The morning call., 1893-05-27
MORNING CALI, FRANCISCO. SATURDAY MAY a

had lust deserted they encountered two
helpless ponies and three native women.
Without word of warning one of the
sriugoes raised his gun and shot one of
lowed his example by emptying their
magazines at the unarmpd innoceDts vii h
the result that five bodies were lett to tell
the tale.
This incident is quoted to explain the
cruel and cutthroat character OF the pres
ent Fl !ht.
In the principal cities very little is heard
but rnmors of the quiet work of these bor-
der ruffians
Both Honduras and Nicaragua are
greatly impoverished, so far as the CON-
mon people are concerned, on account of
continued revolutions.
Import taxes on every article of cloIhing
and modern agricultural, machinery has
kept the masses of the country in state
OF standardization.
Along the borders and In the interior
some of the population is nearly on the
verge of starvation, living almost entirely
on fruits and berries.
Great bitterness of feeling is cited as ex-
isting among the pe0nle of the different
sections of Granada. Nicaragua and Leon.
Almost three -cornered war of the nature
of Indian warfare is waged between the
people of these respective provinces.
Over this established triangular tend the
Government has no power. In fact, the
Government does not attempt 10 protect
ANYBODY or anything outside of its capital.
In Honduras the party at present con-
trolling the balance of power is as rotten
politically as was the old regime.
Regarding the fight between the rival
capitals OF Ncaragua. United States Com
missioner William Elroy Curtis is quoted
as having, during the early part Of the
troubles, hired boat to come ashore at
,.f yuhi m,
being rowed ashore he questioned one of
the crew a $ to which town OF the Interior
was the capital of Nicaragua.
"Managna." answered one.
Granada" replied another with curse.
No" said q third. Leon is the capi-
tai"
The result was that all fell to fighting
and Curtis barely escaped with his life.
Quite a good deal of space is devoted to
incidents of press censorshipS and the
maintenance of postoffice spies.
The Government controls part of the
telegraphic wires ana the revolutionary
party the other part.
On one occasion, about six weeks ago, or
in the early part IF April, a dispatch had
been fled at San Juan del Sur giving an
account of one of the battles fought about
that time.
The message came from the interior from
newspaper correspondent.
The operator had just started to trans
nit it. What are you sending?" asked a
Government officer. The operator replied
giving the purport of the telegram.
Give me that message" said the SOL
der L was handed him, and half an hour
later it was transmitted in entirely differ
ent words from those in which it was
riginally written.
Manacua is the hotbed of The revolu.
tioniSts. Sympathizers of the Zayalla
cause are gathered there in thousands. and
law and order is set aside. Street fighting
Is frequent.
An attack was expected on the town on
April % and troops were stationed at the
corners of the streets. No enemy came SO
they got to fighting among themselves
Al night long he streets were filled witt
drunken wretcheS, who shot at any and
every body who happened TO be passing.
Residents were obliged to bar theil
doors and ass the night In misery and
terror. The next morning in walk o1
two squares nine dead and mutilated
bodies were observed lying in doorway.
and cutters.
Sacaza OF Nicaragua has been steadily
robbing his subjects since he secured pos
session of the Presidency.
Leiva OF Honduras spirited over S3000,-
600 out of the country.
Scarcely cent has been spent By either
republic for public Improvement, and pub
tic education is dead letter.
The better classes are heartily sick anG
tired Of misTule, revolutions and robbery
and are between two fires. 1t is inmate
rial to them which side wins, for these
victories are always followed by a contn IL
ance of old grievances in a still more az
gravated form.
Export and import taxes have been col.
lected in sufficient sums to run doZer
honest governments, but dictators are
clasbing Tor power, and it costs money tt
ma a;ntain armies.
The port of C0rinto is not molested tC
any extent, only small handful of mer
being kept there to guard the town.
To give due credit tn the Nicsraguans
the property of the Nicaragua canal has
not been molested and in several instances
when trouble was expected at Rivas or any
town rear the line OF the canal, botf
Government and revolutionists have taker
care to detail troo TO protect the Cana
Company's property.
Bloody and heartess as have been the
battles,and skirmisnes. foreigners have mo-
been troubled. 1t is a civil war in every
respect of the word, family row without
purpose or plans.
All the vain boasts of the Nicara guar
G vernment about building the cana
itself are flung to the winds, for Nicaragua
is bankrupt and its fighting leaders, pro-
gressive party and Governm ent, have all
the peoples money.