The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-03-16
BELITFLEs THE WAR.
Arrangements Between Honduras and
 Nicaragua Have Been Trivial.


 Nicaragua Have Been Trivial.
 Correspondence of Associated Press; Puerto Cortez. Honduras, March 10, via New Orleans, March 15.--In spite of the claims made by commanding offi- cers on each side that the "enemy has been vanquished in an important bat. tie, the fighting between I1on1uras and Nicaragua has, up to the present been confined to small engagements between scouting parties on one or the other side of the frontier, encounters, that anywhere else were skirmishes.
 Each side has made claims victories not warranted by the facts and each has called the reports sent out by the other false and misleading. But while there has been no battle as yet, all the conditions are ripe for serious en- gagement. It fs mistake 70 charac- terize all Central American fighting a comic opera performance. Much of the fighting here is comparatively not se- rious but the warning clements of these States have shown in the past that they can, on occasion, put up good stiff fight and if the arrayed forces of Hon. duras and Nicaragua do meet in a gem erat engagement, the conflict In no sense will be inconsequential or to De laughed at ar aTV
 The actual situation of armed hos tility between Honduras and Nieara- qua from the Honduran side, is brief ly as follows.
 'The skirmish at San Marvos a vil- lage In Honduras, about five miles from the Nicaraguan frontier, was in- consequential. The maln Honduras force is at ChoIuteca, Texigual. Guin- epo and Yusceran. These -four towns are in practically straight line and about twenty miles from the frontier. President Bonilla is waiting sor fur ther endorsements from Tesucigalpa and for arms from the United States. He would like also to have The first serious engagement on Honduran ter- rltoryr in order to be able to demand that Salvador make good her promise to help him in case of war. The pres ence of President Bonilla in the field has stimulated the Honduraus so that the men have confidence and he is 0 fighter of experience.
 He has strong personal following In Salvador as well as the confidence of the Salvadorean army and every one here Is expecting to hear any day that Salvador has decided to fight With him.
 Honduras has armed already between sixteen and eighteen thousand men and fifteen thousand more are being equipped at the capital
 The present disposition of the Hon. duran forces covers all the main roads from Nicaragua.
 It would appesr that the Nicaraguan forces have concentrated at Somoto, Santa Maria and Qcotal.
 The first actual difficulty took place at Las Manos, a little village the main street of which marks the frontier line between Honduras and Nicaragua The Nicaraguans who were encamped in their side of the village crossed the line one night and stole a Honduran mule and retired with their capture without firing 3 shot. This incident was followed by diplomatic correspon- dence in which Nicaraguans were stig- matized as "cattle filters"
 This was resented with counter charges and shortly after there was a town meeting at Amapala. Honduras. in which President zelaya of Nicaragua was accused of violating his promises and fomenting strife. Nicaragua then demanded that Honduras punish the municipality of Amapala but this Honduras refused on the ground that the Honduran people were guaranteed the right of public speech and meet ing.
 President Bonlla offered to submit Las Manos incident and all other pending questions to arbitration but this Nicaragua refused and shortly af- ter both countries began seriously to prepare for war.
 In Honduras President zelaya is harshly criticized. He is accused of harboring and aiding Honduran 'revo- lutionists 10 organize and promising them arms and ammunition with which to fight the present government.
 The people and government of Hon duras believe that Zelaya hopes now to repeat his victory of 1S93-94. when a Nicaraguan army entered Tegucigalpa and Policarpo Bonillo was proclaimed President of Honduras. The question of boundary line between Honduras and Nicaragua is still open and with a friendly President at Tegueigalpa, Nic- aragua would be sure of boundary de- cisions favorable to herself.
 In short President zelaya is thor oughly distrusted, not only in Hondur- as but in Salvador and Guatemala as well. and the Honduran government decided it was preferable to fight him in a final effort to put an end to his international intrigues than to let him continue to foment disorders.
 Honduras and Salvador are bound by alliance to aid each other in ease of war. and President Zelaya is hostile to Manuel Estrada Cabreraa, the President of Guatemala. There is chance that Guatemala will remain neutral, but if not, all the countries of Central Amer ica, with the exception of Costa Rica,