The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-05-07
Nation Refuses to Sur
render Citizen.
ENJOYS TO BE WITHDRAWN
Diplomatic Break Will Result from
Extradition Dispute.
Mexico Meets Refusal Upon Request
for Custody of Officer Charged
with Murder by Republic
Authorities. M

Washington, May although tele-
graph wires have not brought to wash
ington the actual news of the sever-
ence of diplomatic relations of Qua
temala and Mexico, officials here have
no doubt that Mexico took the action
today that will result In giving to the
Guatemalan minister to Mexico pass.
ports for his withdrawal The Next
can minister in Guatemala is now pre-
pairing to return home and the Amerf-
can charge. Philip Brown, secretary to
the legation, has been instructed to
look after Mexican interests in the Gu
atemalan capital upon the departure
of the Mexican minister.
Ambassador Creel of Mexico has been
In hourly anticipation of message
from his government informing him
that the break had occurred between
his country and Guatemala. He was
advised that Guatemala had denied the
request for the surrender of General
Jose Lima, who is suspected Of being
implicated In the murder in Mexico OF
former President Barillas of Guatem-
ala and that there was no alternative
but for Mexico to consider the refusal
as an insult necessitating the discon-
tinuance of relations between the two
countries. The brek was to take
place today and the absence of any
message announcing Ii does not mean
that II has not occurred In accordance
with the program.
Cannot Weld Break.
The State Department had numerous
messages today from Minister Lee, who
Is about to leave Guatemala for the
United States on account of illness. and
from Secretary Brown. These dis
patches confirmed the edvices receive
ed from diplomatic representatives in
Washington of the two countries that
there was no possibility OF Guatemala
and Mexico arranging The controversy
over the demand for the extraditton
of General Lima.
The formaiity OF issuing passports In
the two countries each for the with
drawal OF the minister OF the other
government Will probably require q
day or two. 1t is not known here
what diplomatist will attend to che in
terests of Guatemala In Mexico, but 1t
is not impossible that the United States
will perform this service as well as ter
Mexico in Guatemala.
The severance of diplomatic relations
does not mean war, although the fact
that the countries adjoin causes great
anxiety and that there may be at any
time invasions by one or the other IN
to the territory of the enemy by tr-
responsible hands and doubtless trou-
BILE would result that might easily end
in declarations of hostilities. Officials
of the State Department intend to use
their good offices in an effort to adj
just the present difficulty.
Demand In Illegal.
DR.. Toledo Herrarte. .he Guatemalan
minister, conferred with Assistant Sec
rotary Bacon today concerning the sit
uation and said that he hoped that
there would be a settlement soon. He
declared that under the treaty btween
Mexico and Guatemala, one country
had no right to demand the surrender
of a citizen of the other. The extra
dition treaty is intended for the sur
render OF a fugitive from his own
country, but in the case of General Lis
ma the extradition could not be expect
ed only as an act of courtesy. DR..
Herrarte believes also that IL President
Cabrera should be disposed to surren-
der General Lima, the Guatemaian
courts would hold that there was no
authority in law for such action. AT
the time of the interview the Guatem-
alan minister had not received any
information direct from his government
Indicating that diplomatic relations
with Mexico had been broken off.
Later, however. he had been assured
that the dispute will be adjusted.