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258 A HISTORY OF CHILE ate liberals from the conservatives and the coalition between them, which had existed since the j'ear 1858, came to an end. The president sought to conciliate the conservatives, but, failing in this, soon found him- self acting with the liberals. The clergy, aroused by the ecclesiastical questions now formed a separate party called the ultramontane, or Roman party, as in Europe, because of their staunch adherence to the interests of the Papal See. One important reform of the electoral laws was at- tempted. Up to this time the municipalities were in- struments of the president in the matter of the elec- tions. He had the appointment of the officers and they had the naming of the qualified voters for the lists. One vote was sufficient to carry the election and elect, in effect, all the municipal officers and the deputies and senators of the department or province. The new law sought, contained provisions giving to the minority a fair proportional representation, also declaring that the municipal offices should be filled by the party casting the most votes in the municipality. The meas- ure proposed counted a majority in congress, but the president opposed it. In the end a compromise was proposed by the president which was accepted by the radicals. This was, that majorities should elect the deputies ; majorities should have two-thirds, minorities one-third, of the municipal offices ; the election of sen- ators and presidential electors should be in accordance with the old law. The law was approved in this form and put into operation in the year following. The ac- cepting of this compromise by the radicals brought them again into union with the liberals. This was a time of beginnings of great national im- provements. The projection of the transandine line which should connect Santiago and Buenos Ayres, was