The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1894-10-31
BOUNDARY LINE DISPUTE.
Cause of the Contention Between M sA
leo and Guate

| Cause OF the Contention Between M OK
leo and Guate mala.
/ WASHINGTON, Oct. 2S-Seror Lazo Arr
ga. the Guatemalan minister, made state
ment in regard to the political diff1cultie
between his country and Mexico.
with the object of ending the old ant
vexatious boundary question, the prelimi
nary basis for definite treaty was agreet
upon and signed in New York city On The
18th of August, 1882. and the formal treaty
was subscribed to on the eth of September
| The same year. III the preliminary treaty
it was agreed, among other points, that in
the demarkation of the boundary line &C.
tual possession should be generally consid.
cred the base, but that both governments,
by agreement. could change this rule by
making mutual compensations; that, until
the boundary line Is marked, each of the
contraction, parties should aspect the party
in actual possession; and that. in the event
said parties should not agree about the to.
tai or partial designation of the line. the
differences that would rise should be settled
by arbitration Of the president of the Unit
ed States of America.
THE definite treaty provides that the
parallel beginning near 1xbul shall run east
10 Usumacinta river, ii this river was TO be
reached in that direction, or to the Chixoy
river If the former was not in the way OF
said parallel. This parallel did not reach
Usumacinta, this river being north of it,
and according TO the treaty. said parallel
should have stopped at Chixoy river, but
the Mexican engineers endeavored to pro-
long it to the Cancuen river, under a ground
less assertion that this is the Usumacinta
river, thus giving Mexico over one thou
said square miles Of Guatemalan territory.
The government Of Guatemala made very
strong protest The reon, and the Mexican
government accepted its views of this
point, although under conditions that no
other similar questions should arise.
There were no other difficulties, in fact,
except very small differences in the work of
the engineers, but this they think can be
arranged by themselves.
"In the meantime each of the govern.
ments has preserved, according to the
treaty, the dominion OF the respective terri.
tories that will be annexed by tina other
upon the final gem arkation OF the boundary
line. and the authorities Of the two coun-
tries have granted concessions to cut ma
hogany in SAID territories. From an inn
memorial time Guatemala has been in pos
session, never questioned before by Mexico.
OF large portion OF the land located on the
west side of the Chixoy and Usumacinta
rivers, and upon this territory being in
vaded recently by Mexicans, the Guatema-
Ian authorities were obliged to expel and
protest against the invasion. asking at the
same time for Cue explanation but the
Mexican government now asserts that said
territory belongs 10 Mexico. evidently be-
ing misnlormed by its engineers. The
government of Guatemala had not then,
nor has at present. any armed force OUTSIDE
of its own territory"
Senior Arrige believes that as soon as the
Mexican government is informed of the
real facts it will change its attitude toward
Guatemala and also believes that a war be-
tween the two nations is very improbable
contingency. not only because the present
difficulties are not of great Importance. but
chiefly because the treaty provides that ali
questions incident to the demarkation of
the boundary line shall be settled as above
stated. by civilized methods Of arbitration.
Should actual d. tlicuities, he added, reach
this point. The president of the united
States wi be inv ted to act as arbitrator.