The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1890-07-30

IRE Five Little Republicans May
Ali be InbrclIsd.

Central Amesic rests uneasiiy- 6uatefna-
ia the largest, and san Salvador the smallest
Of the i've IIlsIe republics are At war. II is
alleged that the former wants to force
union Of the Central American states, that
| General Menendez the President Of san Sal
vador whose term was abrabt;y close1
shorf time ago by revolt and assassination,
was but an eruissary Of Guatemala, and that
the latter has Provoked tue preseat quarrel.
When the suspicion became somewhat gen
erai ia Salvador that Menendrz WAS really
working in the interests Of Guatenizla and
favorei the scheme OF union, be was ASSES
sinste5 The later country fund in this
act = preiext TO send an army across the
frontier. whereIpon the splinky little repub-
lie promptly met her Zoe ia the field, and,
with smaller force, routed the invaders
and carried the war into Guatemala Should
the war continue it is not improbable that
the three other republics may be drawn into
it, In this case it IS likely that Honduras
will espouse the cause OF Gusiemaa, and
Costa Rica and Nicarasna will side with San
Salvador Guatemala then, with her ally.
will have n slight advantage in numerical
strength, but San Salvador is the wealthiest.
comparatively, Of all the little republics
or the five, Guatemala, Honduras and
Nicaragua are each about the size of Penn
sylyanis, Costa Rica is about half rs large
large as Pennsylvania
The population Of Guatemala is about
100000; that of Honduras, $4,000; Nica-
ragua, $4,000; Costa Rica 10000; while
San Salvador, the smalies, of the i've. has
population of G50,0oo, or about half that Of
Guatemala.
The following figures show something of
the relative strength of the two countries
The army of Guatemala consists nominally
Of about :. 2.aD0 men, with an enrolled militia
Of 5000. The total exports ior 1856 con-
sisiing chiefly Of coffee and indigo, were val
ned at 60. 80 i6., and the imports al =. .23S,-
sos.
OF Salvador il is said that its silver and
iron mines are profiably operated It's
principal agricultural products are indigo.
coffee, sugar, and belsam Its imports for
the year 1856 were worth S24s7.6Is its ex-
ports si.7546lS The army numbers 1000
men with 1900 militia. Despite pronunci-
aInentos and disturbance il is a thriving
Commonwealth keeping its expenditures
generally within lis revenues generally with
in its revenues. Il has two lines Of railway
and 80 miles of telegraph.
0fthe other states the people of Nicaragua
are principally engaged in raising cattle
Coffee is the principal product Of Costa Rica,
the crop being abont 100000 pounds an
nually. The exports Of Honduras consists
chiefly of cattle, mahogany, hides, and in
dia rubber, sggregating about 81 ,G00,0OO an
nually.
There is great opposition among the peo-
pie of San Salvador to the scheme Of feder-
al union because they fear the overwheIm-
ing influence that Guatemala would have in
tie council of such union, owing to her
greater population and wealth The reyo-
luton against the rule Of General Menendez |
is ascribed to this feeling. he being regarded
as the willing tool of Guatemala, ready to /
aid her designs.
Guatemala, however, is as determined as
ever to push through the federation scheme,
and she has an active ally in General BogrAm
the president Of Honduras, who is ready and /
willing to sbet the aims OF Guatemala. To- |
gether they would prove too strong for San |
Salvador were it not that Nicaragua and /
Costa Rica must be taken into consideration |
These two states are also ayerse to Federal !
union, and while they tacitly agreed to give
the proposed union favorable consideration
they are only too glad Of an excuse to break
off with Guatemala on this question This
excuse the present crisis affords them, and it
may be safely predicted that should San
Salvador reach a point where she needs
their assistance they will promptly come TO
her relief This would make the contest
about equal, and in that contingency des-
pe-ste conflict may be anticipated.