The San Francisco call., 1897-08-24
CAPTAIN MERRY
STILL WAITING
The Presidents Object
in Delaying His
Departure.
Diplomatic Juggling Among
the Central American
Republics.
A State Department Official SAYS
There Is No Prospect for
Federation.

WASHINGTON, u. c., Aug. 23.-Al-
though the President telezraphed Captain
Merry week ago to remain in Washing
ton for instructions none have arrived
yet and the captain is naturally getting q
little impatient. although he makes no
com plant, as he believes the delay is due
to the fact that the Presidents private
secretary, who is with him, does not wish
to spoil mis- chiefs vacation by burdening
him with public business.
1t was intimated at the State Depar.-
ment to-day that the President might
consider it advisable not TO send Minis
ter to Central America until it was seen
whether or not the five Central Am erican
STATES would rltify their agreements for
confederation of all. to be known as the
Greater Republic OF Central America. J"
The delegates from the five States will
meet on September Is, which is an ami
versary in celebration of liberation from
Spanish rule. 1t is not believed tnat the
treaty of confederation will be ratified.
Thi, belief amounts almost to certainty in
the minds OF those who well understand
the conditions in Central America.
Secretary Sherman has already recon-.
mended to the President, inasm uch as the
so-called 'Greater Republic of Centr al
America" had not been recognlzed-and
should not be-by the United States, that
Merry be sent as Minister to Costa Rica,
and that the United States Legation be
removed from Managua 10 Costa Rca,
until Central American affairs were
Strengthened out. 1t is altogether prota-
BILE that this will yet be done. Captain
Merry is naturally averse to discussing
the matter, as everything is in the Presi-
dents hands.
Not content with simply declaring Cap
tain Merry persona non grata, which
would have ended the matter, the Diet in
timated that it considered him Objection
able, and in support of this made charges
affecting his character. A rigid lnvesti-
CATION was conducted by the department,
with the result that Captain Merry has
been completely vindicated. The State
Depar tment officials are now anxious to
shame Nicaragua and Salvador, and
through them the Diet, by delaying Cap
tain Merry's presentation to those States
and simply ordering him TO proceed to
Costa Rica, which has expressed will
ingness to receive him.
Nicaragua has recently informed the
State Department that she will not stand
by the Diets course, and will be willing
TO accept the Minister appointed by the
resident This is one of the evidences Of
friction in the Diet and presages to the
department officials minds its dissolu-
tion. 1t is suggested that the real reason
why Nicaragua has agreed to receive the
new Minister is because OF her desire to
retain the American legation at Managua.
A State Department official was asked
to-day for the facts relative to the abar-
donment of the plan contemp plating the
union of.the five Central American States.
He replied:
''As matter of fact, when the several
States agreed to consider the plan they
were not sincere. A conference was held
some months ago in Costa Rica which
was attended by representatives from the
five republics. and which was called os.
tensibly for the purpose OF considering
monetary reform in Central America. AS
a matter of fact, the conference was held
for the purpose of drawing up plan for
a Central American union. 1t was pro.
posed that this plan should be ratified on
Sep EN- ber Is.
ut required each State to send two rep
resentatiyes 10 congress to be held in
San Jose. The Presidents of the States
were to be known af.er the adoption OF
the scheme as Chiefs of State, and the
President of the union was to be one OF
the chiefs, who should hold the office one
year and then transfer it to another chief.