BALMACEDA, JOSE MANUEL president of the republic of Chile, was born in Santiago in 1838, of wealthy parents. In his early days he was chiefly concerned in industrial and agricultural enterprise. In 1865 he was one of the repre sentatives of the Chilean government at the general South Ameri can congress at Lima, and after his return obtained distinction as an orator in the national assembly. After some diplomatic missions abroad, he became successively minister of foreign af fairs and of the interior under the presidency of Senor Santa Maria, and, in the latter capacity carried compulsory civil mar riage and several other laws obnoxious to the clergy.
In 1886 he was elected president; but, in spite of his great capacity, his imperious temper soon had him irreconcilably at variance with the majority of the national representatives, and on Jan. 1, 1891, he sought to terminate an intolerable situation by refusing to convoke the assembly and ordering the continued collection of the taxes on his own authority. This led to the Chilean Civil War of 1891, which ended in the overthrow of Balmaceda. He committed suicide on Sept. 18, 1891, the anni versary of his elevation to the presidency.