Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1894-12-07

/
An indemnity, rendered by Mexico as
gracious act for the murder, in 1887,
of Leon Baldwin, an American citizen,
by band OF marauders, in Durango,
! has been accepted, and is being paid in
| installments.
The problem of the storage and use OF
! the waters of the Rio Graude for irriga-
ton should be solved by appropriate
concurrent action of the two interested
countries. Rising in the Colorado
! heights, the stream flows intermittent
| ly, yielding little water during the dry
months to the irrigation channels al
ready constructed along its course.
| This scarcity is often severely felt in the
| regions where the river forms a COM
mon boundary. Moreover, the fire.
Quent changes in its course often raise
embarrassing question of territorial
| jurisdiction.
TIE BLUEFIELDS AFFAIR.
Prominent among the questions of
the year was the Bluefields incident, in
which is known as the Mosquito Indian
strip, bordering on the Atlantic ocean
and within the jurisdiction OF Nicara-
qua. BY the treaty OF 1860, between
Great Britain and Nicaragua, the former
government IN DItSSi9 IttpSlilHCu INC
sovereignty of the latter over the strip,
and limited form of seli-goyernment
was guaranteed to the Mosquito Indians,
to be exercised according to their GUS
tom for themselves and other jewellers
within its limits. The so-calied native
government, which grew to be largely
made up of aliens, for many years dis
puted the sovereignty OF Nicaragua over
the strip, and claimed the right to
maintain therein practically independ-
ent municipal government. Early IN
the past year the efforts of Nicaragua to
maintain sovereignty over the Mosquito
territory led to serious disturbances,
eliminating in the suppression OF the
native government, and the attempted
substitution of an impracticabIe COM
posite administration, in which Nlcara-
qua and alien residents were to particl-
pate. Failure was followed by an in
surrectiOn, which for time, subyerted
Nicaragua rule, expelIing her officers,
and restoring the old organization.
This, in turn, gave place to the existing
local government, established and up
held by Nicaragua. Although the
alien interests, arraigned against MIC
aragua in these transactions, have
been largely American and the COM
merce of that region for some time has
been, and still is, chiefly controlled by
our citizens, we cannot for that reason
challenge the rightful sovereignty Of Mic
aragua over this important part Of
her domain. For some months one, and
during part OF the time, two OF our naval
ships have been stationed at Bluefelds
for the protection ofsall legitimate inter
ests of our citizens. In September last
the governmental Managua expelled
from its territory 12sor more foreigners,
including two Americans, for alleged
participation in the seditious or revOlu-
tionary movements against the republic
at Bluefields already mentioned, but
through the earnest remonstrance OF this
government the Americans have been
permitted to return to the peaceful man
agement OF their business. Our naval
commanders at the scene of these dis
turbances, by their constant exhibition
of tirmness and good Judgment, contrib
uted largely to the prevention OF more
serious consequences, and to the resto-
ration of quiet and order. | regret that
in the midst OF these occurrences there
happened most grave and irritating
failure OF Nicaraguan justice. An Amer
lean citizen named Wilson. residing at
llama, in the Mosquito territory, was
murdered by one Arguello, the acting
governor of the town. After some delay
the murderer was arrested, but so lnse-
curely confined or guarded, that he es-
capped, and, notwithstanding our repeat
ed demands, it is claimed that his recap
ture has been impossible by reason OF
his flight beyond Nicaraguan jurisdiction.
The Nicaraguan authorities, having
civ nf M nf
sion to the canal company on grounds
purely technical, and not embraced in
| the contract, have receded from that
position.
Peru, regret to say, shows symptoms
of domestic disturbance, due probably
to the slowness of her recuperaton from
! the distresses OF the war of 1881. Weak
ened in resources, her difficulties in fac
! ing international obligations invite our
! kindly sympathy and justly our forbear-
ance in pressing long pending claims. |
| have felt constrained to testify this SYM
pathy in connection with certain de-
mands urgently preferred by other pow
ers.
THE sALvADORIAN REFUGEES.
The government of Salvador, having
been overthrown by an abrupt popular
/ outbreak, certain Ol us nllltdIy anu
civil officers, while hotly pursued by in
furiated insurgents, sought refuge on
board the United States warship Ben
nington, then lying in Central American
ports. Although the practice OF asylum
is not favored by this government, yet,
in view of the imminent peril which
threatened the iugitives and solely for
considerations of humanity, they were
afforded shelter by cur naval commander,
and, when they were afterward demand