagonism. This wears away after a while with many,
for they are shut off from home ties and the restraints of society.
Homes in the proper sense are not open to these aliens, and their
quarters are devoid of home comforts. Hence the young Englishmen seek
companionship where they are sure to be welcome. Always criticising
the loose morals of the Chileans, they generally do nothing to better
conditions, and oftentimes end by taking a part in the dissipation.
They frequent the bars and clubs and indulge in great quantities of
strong liquors. Shut off by social customs from the better homes, they
oftentimes unite themselves with the freer and easier strata of society.
As an English writer expresses himself of his own countrymen: “We have
done much to aid in developing the country along certain defined
lines; but we have done little or nothing to ingratiate ourselves with
the people, or to aid in raising the moral tone of those we affect to
despise. The English in Chile commonly remain like a bed of cabbages in
a Chilean flower-garden—self-satisfied and self-aggrandizing, usurping
all the nourishment they can obtain, and neither specially ornamental
nor specially interesting.” Chile has provided homes and, in many
instances, fortunes for the English, and they should return more to such
a hospitable mother than has been done heretofore.