The Indianapolis journal., 1898-11-23
THE LATEST REPUBLIC
ORGANIZATION OF THE .sUNITED
STATES OF CENTRAL AMERICA"
Ceremonies at Amapala Brief and
SimpIe-The Capital Located in
an Inaccessible Place.
Correspondence of the Associated Press.

Correspondence of the Associated Press.
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, Nov. 5.-The
ceremony incident to the organization on
Nov. 1 Of the United States of Central
America, formed by the union of Nicaragua,
Salvador and Honduras, was brief and SIM
pie. President Reyes, of the expiring Diet
of the greater republic of Central America,
elected on June 60 1885, when the three Pres
idents formed the treaty of Amapala, de-
livered to the three commissioners one from
each State, all authority and power pos
sessed heretofore by the Diet. Each of the
commissioners then made formal and public
declaration to support the Constitution of
the United States of Central America and
all laws made in accordance Herewith.
There was an armed force of about five
hundred soldiers on Tiger island, on which
Amapala, the temporary capital, is located,
when the new government was organized
They were called guards of honor" but
were kept on the lookout to prevent the
landing on the island of suspicious parties
This precaution was taken in view of the
fact that assertions were made in certain
quarters that the constitution of the fed
Grafton had not been submitted to the peo-
pie and that the Presidents of the three
States had conspired to keep themselves in
autocratic power.
1t is said that the powers held by the
Diet and transferred to the government
commission were in greater part fictions and
myths, and that the members of the Diet
had no means of enforcing their DEGREES.
They once claimed to have charge of the
war ships of Nicaragua Honduras and Sal
vador, and ordered the Salvadorean govern
ment to haul down its flag from its war
.f,s,D
under pain of being declared a pirate. The
government, however, feared a revolution
would break out among the people if the
flag of Salvador was withdrawn from the
ships, and no notice was therefore taken
of the order
The government of the United States Of
Central America. by virtue of the Constitu-
ton, is to command the armies, navies. GUS
tom houses, postoffices. revenues etc. of
the three States and is to have federal
district of several thousand square miles of
territory, embracing the Gulf of Fonzeca
and four large civil departments of land
in which are situated the ports on the
Pacific coast of Colinto, Nicaragua, Am
apala, Honduras and La Union. Salvador
over winch they will have special charge
toM ~ now appears, however, that the commits
Slolefs ana the Governors of the three
States (the former Presidents having given
way 10 Governors) have tacitly agreed to
ignore the Constitution and have the Cow
ernors retain jurisdiction over a large part
OF the armies necessary to keen Them
selves in position and power only a small
portion of the armies to be under the actual
control OF the central government al
though all the armies are to be considered
nomlnally at the least as under the COM
mand OF the central government The peo-
pie generally appear to look at The new or
ganization with fear and trembling as an
additional heavy burden to be supported by
extra import and export duties taxes
forced loans, etc. The commissioners are.
Angel Ugardo, of Honduras; NJ. c. Matus.
of Nicaragua and Salvador Gallegos, Of
Salvador. Santiago Calleias, of Nicaragua
has charge of the federal district and the
interior department.
The inaccessibiity of Amapala by other
means than small boats will probably in
fiuence the commissioners to remove the
capital to Chinandega, Nicaragua in the
federal district. This place may be obiec-
tionable, however. owing TO the report that
there are several cases of leprosy in town
The new Governor of Nicaragua is Impress
ing men rapidly into the army. although no
outward appearances of revolution have
been exhibited recently. The people appear
anxious to be at peace.