The sun., 1899-04-03
TO STOP FILIBUsTERIyG.
Steps Taken by the Government TO Close
the Business iu Our Gulf States.

| soon In the Central American revolutions. en-
J gineered from New Orleans and Mobile. in a
new way. and will proceed against the men
| who direct these movements rather than
against the little republics charged with COM
mittng outrages on American citizens. There
has been so much trouble with the Central
American REPUBLICS OF late that the Washing
ton authorities evidently see very clearly that
| some action must be taken to prevent further
annoyance. The United States District At
torney here has accordingly been instructed to
investigate this revolution business and see
| what should be done to put a stop to It. The
! investigation Is already under way before the
| United States Grand Jury. and four or five
| indictments are promised at an early day The
| testimony secured from some OF the so-called
| flibusters sheds a great deal OF light on the
| subject OF revolutions and fllibustering ex-
! petitions.
During March the United States have been
! involved in diplomatic differences with three
OF the Central American republics. Nicaragua.
Honduras and Guatemala. There was q mar
| row escape from similar troubles in Costa
Rica. where a revolution was started in San
| jose Immediately opposite the hotel in which q
| large number OF Americans were boarding.
The hotel was ridded with bullets. but for
tunatey the Americans escaped any injury. or
we might have had a bill against that republic
also for damages
The trouble with Nicaragua grew out OF the
Bluefelds revolution. in which many Ameri-
cans. In violation Of our treaty with Nicaragua
and OF the neutrality laws. took part. and for
which volunteers were recruited In the United
States. The condition Of affairs grew very Sc
rious on the Nicaraguan coast. and II is by no
means satisfactory yet The United States
tried to communicate with the Consul at
Blueaelds TO learn the actual condition
there. but the Nicaraguan Government stopped
the dispatches. The United States demanded
an apology and sent two men-of- war to Blue
fields. and even occupied tho town for a while.
Nicaragua finally backed down and explained
the teeRraphic trouble by saying that the
wires did not work well. and that was why the
American Consul got no message. Whether
the story was true or not, it served as an ex
cuse, and the United States accepted the ex-
panation. Gen. Estrada. commanding the
coast provinces, showed a great deal OF good
sense by shipping the American revolutonists
out Of the country instead OF shooting them. as
President Zeaya wanted him to do Any
shooting would probably have caused very
strained relations between the two countries
At the same time other difficulties were grow
ing up with Honduras. in which country also
the American element Is dominant. controlling
the railroads. mines and commerce Gen. Vas
duez. who was ousted from the Presidency by
the late President Bonilla. has been scheming
TO restore himself to office. and counted on en-
listing In this country the men who would
place him In power again. He or his men
have engineered no fewer than three revolu-
tions. one from Mobile and two from New Or
leans. The first collapsed completely. the Sec
ond met with some success. Puerto Cortez be-
ing captured by the revolutonists and held
some time. The present revolution was to have
spread from Guatemala. where President Ca
brera had promised his assistance: but
Cabrera dckered with both sides in Hon
duras. and finally abandoned the proposed
revolution altogether. The affair caused
great scene on the Honduras Guatemala
frontier. where martial law was declared
In San Pedro during this scene. when the feel
ing against the Americans was running high.
Frank Pears. merchant and a resident Of
Pittsburg. was killed by soldier The evi-
dence would seem to indicate that Pears was
murdered because he was an American, and
under all circumstances the Government was
responsible. as the demoraized condition of
affairs around San Pedro was due to It's ina
biltv to preserve order. The net result has
been demand by the United States on Hon
duras for an explanation and 500 900 dam
ages for the murder Of Pears. and the Machas
has been sent to Puerto Cortez 10 impress the
United States are in earnest and don't propose
to have their citizens murdered with IMMUNITY.
This is difficulty No ..
Difficulty No. 3 with Guatemala grew out of
the same trouble President Cabrera OF that
country had lent his assistance to the Vasauez
revolution. having made some deal with Vas
duez. and the revolution was organized in
Guatemala and the arms and ammunition
landed there. For some reason Cabrera sud
denly changed his policy. went back on Vas
quez and supported Bonila and Sierra. the
outgoing and the incoming President of
Honduras respectively. After having en-
couraged the revolutionary movement in
the neighboring republic. he expressed great
horror Of revolutionists and 1lbusters and
ordered them out Of the country There
happened to be a number OF Americans in the
country. They said they went down there as
railroad men. but they labored under the dis
advantage OF having been described az fllibus-
ters In the newspapers. Several escaped from
Guatemala when they learned OF Cabrera's
change OF front. others were escorted to the
steamer and sent away under guard. but seven
are still confined in Guatemalan jails. and two
are said to have been shot. The men are
mainly from Missouri. and OF some local prom
inence. and the United States have been called
on to intervene
These three difficulties all arose within a
few weeks OF one another and have put the
Government to considerable trouble and ex-
pense in ordering vessels hither and thther
and in making cable inquiries and investiga-
tions. and all three have led to rather sharp
diplomatic interchanges. They represent,
moreover. only part Of the difficulties we have
at present with the Central American re-
publics. for the State Department is overrun
with capitalists and spectators who have
claims against the several republics which they
want the United States to collect The prac-
tice OF the Central American Governments Is to
sell or give away franchises literally when
coming into power. Most OF the deals are
made with Americans When the Government
goes down in revolution-and only two or
three at most have escaped the fate-these
franchises are confscated and resold to other
Americans. with the result that there are hun
dreds OF claims in existence which play no lit
tie part in the revolutions. since the claimants
are ready to put up money to help along a
revolution which will recognize their debt
ha in atr rio