New-York tribune., 1886-05-02
CENTRAL AMERICAN UNITY.
EFFORTS MADE TO ACCOMPLISH IT.
MARCO AURIIIO SOTO AID RuFINo BARhios-i"
FoRMfRs HOUSE HERE


ooived have Lately called attention to that PartoI lhe
American continent. In all the chaos which exists III
Central America there is only one th1is 'ei ''' w
tnat Is that there q strong and growing uesro ""os
the intelligent inhabitants for uniy.
The Central American Republic srrang into belnR III
1909 and n people who stl retained portion oi 'h"'
ard vaor of their Castipn ancestors which had made
good the boast OF Charles " that the sun never sol on
his dcmnions began an experiment I'D SCI" eo'crnnen
which they tondy hoped would he as successful as thaI
~ the great Rcpuhlic OF the North But chose peca
1efect. which make 1t difficult for the Latin races
anywhere to govern themselves soon brought anon'
discord and disaster, and after ten years natoh
rosse.sinc some of the fertile soil in the Torld
whose mineral resources were immense and whose
climate, except the coast was as delightful ana
ooule as could bs desired Itself split up into five
dscordant aud belligerent nations.
From time to time have arisen who saw The great
possibilities Of United Central America and have made
efforts to bring together more the severed States
William Walker, the " Great Filibusterer," who ended
his career at Truxllo in 1860 ana EunO Barrlos, VINO
was N led at the battle of Chachuapa last spring we're
the two prominent OF these Had either OF these
men united with their military skill and great genius or
organization any amount of statecraft ard mad not in
both OF them personal ambition been TOO powerful
motive they might have accomplished their work As
Il was they defeated themselves by the very means by
which they sought to achieve success.
william Walker was a young man OF tmr'y-ohe wears
when in 1855 landed with sixty followers on the coast
OF Nicaragua. He had already acquired reputation rs
bold and romantic adventurer 10y his exploits IN
Lower California and he came to offer the services
~ himself and his followers OF the factions then
contendDg the mastery n tho Republic In two years
Walker had conquered all who opposed MN ana WIS
Dictator OF Nicaragua. lie had Thoroughly teSted to
superiority of American soldiers over the native troops
and with legion of 200 men from the states as in
adjunct to the fierce aud brave. but volatile and unds-
Ivitic he
secure enough in his position to play the despot in
Nicaragua, to anagonize the most important American
Interest in that auarter OF the world and 10 extend his
power over all the neighborins republics Guatemala
Honduras and Costa Rica took the alarm ana poured
thousands Of their semi savage warriors toward the
borders of Nicaragua In Nicaragua itself strong
domestic sediton broke out ana agents OF the vanderbilt
Steamship Company furnished literally to the alhed
governments AMI TO the rebels ali and comfort ana the
sinews OF war Walker fought hard, but his dream was
over his throne melted away, and at length, neeins
before the wrath Of people he had yrannizcd over
he went aboard sloOpoiwar St Marys ana surren-
deed himself into the hands OF the Unite States Gov
crnment For nearly three years he lived in the thted
states attempting expeditions ana still cinsns TO his
idea.
Finally in 1860 he landed with eighty followers AT
Truxio in Honduras. and rased the standard OF the
Old Central American Federation An English nan-of-
war forced him to eyacuatc the city and he moved
southwark along the coast. large force OF Hon
duraniaus attacked him AMI after hard ign. walker
WAS taken back TrU Xllo. there % meet hraNciF"
soldiers Walker struggled for the realization ot
q great idea-the unincaiion O. Genital America over
his crave joaquin Miller poured out tributary verse
beginning:
"Ue was a brick. let that be said
Above my brave dishonorei dead
He was below the medium height had cola gray eyes
and was OF taciturn AMI sombrc nature He affected
the ric,ures lue in his dress and confined the sable
ostrich plume IN his souch hat with an immense car
punele which clowed like eye OF fire in the tlckest
OF battle and danger
Ru6no Barros who fell last year at Chalchuara, was
man of whom enemies ami friends alike have said. II
he mad neen civilized lie would have been great man
Tu "A large aud coarse body he nnltci coarse ana
brutal mind. Bat he possessed great 0rganiilng
caraCty undaunted COURAGE, and natural military
genius At the head Of SAVAGE ana nall
nGkcd soldiers he conqmeIed i3I , him himself the tne
tho idea o. Central American unication. From ina,
time al his force and energy We're c1hcehlIale on tdt
one obiect-an object which he all but accom- lshed
Had his carly life oeen sp"nt In Europe oI the United
Lecame" BarTio. When Barrios assumed the Presi-
dency o Guatemala he found there as one OF the MN In
s most hitt he the most astute statesman
that Central America seen The unncatlon or
Central had been the day dream or sOios me-
anI in the energy power OF Barrios lie saw means
of it, iuhlment. Could the genius Of BaIros ana the
genius of soto have been am anatcd ana nave Woihel
tremendously together Central America WOnlh to-day
Az the point of the sword Barros made apoheca
named Zadiva President OF salvador next to Guatemaa
/ most powerful nation III tcntlal Niucflca. litFe
could not have been more unfortunate selection
ZadiVa possessed not one good quaHtN. BarTlO5 WAS
warned that Ia.dva could not be trusted out tue Presl
dent OF salvador was SO a9ecty ueoIenal 20 NM ta.
he refused to believe that lie could not use NM az e
Wished Hondura. being IN state OF anarchy. Barnos
besOught soto, VINO was NATIVE OF 'nat conS' 10 t'he
the Presidency there. Many letters urging soto 10 come
AmapaIna declared in lis favor so Soto went and
without lighting battle was installed at Iesucgapa as
President OF Honduras. BOgran, now President Ol
Honduras General OF Division and as early as lSI9
be.an 10 plot against soto Barrios left TO himself 9reW
/ a fVrait li
which he would not have done he had been surFonndei
by proper Influences lie had done much Tor Guatemala
ana had improved the army greatly In the neishbor0g
republics, however, his name had become one WIN
which mothers ri shtenet their children. some three
years ago visited this county and some OF the nows-
ral Published articles saying that 500 aud not
Central Ameiica. He returned home tu Of suspicion
/ against ana began to aid the plots OF Boeran;
Finally threatened at home by the plots OF osran and
/ viii the Overwhelming power OF Guatemala and sal
vad0r nenacinc him. soto resigned and rstred to private
Bosran became President. i year last month
Barrios issued his proclamation OF unhcntion and sent
word 10 TIE Presidents OF all the Central American
republics that lie assumed the supreme military com
mand for the purpose Of enectne Union As soon as
THIS was known ID S"NaNoi the peOpc Tose a. one ibl
| A bowling uob surrounded the palace OF Zaidva and
he could not JON him. rhe salvadorian army then
started fol tho Guatemaan frontier ana forced Zadiya
prepared TO Join arrOs. But Costa Rica and Nicaragua
/ sprsns arms and the Nlcaragnans under General
Emilio Dcgado teIed the HOniuraninn territory and
efcctualy prevented Bosran from sending AID 10
Barrlos When Barrcs received Zaldivas dispatch he
WA. .uTrOun i6f by his stan
Or. Zaldiva intends to play the traitor ho OK
! claimed. Gentlemen, forward TO salvador
| ON April ., year ago tho Two armies mot at
Cha!chuapa. The Sa!vadorianS 5000 strong occul ei
| three lines OF inrenclmenis. Barro5 win 2o.upo
! men stormcd tnem. Two lines oi intrem ,hmcnts had
been carried when word brot gAt 10 bArrlO- that
te Ahaua Bri ale refuse; hVht under their Colonel
because he had shot Oi his officer, Tor cpwaTdcc
Bariics spnfred his horse in front ot the mutnons
| brlgade aud shouted, VIII you h1ht dnier me I
/
viva General BaIrios' We will de Tor Earlio.;'
ehoutoi the soldiers and With rush followed ln over
tire third in,renchment TLem IL That he fell,
percsd bv tho bullet o. q SalvalnIlu -hlrp-hpOtcr.
BaIii0s f., ne.dW spreat through the lanks Of the
Guatclualil- and head by the Salyadorans. The
sslyadJrlali- rallied an cane with rush.
We have nothing to fight for now" faid the
Guatemalaus, and ia an Instant an arMy OF 2).VVD
victorious troops was CHANGED into "a neeng nab.
BaIrs succeeded to the res icncy Of GuateualI and
Zdiga escaped from the wrath OF BIS subjects b} going
| on board freight steamer and paying au immense