CHAPTER IV THE ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT PEREZ OUTBREAK OF THE ARAUCANIANS — CHURCH QUESTIONS THE WAR WITH SPAIN Don ]os6 Joaquin Perez succeeded Montt as presi- dent. He was a diplomatic statesman who had studied politics in Europe and was not committed to strong views. The civil rebellion which had been but recently put down at the cost of so much blood, had quelled, but had by no means annihilated, the liberal party. Perez found it strong enough, clamorous for political and constitutional reforms and opposed to the iron rule of Manuel Montt and his party of nationals, who were only a little less conservative than the pelucones. There were also the advanced liberals — the radicals, or "reds, " as they were called — under the leadership of Gallo and the Matta brothers. Perez entrusted power to a coalition of the moderate liberals and conserva- tives, aiming by this to effect a fusion of those ele- ments. This soon led to an alliance between the Montt- Varistas and the "reds." The new president had been almost unanimously elected, receiving two hundred and fourteen out of two hundred and sixteen of the electoral votes.* Two votes
- The electoral college in Spanish-American countries is usually dominated by
the president and party in power. The electors are chosen by the people by bal- 237
