The morning call., 1893-11-09
THE HONDURAS OUTRAGE.

The Central Americans are worthy peo-
pie and good friends of ours. but it is in
convenient to conduct intercourse with a
race which continually punctuates it with
episodes of violence. A few years ago at
the port of San Jose de Guatemala an
American vessel was boarded and one of
her passengers killed; now another Amer
lean vessel, off the port of Amapala, in the
Bay of Fonseca, Honduras, has been fired
at from the shore on the excuse that Cen
trail American political refugee was on
board. 1t is time that this sort of thing
was stopped.
In the Barrundia case the United States
plainly intimated to the Central American
powers that the deck of an American
steamer In Central American ports cannot
be violated to capture political offender.
No more can a steamer be fired upon for
that purpose. The Hondurans either
never learned or have forgotten that les
son. Ignorance IS 80 prevalent in some
parts of Central America that the authori-
ties of Amapala may not have known that
they were committing an outrage. A little
education on the subject will do them
good.
Honduras f1ourishes in state of chronic
anarchy. Last year the President was one
Leiva. He was overthrown by q popular
movement, and in August. 1892 he was
superseded by Doctor BOnilla. This Off
cial, in his turn, was overthrown few
weeks ago. and having wholesome dread
of Central American revolutionary tribu-
nails he fled the country and got on board
the American steamer Costa RIGA. 1t was
20 compel his surrender that the gunners
at Amapala fred on the vessel. If Hon.
duras were responsible power our Min
lister, Mr. Baker. who happened to be on
the Costa Rica at the time, would make a
representation to the Government and
Honduras would make an apology. salute
the flag, and, perhaps, tender a small in
demnity. Doctor Bonilla's successor will
doubtless 60 through these forms, but they
will constitute no guarantee for the future.
Whenever another refugee makes his
escape to an American vessel the outrage
is as likely as not to be repeated.
The English method is brutal, but it is
effective. In dealing with powers like
Honduras, it is with them a word and a
blow, and quite often the blow comes be-
fore the word. That is the kind of lesson
which half-civiliZed communities learn
easily and remem Der long. 1t is notable
that English subjects enjoy a respect
throughout Central America which Ameri-
cans rarely command If the Secretary of
the Navy should send the Alliance-now
at Acajutla-to Fonseca Bay with orders
TO demand numbering indemnity, under
penalty, in case ii were not paid within
twenty-four hours. TO occupy Tigre Island
and expel the inhabitants, the story would
soon come to the ears of every Central
American, and we should hear of no more
Outrages on the American flag.
1t would better the condition of affairs
if the Central Americans would form a
confederation with which foreign powers
could deal. Last year. we were told,
everything was ripe for union; now the
contamination seems as distant as ever.
Young Barrios has followed his uncle's
example, and proclaimed himself Dictator
of Guatemala. His aim, like the old gen.
eral's, is union through conquest. In this
country we cannot judge whether or no
that policy is sound. Thus far it has
always failed. There is so much money
and so much prestige in the Presidency of
these small States that their public men
refuse 10 assent to change which would
reduce them to the position of clerks of
Federal President