St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-01-27
SOME OLD HISTORY.
Policy Of the Country Respon-
sible in a Degree for
Present Troubles.
THE COUNTRY In DISPUTE
Said to Be Covered for the
Most Part With Pre-
cious Woods.

WAsHINGToN. Jan. 26.-Senor ROM
ero. the Mexican minister, in an inter-
view this evening. said that he is and
always has been friend of peace, and
that he has done everything in his
power to have the question settled in a
peaceful manner, and that he favOrs
peace, not because Of any personal
motive, but because he considers as a
calamity war between the two ha-
tlons or the same race and civilization,
having the same interests and the same
destinies i'll this hemisphere. and be.
cause for general principles he is
against the use of force to settle inter-
national disputes. Mexico never thought
to make war OH Guatemala to gain terri
tory orother kind of advantages. In
1881, while Alr. Blaine was secretary OF
state, the government of the United
states interfered in favor of Guatemala
in her boundary dispute with Mexico,
but said interference, instead of assist
Ing TO the settlement of the question,
only Increased considerably the diff
culties of The case, and. as Mr. Morgan.
the United States minister at the City
OF Mexico, reported to MIR. Blaine, it
developed in Mexico some feeling, and
he therefore advised 1T hat unless the
United States were pre- pared to an>
nounce to the Mexican government that
1t will actively, if necessary, promote
peace, it would be the part of wis dom
on our side to leave the matter as il is"
When Vice President Arthur became
president of the United States ana Mr..
Frelinghuysen secretary of state they
reversed Mr.. Blaine'sr policy and ex-
pressed to Guatemala that the United
States government, being equally
friendly to both governments, would
not take the partof. one as against the
other, and that, therefore. they
| Would Nots1nterfere
in their dispute unless both countries
should ask for such interference. Then
the president of Guatemala came to
Washington, and when he became sat-
iStied that lie could not have the active
assis tance Of the United States in his
country's dispute with Mexico he
signed in New York, Aug. ~, 1882,
treaty with Senior Romero. in which he
recognized that Chiapas, which was
then the disputed territory. lawfully be-
longed TO Mexico, and agreed that
formal boundary treaty should be
signed at the city Of Mexico. 1t was
stipulated in the New York agreement
that the boundary between the two
countries should be The one then recog
niZed by both, with such alterations to
have natural boundaries of parallels of
latitude as both governments should
agree upon, and in case they disagree
about the line then recognized by both
parties in certain locality in specific
| case. they should ask the president OF
the United States to decide their differ
ence as arbitrator. The line was fixed
in the treaty of Sept. 81, 1882. by the
mutual agreement of both interested
parties, and therefore there was no Oc-
caSiOn to ask the good Offices OF the
president of the United States, and the
stipulation of the New York agreement
bearing on the subject came to an end,
as it was not intended by the agree
ment that all future differences regard
ing boundaries between the two coun-
tries should be submitted to the arDitra-
ton Of this government.
Senior Romero said that DOtwithstand.
Ing the news received showed serious
aspect, he still hopes that this unpleas-
ant question will be settled in a peace
able and friendly way.