Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-05-02
WAR WAS AVERTED
Unpublished State Papers of the
Mexico-Guatemala Dispute.
KILOGRAMS SENT BY Sec. GRESHAM
This Country Averse to Recourse to
Arms.
THE HOPE FINALLY REALIZED

| The HOPE FINALLY REALIZED
| CITY OF MEXICO, May 2.-The recent
| kilograms of Secretary Gresham showing
| the part taken by the United States in
| averting war between Mexico and Guate-
| mala are given in the correspondence sub
mitted to the Mexican senate in executive
session. The letters have not yet been
| given to the public, but those between
Washington and Mexico show the follow
ing:
The boundary trouble had reached a criti-
| cal stage a few months ago, when Mexico
submitted ultimatum, which, if not ac-
| cepted, meant that war would be declared
Americn's Wishes Stated.
Thereupon, on January 81 last, Mr.. Gres-
ham telegraphed to Minister Gray at Mex
| leo City follows:
| Gray, minister, Mexico: The terms of
! the demand of Mexico against Guatemala
| have been obtained from the ministers of
| both countries. The present controversy
| relates to the boundary treaty of 1882 be-
| tween Mexico and Guatemala, and the con-
| clusion of which was due, in great part, to
| the mediation of the United States, in con-
| sequence of which the President was led to
express his earnest hope that the two
| neighboring countries would not neglect
1
| and that, in case they should not succeed
| would submit them to friendly arbitration.
| The President did not wish to believe that
| Mexico would have hasty recourse to arms
| The United States, by its example, has con-
| tributed to this principle Of arbitration,
| and, in the opinion of the same President,
Mexico would not wish to fail in the moral
obligation of extending the beneficial infiu-
| ence. of this principle to all the states of
the American continent.
| please communicate to the minister Of
| foreign affairs the substance Of this order,
| sending him copy of the same, If he SO
| desires
| (Signed GRESHAM"
In view of the tension at that particular
| President did not wish to believe that
| Mexico would have hasty recourse to arms"
| had a special bearing on Mexico's warlike
ultimatum.
Mexico's Acknowledgement.
On the following day Mr.. E. c. Butler,
| United States charge d'affaires in Mexico,
submitted Mr. Gresham's telegram to Senior
Mariscal, minister of foreign affairs, who
acknowledged it with the following state
| ment:
| THE Mexican government has very care
| fully considered the telegram from Wash
| ington addressed to the commissioner of
| affairs of the United States of America re-
| siding in this city, respecting the question
| now pending between Mexico and Guate-
| mala. The two countries gratefully ac-
| knowledge its friendly spirit and the pru-
| dent character of its observations. The
| question being today debated proceeds
| from the fact that Guatemala attempted
| to evade the fulfllment of the treaty of
| 1882, which when concluded, thanks to the
| impartial and judicious conduct of the
| United States decided President Barrios to
| enter into negotiations for the boundary
| treaty. Today this nation has committed
| the ofense of employing force while the
| discussion was pending on the right to
in far fnria nh Th lyvf
fesson of Guatemala, was assigned by the
| treaty to Mexico. This government con-
| siders it a point of national honor not to
| submit to arbitration if satisfaction is due
| it for these offenses. However it will be
pleased to accept friendly arbitration in
| fixing the indemnity from Guatemala"
No Intervention Intended.
On January q Senior Romero, Mexican
| minister at Washington, notified his gov
eminent of meeting with Mr.. Gresham,
and adds:
I'm the course of the conversation Mr..
Gresham showed me that his telegram to
Mr.. Gray did not imply any Intervention of
this government, either with regard to i'm
posing conditions on the Mexican govern
| ment, and this telegram would not prevent
Mexico from doing as seemed best to it, in
| it's question with Guatemala"
Senior Romero further informed his gov
eminent on January % that Secretary
| Gresham had spoken to Senior LaZo Ar
| riaga, who had informed him that by
| virtue Of the opinion expressed by Mr..
| Gresham, that the persistence of Mr.. Miles
| Rock, as chief of the commission of the
Guatemalan boundaries, was embarrassing
| to the United States on account of mis- be-
| ing a citizen of the United States, and at
| tributing to him. in part, the pending diff
| culties, the government of Guatemala had
agreed to remove him from this Office"
Plan of Settlement Proposed.
] On February 6 Secretary Gresham sent
| another long telegram to Minister Gray,
| outlining plan of settlement which Qua
temala had proposed.
| In acknowledging this the Mexican min
| lister of foreign affairs writes to Mr.. Butler,
| United States charge d'affaires, as follows:
Il have received copy of the telegram
| sent by the Hon. Mr.. Gresham on the diff
| cultes between this country and Guate-
| mala. Soon afterward it was explained to
| you that it was not certain that the Guate-
malan government had submitted to Mex
| leo the proposition shown to me, nor any
| other, in answer to our demands. The
| proposition, which was indicated as having
| come from Washington, is substantially the
| same that other, which, without any in
| structions, and which Senior Romero sent
| as through Mr.. Gresham. The proposition
| is not approved by this government, which
| in no form can consider the proposition of
arbtra ton on what consider question
| of our national honor, the same being en-
| tirely Inadequate for a question Of this
kind. This does not imply a refusal to dis
| cuss any proposition which Guatemala may
| make here IN orde.' to reach a peaceful So
luton. On the contrary. the Mexican gov
| eminent strongly desires to reach just
| such result and will be glad thus to
realize the hope of the President of the
United States.'
The hope of the officials at Washington
was soon after realized. by the conclusion
Of a peace largely in accordance with the
requests from Washington.
Church Architecture.