Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-06
NOT THE FIRST TIME
THE UNITED STATES ASKED TO
INTERVENE FOR NICARAGUA.
Great Britain's Attempt to Collect a
Debt-Mr Cleveland's Suggestion,
Which Settled the Matter.

'"This Is not the first time the United
States has been asked to intervene in South
American matters" said an official of the
State Department to a representative of
The Star. During the last Cleveland adj
mnistration. when Walter Q. Gresham was
Secretary of State, Great Britain asked of
Nicaragua an indemnity of $4,000. Sew
eral years previously the British vice con-
sui at Buefields had been deported from
Nicaragua, charged with having assisted
in local Instruction. The vice consul
denied the charge, and Lord Salisbury &C.
cepted his explanation and demanded dam
ages. The vice consul claimed to be the
victim of a conspiracy, and Great Britain
thought $4,000 would about cover the
damages to his lacerated feelings. An
apology was also demanded. Nicaragua
refused both demands, and there was
spirited correspondence covering period of
two years. Finally the English government
sent an ultimatum to the effect that II the
demands of Great Britain were not COM
piled with within certain time squadron
would be sent to Corinto, the principal port
of entry, to take possession of the custom
house and collect the revenue until the
amount of the indemnity demanded had
been secured.
Believed the United States Would In
tervene.
1.-The government Of Nicaragua believed
that the United States would intervene
under the Monroe doctrine, and so paid no
attention to this threat. DR.. Guzman rep
resented Nicaragua in this country. He
presented the matter to President Cleve-
land and was told that Nicaragua could
not use the Monroe doctrine to evade the
payment of her obligations. This informa-
ton was cabled to Nicaragua with the
suggestion that it would be advisable to
comply with the demands made by Lord
Salisbury Compliance seemed impossible,
for the treasury of Nicaragua seldom saw
$4,000 in gold, and there were no funds on
hand DIR. Guzman was advised by his
government to try some other method of
settlement, but he received little encour-
agement The British ambassador, Sir
Julian Pauncefote, declared that Great
Britain would not submit to arbitration,
and Secretary Gresham said that the
United States was not in any way involved
In the quarrel. When the ultimatum had
expired a squadron of four British vessels,
commanded by Admiral Stephenson, ap-
peared in the harbor of Corinto, landed a
detachment of marines and took possession
of the custom house. This action aroused
the press of the United States opposing the
adminstra ton of President Cleveland. 1t
was asserted that the Monroe doctrine had
been abandoned, that Cleveland was an
Anglo-maniac, and that the money power
did not want the United States to become
involved in a possible war. Nicaragua was
pictured as an helpless infant oppressed by
a great power. while the United States
stood idly by. The attacks on the admins
tration disturbed the President Popular
sympathy was undoubtedly aroused in be-
half of Nicaragua, and the administration
thought it advisable to take some action.
Secretary Gresham sent for DIR. Guzman
and asked on what terms Nicaragua was
willing to settle. DR.. Guzman. who had
been educated in the United States, and
who knew something of American charac-
ter, recognized in this change Of base con-
ditions favorable to his country He also
knew that vessels formerly stopping at
Corinto had ceased entering that port, and
that Great Britain was not collecting
enough revenues from the custom house to
pay the salary of one of the marines. He
therefore displayed great Indifference only
advising the Secretary that If his advice
had been followed in the first place the mat
ter would have been settled amicably and
the administration saved much unpleasant
ness.
President Cleveland's Suggestion.
"At length President Cleveland took hold
Of the matter and suggested that if some Of
Nicaragua's neighbors would assume re-
sponsbility for the indemnity the British
fleet would be withdrawn and the matter
could he amicably settled. There was a
rapid exchange of cablegrams. Acting upon
DR.. Guzman's advice, Nicaragua acquiesced,
and Mr.. Bayard, the American ambassador
at London. arranged the details of with
drawal with Lord Salisbury. Costa Rica
advanced the money and Admiral Stephen
son departed gladly, for yellow fever had
broken out among his men, and he was ac
complishing nothing in the way of collecting
the indemnity. Whether Nicaragua ever
repaid Costa Rica, or whether Nicaragua
really raised the money herself under this
subterfuge the United States never knew.
as that was part of the story in which this
country was not concerned"