The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-06-24
DISTURBING NEWS.
A Visiting Central American Talks of
the Greater Republic Scheme.

Springfield, Mass, June 20.-EThe Cen
trail American members of the Pan
American party, now touring the coun-
try, were somewhat disturbed by n Ca
BILE dispatch conspicuously printed in
New York newspaper concerning the
troubles between the states of their
country. The dispatch set forth that
Costa Rica would not become part of
the Greater Republic of Central Amer
lea because of the belief that the pro-
posed federation of the five states of the
country was merely political scheme;
that strained relations existed between
Costa RIGA and Guatemala, and that in
spite of Costa Rica's protests, the other
four states, San Salvador, Honduras,
Nicaragua and Guatemala, had agreed
to the proposed union and selected Pres
ident 1glesias as the first president of
the diet.
Mauro Furnandez, fnancier and law
yer of San Jose, Costa RIGA, is one of
the delegates, and is, perhaps, the best
informed man in Central American poll
tics in the party When he saw the dis
patch he said:
"The question in regard to the fedora
ton of the Central American republics
is an old one. After the independence of
these republics had been won from Spain
in 1921, a federation was made which
included the whole FIVE states, but not
long after that the federation was dis
solved
"There were two parties, the sepa-
ratists, who wanted individual indie
pendence for each state, and the feder-
atsts, who demanded union. The strug-
gle resulted in triumph for the sepa-
ratists. In 1S41 one of the federatist
leaders, Gen. Morazan of San Salvador,
in attempting to restore the old order,
ensnared the republic of Costa Rca.
The party there supported him and pro-
claimed him president of the republic,
although he was not a native of the state.
But Costa RIGA was not then ready to
enter into any federation or to bear the
out and Morazan, although a noted gen.
eral, was court martialed and executed.
Ever since then Costa RIGA has shown
great reluctance to partake in any scheme
of federation. Popular feeling is against
it, although the elevated classes, who
understand the nature of q federal gov
eminent and the Importance of uniting
all the Central American republics into
one nation, support the proposition.
of the leaders of the various states. 1t
is fact that if the leaders of those five
republics, including Costa Rica, wished
honestly to work for a federation. II
would rise and live.
Salvador has worked more for n fed
| Grafton than all the others, for although
Guatemala, in 1885, declared the five
| republics united, there was no union by
the consent of the FIVE, but an attempt
| by Gen. Rufino Barrios to unite them
by force All the other republics rose in
| arms against Guatemalan forces and
they were attacked and Barrios died in
| the field, and the scheme with him. San
Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras are
the most active in working for federation,
but Costa Rica is at peace and they want
no change. In short, if it should prove
not to be a scheme of private interests
but an earnest and honest effort to
strengthen the Central American repub.
lies and the development of the country,
the best people of Costa Rica would