not begin now. It is to
me," he said, "a matter of indifference what persons in Italy think of
our institutions. I cannot change them, still less violate them."

[Illustration: Portrait.]
A. G. Thurman.

Such judicial proceedings as could be had against the lynchers broke
down completely. The Italian Minister withdrew, but his government
finally accepted $25,000 indemnity for the murdered men's families.

Friction with Chile arose from the "Itata incident." Chile was torn by
civil war between adherents of President Balmaceda and the
"congressional party." Mr. Egan, American Minister at Santiago, rendered
himself widely unpopular among Chilians by his espousal of the
President's cause. The Itata, a cruiser in the congressionalist service,
was on May 6, 1891, at Egan's request, seized at San Diego, Cal., by the
federal authorities, on the ground that she was about to carry a cargo
of arms to the revolutionists. Escaping, she surrendered at her will to
the United States squadron at Iquique. The congressionalists resented
our interference; the Balmaceda party were angry that we interfered to
so little effect. A Valparaiso mob killed two American sailors and hurt
eighteen more. Chile, however, tendered a satisfactory indemnity.

[Illustration: Ship with two masts and one smokestack.]
Chilian steamer Itata in San Diego Harbor.

[1890]

In the so-called "Barrundia incident" occurring in 1890 Americanism
overshot itself. The Gautemalan refugee, General Barrundia, boarded the
Pacific Mail steamer Acapulco for Salvador upon assurance that he would
not be delivered to the authorities of his native land. At San Jose de
Gautemala the Gautemala authorities sought to arrest him, and United
States Minister Mizner, Consul-General Hosmer, and Commander Reiter of
the United States Ship of War Ranger, concurred in advising Captain
Pitts of the Acapulco that Gautemala had a right to do this. Barrundia
resisted arrest and was killed. Both Mizner and Reiter were reprimanded
and removed, Reiter being, however, placed in another command.

Our government's attitude in this matter was untenable. The two
officials were in fact punished for having acted with admirable judgment
and done each his exact duty.

One of President Harrison's earliest diplomatic acts was the treaty of
1889 with Great Britain and Germany, by which, in conjunction with those
nations, the United States established a joint protectorate over the
Samoan Islands.