Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-09-29
NEAR The ISTaMUS.
ANOTHER LETTER FkOM CENTRAL
AMERICA.
How the Cha otic and Diminu,iye
Republics OF the Isihmus Are
Supposed 70 be Governed.

Supposed TO be Governed.
Especial Correspondence of the RECORD UNION
San JOSE &C. r. J, SEP tember II, 1888.
Next to San Salvador, Costa Riea is tn
smallest of the Central An erican States
yet it is considered the most liberal, ex
cept in the matter of religion, which i
intensely Roman Catholic As an ipstancj
of her liberality, it may be mentioned tha
only last month the Government author
lied loan Of three hundred thousand dol
lars for the erection of school-houses.
The people are divided into three classes
whites, mestizos (the offspring of whites
and lndians), and the aboriginal inhabit-
ants; the population, all told, numbering
about lSG,e00, four-ffths of whom have
more Indian than European blood in their
veins. The Ave tiny Republics known
collectively as Central America have
all together an area of little more than
lIo,OO0 square miles, and contain not quite
three millions of inhabitants.
| "A
RADIO completed the conquest of this ssection
Gin 1929, it remained subject to Spain till
about sixty years ago, when the five colo
nies formed themselves into Federal Re
public of independent States This con-
federation was dissolved in 1889, and then
followed series of unions and disseIu-
tions, till sixteen years ago, when an
earnest effort was made to restore the
former confederation. At that time (1S72)
four of the States-Guatemala not confer
ring-indorsed, through their Minister
Plenipotentiary, certain stipulations, in
cluding an agreement to protect the au-
tonomy of this Central American terri
tory, to extend republican principles, pro-
mote progress, and-above ALTO support
one another.
The agreement, however, seems to have
held good only so long as it suited the
schemes of interested politicians. The old
question of uniting the five Republics un-
der one Government is still the bone of
contention; and even now there are ru-
mors of war, stirred up by the Unionists,
or the "Soto party" as it is called The
quid nul,cs assert that a secret conference
was lately held in Costa Rica's Capital, be-
| tween the President Of this State, San Sal
vador and Nicaragua, for the purpose of
agreeing upon an ultimatum to offer to the
rulers of Guatemala and Honduras, pro-
claiming new Central American Union.
General Zaldivar-ex-President of San
Salvador, who led the troops of that State
against those of Guatemala when Parrios
was killed-wisely secured the inaugnra-
tion of his friend and ally, General Fran
! cisco Menedoz as his successor in the ex-
I Il
whence he returned via New York, aud
lately arrived in Costa Rica-with mis-
chievous intention, it is believed While
in Paris, as the accredited agent of San
Salvador, he negotiated heavy loan for
his Government, ostensibly to be used in
railroad building; and it is alleged that he
also secured promises of more material
support from France in furtherance of
projected operations against Guatemala
and Honduras-as if the French had not
already been sufficiently punished by
Mexico for meddling with affairs in this
part of the world.
The leading spirit of the scheme is ex-
President Marco Aurelio Soto, Zaldivars
closest friend and a near relative, Ber-
nardo Soto, the present ruler of Costa
Rica. The Unionists claim to have not
only the unanimous support of three Cen
tral American States, but large following
in the other two, and they also assert that
Secretary Bayard has promised, in case Of
successful issue, the prompt recognition
and support of the United States
Though these so-called Republics pro-
fess to be patterned from the United States,
and their Constitution copied from hers,
the principles of republicanism here
abouts are not like those which you of the
North subscribe to. Let me give you
few examples:
In these States all mediums of COM
munication, such as the press, the tele-
graphs and the postal service, are entirely
subservlent to the powers that be- Some
time ago the country was distressed by re-
ports of a terrible battle in Honduras, in
which it was asserted that large body Of
Unionists had been killed, and those who
had relatives in the army were almost
crazed between uncertainty and apprehen-
sion. As the account was never verified,
and as the only wire in Honduras is di-
rectly under the Presidents control, it is
now believed that those graphic dispatches
were manufactured and sent by Erogan's
order simply to discourage Sotos friends in
New York and Paris.
The late President Barrios, of Guate-
mala, who is said to have made the best
ruler his State ever had, was fair speci-
men of the Central American executive
His ways of enforcing allegiance were as
cruel as effective; he ruled by no law but
his own will, and the people-having
borne the weight of tyranny for nearly
half century-rendered the most abject
obedience. A case in point is that of
Senor Guzman, a merchant of lnezalte
mango, who had served as Colonel under
Macmillan in Mexico, and had subse-
quently dabbled little in politics, but
never Extensively. This merchant was cne
day walking on the highway, in the regu-
lar course of his business when he chaneed
to meet President Barrios riding in his
carriage. The two gentlemen saluted one
another with politeness, and each passed
on his way. An hour later Guzman was
arrested, by order Of the President, and
thrown into prison, and until after Bar
rios timely taking off (more than two
years afterward) Though he had had no
trial and no charges had ever been pre-
ferred against him, and he himself was en-
tirely ignorant of the nature of his effense
he was still incarcerated, and had been
made to suffer the most atrocious treat
ment. A chain was rlVeted to MS leg,
which had actually worn into the flesh,
and at Barrios command more than
thousand lashes had been administered to
| him from time to time.
| An American gentleman who has spent
much time in Guatemala, tells me that
when Barrios had any motive for repri-
manding citizen, whether an editor, an
official or private dividual-whatever
his political or social station-he sum-
moned the offender to his Office; then, after
stating in the presence of his aides-de-
camp the cause or pretext of complaint, he
would address the most insulting words to
the victim of his displeasure and hit him
across the face with rawhide that was
always at hand. If the man resisted, the
aides-de-camp pitched in also, and it fire.
quently happened that the unfortunate
fellow was nearly killed by the heavy,
kicks and blows he received, and after the.
ignominious punishment, bore on his face.
the marks of shame and in his heart the
conviction that only by silent submission.
could he escape repetihon of the indig--
mites
Among hundreds of stories that ars told
i IL L - IL