Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1890-08-06

lin CENTRAL AMERICA
AMY RES0uRcEs or THE FIVE
REPUBLICS.
oaevsaor - Dnaaisss - Area. Dat Physi.
ea1ly 49, . naase : 0esd senad-What
9snAugas. Ceeea Rtsa, Nioasagsa and
Gsaes0ais : sShew h Csss - wsr
IA New York SINUS Washipgton special
says: Although " speak Of Little Salva.
DOR IN comparing her with the mors
powerful nsiRhboS against whom shs u
assaysd, the term ID deceptive. Smallest
u area Of the Central American republics
she certainly y. having : length OF about
ITO miles, % average breadth Of 43, and
containing only 7,22S square miles. This
10 but little moro than ) third Of the area
Of Costa Rica, mot much above . sixth Of
that Of Honduras, less than = sixth OF
G~uatsmala's, which contains 46, TIA square
miles, and less than . seventh OF Nicsra-
gus's which contains $1,000. Salvador,
however, u much the most dsnssly peopled
Of the ave republics. While the the popu-
lation Of 0uatsmala ct the beginniug oflast
rear was Lar, lie, that Of Salvador must
have bssn ak least about half ~ great ct
that time, since 3 count In 1857 had given
her GA, 513 inhabitants. She 10 easily the
nAnnnA - A. 49, >~~h1i>. g. -~.rls:n~
and has for . long time disputed the efforts
OF the latter to leadership in Central
Americs. Perhaps she aspires herself to
be the keystone Of the arch, holding an
intermediate position between the two
northern republics and the two southern.
She has double the population Of Honduras,
which in the census Of 1857 showed 33l, 9l7
inhabitants, and OF course greatly sur
passes Nicaragua, which the year previous
vas credited With 262, 272, and also Costa
RicA, which about the same time had
ais, 765.
While these figures reveal the extreme
numerical possibilities Of the i've republics
for recruiting their armies. their existing
military forces show results relatively
somewhat different, In consequence Of the
different degrees Of importance attached by
them to standing armies, and also 10 the
differences in their financial condition.
Guatemala, which has nearly - many peo-
pie ~ the four other republics combined,
hes . still greater preponderanoe in her
regular army, yet 10 mol Ia good financial
shape Tor going to wsr. NominAlly the act
i've troops Of !Guatsmala ars Ia, 500 strong,
which would give about halt ~ large an
army - our own; but actually the numbsr
may bs less. Her militia ia put down At
20, 900 men. aud this force might fairly be
increased BY taking in such numbers % are
wrongly ascribed to the regulars. Saliva.
dor maintains an active army Of only 1900
men, with . militia Of $4,000. The reports
imply that she has a:tua.ly mobllixed .
much greater force than is ascribed TO her
active establishment.
Honduras is said to keep mp an army Of
only 500 meo, with Q militia Of 5000; and
she is justified In mourning No greater mil
itary expense, in view OF the condition of
her finances and her large foreign debt.
Besides, since her policy is so closely
allied with that of Guatemala, whom she
10 backing mp now - in 1885, she can leavs
to her more powerful neishbor the task Of
furnishing the bulk Of their combined mil
itsry Nicaragua, which has .
special need Of troops In visw Of her rela-
tions to the inter oceanic canal, maintains
1900 man, with . reserve of 10000 more,
and . national guard Of 5000. In proper
tion to her population she 10 in good mill.
tary trim, and, having . very small debt
she 10 In good financial circumstances, with
excellent prospects in tho canal. Costa
RIGA has 500 men on her active list, with q
militia OF $4,000. This little state has Of
late years several times bristled mp in a
belligerent way toward Nicaragua, 10 spite
Of the larger military force Of the latter.
Her late president, Gen. Bernardo Soto,
10 probably one Of the best of the Central
American soldiers, aud took . lively inter-
ct in the military affairs Of the republic,
having under him CarAxo and Fernandez
- general officers.
Should Salvador receive the hearty sup
port of Costa RIGA and Nicaragua she
would evidently b able to make q good
stand against Guatemala and Honduras,
6ghtiug ON her own soil.4 Butthe question
Of their attitude in the present difSculty is
0Vt 4u4N9 Ok0OAs A00y oS0 sAASAy ~ 6t8uu
together in most matters affecting ths
Central American union, concerning which.
they arc palpably inclined to temporize.
They supported the q Of Salvador
against Guatsmala i've years ego, but Zal.
divar. Who them successfully resisted the
invasion Of Baxrios, was, beyond dispute,
the lawful president Of Salvador, and had
been 20 for years, whereas Ezeta, her pro.
visional ruler now, governs In virtue Of his
sudden overthrow Of Menesdex, who kad
been his friend, and his title is not unques
toned.
The G~aatemaians aver that there 10
now . factioa 10 Salvador fighting Ezeta,
aud that il was this faction, perhaps aided
BY Guatemalian s~ympathizers, which was
concerned in the battle recently reported.
They cite the fact that the commanding
general vas Villivicsncio,s Salvadoriau, to
support this view. They also speak coz.
Adsntly Of Costa RIGA and Nicaragua unit
ing with Guatemala and Honduras in
calling upon Essta TO resign. But In that
they evidently take consul Of their wishes.
Exeta's banner IL that Of opposition to
Central American union. Nov, although
Nicaragua and Costa RIGA have accepted
the project Of union through their re-
spectivs presidents, yet both havs post
ponsd until 1891 Legislative action upon it
for Ito ratification or rejection. Costa
Rioa, hovsvsr. has courteously declared
that she does 20 without prejudice to any
thing that may hs Effected under The plan
for starting the maohinssy Of The union
this year.
Al I'll events the forsgoing are The fsSsss
and resources which the COUNTRIES con.
cssnsd can inmsdiatsly rely upon. Many
q ~ troops are veil armsd with modern
rides Of exoellOnt pattern. The talk Of |