The morning call., 1893-10-04
CENTRAL AMERICAN Fedora.
TlON.

A constituent assembly IL now in session
at MaDagua in Nicaragua. and by this time
a plan of Central American confederation
has been laid before it by President Zelaya
of Nicaragua. The plan is understood to
be on the same lines as this project which
was frame some ten or twelve years ago by
the late President Barrios of Guatemala,
and has been approved by the present exec
utive of that State. President Reyna Bar
rios. President VasqueZ of Honduras has
com mitted himself in writing to its support.
OF the probable action of the two remain
ing States nothing is positively known.
President Rodriguez Of Costa Rica is said
to be favorable to consolidation, but few
years ago the people of San Jose allowed
provisional jealousy to influence them to
such an extent that our Minister. Mr.. Miz-
ner. thought it worth while to lecture them
on the subject. Whether they are now in
a moro sensible frame Of mind is not
known. In Salvador the same opposition
to union, based on the same reasons, has
been manifested among portion of the
people. President Ezeta, however, pro-
tests that he does not share the feeling
and that his State will not stand in the
way.
As on former occasions 1t is the small
States which oppose union for fear of
being overslaughed. Costa Rica and Sal
vador are repeating the performance Of
Rhode Island and Georgia at the time our
cons stitution was framed. Whether the
recalcitrants can be whipped into line de-
pends on the extent to which common
sense prevails at San jose and Libertad.
In the Central American States personal
politics dominate to such an extent that
the last time confederation was proposed
the opposition Of the petty leaders was
only overcome by an agreement that the
President Of the confederacy should be
chosen alternately from each State in turn.
Costa Rica and Salvador refused to con-
sent to the creation of Central American
nation until the larger States promised
they should have the Presidency once in
five terms.
Events may force their hand at any
time. Colombia covets a portion of the
territory Of Costa Riea; Mexico claims
that large share Of northern Guatemala
belongs 10 her; Salvador is becoming so
turbulent that we may hear any day of
Outrages on American citizens, which may
compel our interference. Common pru-
dence would dictate preparation for such
accidents by coalition which would make
the concern of each State the business of
all. All is now serene; there Is no sign
of trouble in the sky; but international
disturbance breaks out when it is least
expected; foreign war is often declared as
safety valve for domestic fermentation.
A Central American nation with a pop
ulation of three millions and a territory
which could support ten times as many
would be power which would have to
be reckoued with. Whereas, as ma tiers
stand, the FIVE States are in no condition
TO resist any foreign demand for damages,
however arbitrary or eXtravagant 1t might
be. The five Central American States
exist by the good will of foreign nations.
Every maritime power has in the pigeon
holes of its Foreign Office complaints
against one or more of them, which, when
ever convenience served, might be enforced
at the cannon's mouth. If Bismarck had
retained power the independence of more
than one Of them might have now been in
jeopardy.
II no such accident occurs the five States
have fair prospect OF material pro sperity.
There is possibility that they might lead
Brazil in the production of coffee. They
yield caoutchouc, mahogany, dye woods,
sugar, tobacco. pineapples, bananas, rice
and sugar. But their chief resource is the
position they occupy on the isthmus which
divides the trade of the Atlantic from the
trade of the Pacific. That is vantage
ground which can never be taken from
them. At the present time there is but
one channel Of communication from ocean
to ocean. But the Nicaragua canal will
surely be built some day, and some day
railroads will be opened from Golfo Dolce
to San Jose de Guatemala, from Chriqui
to David in Costa River, and possibly
across the long mesa of Honduras. Money
Tor this enterprise cannot be obtained so
long as the five States are small, iarring.
disorderly communities; but there is no
reason why a Central American confed-
eracy should not obtain credit in the
markets of the world.