The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-07-10
CENTRAL AMERICAN REPUBLICS
Trouble Brewing Over the Proposed Confedera-
tion-Menandtz z, Qaaih

Trouble Brewing Over the Proposed Confedera.
tion-Meuendt Death.
WASHINGTON, July 9.-That trouble is
brewing among the Central American re-
publics over the proposed confederation,
which may result at any moment in war, is
manifest from the latest advices received in
this city. The jealousy and distrusl with
which each country views the designs of
the other, together with other matters, the
chief Of which is the great disparity in the
respective national debts and the local ad-
vantages OF the Nicaragua Canal, have COM
bined to raise the bitterest opposition to a
scheme which would link together in one
nation the Central American republics Of
Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, San Sal
Vador and Guatemala. Among the diplo-
mates here 1t Is talked that Instead OF draw
ing to a peaceful and amicable settlement
the imbroglio is daily becoming more COM
plicated.
The story of the death of President
MenendeZ of San Salvador Is given as fol-
lows: At the banquet table small bottle
OF wine was set apart for the Presidents S
own use: In fact, the guests surrounding
him had bottles of similar character
During the progress of the banquet the
President complained of not feeling well
and asked to be excused. He retired to a
room and in a few minutes was seized with
c0nvulsions, frothed at the mouth and
turned livd. Medical aid was summoned,
but without avail. Within thfee-quarters
OF an hour the ifeleSs body was all that
was left of the President of San Salvador.
General EZeta was at once summoned, aud
collecting all his available forces, he
marched to the White House and took pos
session of the Presidency, causing his
soldiers and remaining guests to proclaim
him Provisional President
The following morning General EZeta
summoned the same Ministers who were
with President Menendez and requested
them to remain in office subject to his or
ders. This the Cabinet agreed to do, but
within twenty-four hours General Ezeta
made himself master of the situation, dis
banded the Cabinet and selected new men
known to be opposed to Guatemala'S scheme
to secure control in San Salvador, and who
were more i'll accord with the will of the
people at large. As soon as EZeta formed
a new Cabinet he found the Guatemalan
faction III San Salvador maturing plans for
his overthrow. The rngleaders in the plot
were summarily dealt with. No less than
thirty were shot and about forty were eX-
lied from the country. The garrisons at
the seaports and on the frontiers are being
re-enforced and San Salvador to-day may be
fairly said to maintain an armed peace. The
military, which had been considerably re-
duced during MenendeZ' administration, is
now being re-enforced and all civilians are
liable to military duty.
Nicaragua, learning of this, became con-
siderably alarmed. As she desired to avoid
bloodshed she consulted with Costa Rica,
and efforts are being made on the part of
these two republics to induce San Salvador
to promise not to lend her aid to any
movement toward union that may be ac-
compaGied by force.
The Nicaraguan Canal is playing an i'm
portant part in the matter. The interests
of both Costa Rica and Nicaragua are akin
in this enterprise, even were 1t necessary
to use desperate measures to avoid submit
ting in any way to Guatemala. Both Me
aragua and Costa Rica have the idea in
view of entering into a confederation with
the United States of Colombia. The prime
outlook of this limited federation is protec-
ton to mutual interests on one side and
the control of the only interoceanic commu-
nicati0n on the American continent on the
other. Should this federation take place
the keynote to all Pan-American enter
prises VIII, it is said, be held by the three
countries named.