The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-08-03

u b1NF u<PGDitGs % SfuFTAt America
Unite Under Que Governm-nt-Th- APP
p~ointmens Of w. l. Merry q. Min . er so
the Central American States Di.t.st.f,i
to the Lstt~r-He - too trong an Advo-
cate of the Nicsragas Canal scheme.
Washington. July 2s.-In connection
with the organization of the Central
American states a very interesting
report has been received from Will
liam Myers Little. consul at Leguci-
galpa. Honduras, enclosing a copy OF
the treaty that has been signed by the
representatives of the five Central
American states or republics Of Guate-
mala, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Hondu-
ras and Salvador. This treaty was
signed by all the republics. June 18th,
and 1t is expected TO go into effect
September 18th. IL ratified by that time.
The union is named the republic Of
Central America. and the countries
forming it will now lake the names OF
states. Last year, when the republics
of Honduras, Nicaragua and Salvador
formed themselves into the greater re-
public of Central America. provision
was made for the admission of Guate-
mala and Costa Rica. which has now
been accomplished. The treaty is sim
liar to that made last year, except that
it's provisions are extended and con-
siderable legislation is enacted in ii for
the government of the new republic.
The republic has the power to nominate
diplomatic and consular officers, and to
receive foreign envoys and give ex-
equaturs to foreign consuls, to issue
passports to ministers and ENJOYS of
foreign nations and to withdraw ex-
equaturs of consuls. One section OF the
treaty provides hat the diplomatic
and consular representation shall here
after be in the name of the republic
of Central America" but it is under
stood that when a state may need on
it's own account diplomatic or consular
representation it shall be provided
with the parsonage it may indicate.
The government of the new republic
is vested in a chief of states, who is
to be elected, taken from each OF the
states in their alphabetical order, and
who shall hold office for one year. A
council of two representatives from
each state, with the chief Of states.
shall constitute the government. ALI
ances of defense and preservation for
all the states are provided, and the
expense of government and of war are
to be assessed by the council.
The state department officials are
very reticent upon the subject Of the
objection which has been lodged
against the reception Of Captain w. L.
Merry, Of San Francisco, as United
States minister to Nicaragua, Costa
RIGA and Salvador, to succeed Lewis
Baker. The matter is now engaging
the attention of the officials, and 1t is
expected tina within a few days such
representations will be made on u
part to the countries concerned as may
induce them to abandon their objection
as not we'll founded. 1t is gathered
that the objection is preferred by one
of the three countries to which Mr..
Merry is accredited, n that n Of
the other two has supported it, alto
gether as a matter of courtesy toward
a comrade in the league which forms
the greater republic of Central Amer
lea. 1t is possible that the objection to
the selection of Captain Merry Is not so
much on account of the manner in
which he has been accredited to the
three countries Of Central America in
stead of the greater republic of Cen
trail America, as because of his pro-
nounced views on the Nicaragua n
| CAPTAIN Merry was pushed by the Cali
fornia delegation for the position be-
| cause he was an enthusiastic supporter
of the canal project and because of his
wide knowledge of the subject.
When it was published that he was
likely to be appointed, the son of j. d.
Rodriguez, minister of the crater re-
public of Central America, made a pro-
test to the department of state against
| his appointment. The reason given was
| that he would not be acceptable to all
the countries forming the new govern
ment. Sorle old questions were called
up, and j. was stated that the present
preside of one of the states objected
to Mer-y. This was all cleared up and
a cable was received from the presi-
dent credited with making the objec-
ton, saying that Merry wOul be quite
| acceptable as a minister and that he
would be glad to welcome him. The
nomination was then sent in and con-
firmed, but it appears hat his enthusi-
astic support of the canal project has
| made him unacceptable to Rodriguez,
who is opposed to the canal as reported
in the bill before the last congress. 1t
will be remembered that a letter of his
was published while the bill vas under
discussion, taking decided grounds
against the canal.
Captain Merry presented a paper to
the trans-Mississippi congress at Salt
Lake City on July 18th, this year, TAX
ing a most emphatic position in favor
| of the construction of the canal.