A few years later Peru became more prosperous through the development
of her rich mineral resources and began pressing for a settlement of
the question. To the arbitration proposition presented by Peru Chile
maintained that there was nothing to arbitrate. In 1905 Peru presented
her side of the question in the form of a written protest against
certain proposed industrial improvements in the disputed territory. The
reply of the Chilean government to the arguments offered in the protest
was an able statement of the case, which left little doubt in the minds
of those familiar with the subject that it was Chile’s intention to
retain possession of the territory in question.
In June 1905 diplomatic relations between the two republics were
resumed, and Peru sent Don Manuel Alvarez Calderon as Envoy
Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Santiago, where he was
warmly received by President Riesco and his Cabinet Ministers. In
his address in presenting his credentials to the President of Chile,
on November 4, 1905, Señor Calderon stated that he was charged with
the task of settling outstanding questions in conformity with treaty
stipulations, meaning, it was understood, the Tacna and Arica question.
In February 1906 the Chilean government named Don Rafael Balmaceda as
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Peru.
The more amicable relations resulting from the appointment of
diplomatic representatives continued until 1909 when Chile proposed the
taking of the plebiscite on certain bases which were then considered
unacceptable by Peru, and diplomatic relations were again broken off by
the latter country. The main points at issue in this instance involved
the questions of who were to constitute the voters, who should preside
at the proceedings of the plebiscite, and at what date the election to
secure an expression of the residents of the disputed territory should
take place.
During the year 1912 an effort was made on the part of the respective
governments to agree upon terms acceptable to both countries for the
celebration of the plebiscite provided for in the treaty of Ancon, to
determine the nationality of the provinces of Tacna and Arica, and the
following general agreement was reached:
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