The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-08-05
How the Yellow Axtecs Hate the 0uaee.
malans-Barlllas Roundly Dsnounosd
-Baldivar the Traitor.


and God knows, the Aztecs have reason to
abhor the Guatemalans.
'sRivas led the army that slew Barrios,
the Guatemalan hero president, as he was
termed. Rivas made Menendez, recently
assassinated, president Of Salvador. Rivas
was Of gigantic size, sixty five years of age,
having strain of Aztec blood in his veins.
His manner and bearing at the head of his
battalions was kingly as his courage was
dauntless and his strength enormous. He
was most generous and loved his people.
II know nothing Of Ezeta. the acting
president of Salvador, but do know that
Rivas hated the proposed Central American
Union, and to this extent and no further
differed from the late President Menendez.
l once visited Rivas with Menendez and
heard their discussion of the question.
Kivas, Me1endez and fifty more Of Rivas'
friends and soldiers slept one night on the
white sandy shore of Lake Hopango, almost
within the confines of Rivas' capital.
Rivas then said that Guatemala might some
day govern Salvador by the state Of Cuz-
"He was standing in the doorway of Pres
ident Menendez's house in his capital, San
ported, it was supposed. by the Mexican
army, threatened the capital. The people
were frightened. Menendez's army was
only 25OO strong. He confessed that he was
almost at his Wits ends. He was about to
appeal to the United States that his people
might escape butchery and their wives and
daughters worse fate at the hands of the
savages of Guatemala. Then it was that
from three to five thousand Aztec market
women came in body to the President,
asking him to arm them. They stated they
would die rather than suffer a Guatemalan
to cross tho border of Salvador.
"The sun had not set before 10000 Axtecs
were armed and ready to die for Salvador.
The Guatemalan spies told the story across
the confines of coterminous republics and
Barillas's soldiers vanished.
Let me add that Barillas, the usurper
and tyrant of Guatemala, is hardly better
than Zaldivar, the monstrous robber and
traitor who sold Salvador to Barrios but
failed because of the devotion and courage
of Rivas to deliver the little republic to the
purchaser. This man Zaldivar, through one
Moran and through Barillas, is now seek
ing to recover possession of Salvador and
it is possible that Rivas was forced by this
fact to apparent cooperation with Ezeta,
who is usurper and an adventurer. But
this one fact is fixed. that if Rivas had lived
the Central American union would no more
have been possible than desirable, and
Ezeta would have been compelled to restore
the republic. Rivas was the real master of
Salvador and he was as honest as he was
fearless and capable"
Speaking of the trade with San Salvador,
the gentleman said the American consul in
duoed a protter in San Francisco of pre-
miums for the first specimens Of coffee pro-
duoed in Central America.
''Then the United States consul proposed
to supplement French wines sold In Saliva
dor at dollar bottle, with California
wines at ten cents bottle. and a market
was thus provided in Central America for
California -four and potatoes and for wheat
to be ground in Salvador. We were to re-
ceive India rubber, gum. tolu, chocolate and
indigo free.
Menendez and his cabinet approved this
reciprocity scheme that would have gwen
IN finally, through the magnificent harbor
Of Salvador, a monopoly of the commerce of
Central America, but then Mr.. Blaine re-
fused to assent to the scheme and two
thirds Of the products of Salvador go to the
open ports of England and to Germany,
Italy and France, and California lost enor-
mously."