Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-09
ZELAYA Is DEFENDED
INDIGNATION EXPRESSED Al
THE CHARGES AGAINST HIM.
A Prominent Nicaraguan Supporter
Discusses Recent Events in Cen
trail America.

Nicaraguan sympathzers are indignant at
the charges made against President Zelaya
by Honduras, and maintain that the move
ment of Honduras against Nicaragua and
the reported alliance between Honduras and
other Central American republics were plan
ned by President Bonilla of Honduras for
the sole purpose of averting serious revolu-
tionary movements in the latter country.
A prominent supporter of President Ze-
laya, and one authorized to speak for him,
said today that public sympathy cannot but
be with the Nicaraguan chief executive If
all the facts about the present trouble are
known. He expressed surprise an disbe-
lief at the reported alliance of the four
other Central American governments
difficult to understand why Costa Rica
should participate in any movement against
Zelaya.
In answer to the charge that President
Zelaya refused to accept the decision of the
boundary dispute between Honduras and
Nicaragua handed down by the King of
Spain late in 1906, the Nicaraguans insist
that there is no foundation for such
charge, because the result of that arbitra-
ton has not even been submitted to the
decision of the Nicarasuan congress.
Salvador and Honduras.
The assistance Salvador is reported to be
giving Honduras in the present trouble
may be ascribed to the fact that the two
countries are supposed to be allies whose
friendship was strengthened by the assist
ance Honduras gave to Salvador last year
when the latter republic became entangled
in war with Guatemala.
Nicaragua and Guatemala have not been
especially friendly terms for some time
because of failure to negotiate reciprocity
treaties and the refusal of Nicaragua to
take part in the negotiation of the San Jose
treaty growing out of the conference on the
United States ship Marolehead for the set
Element of the war in which Guatemala,
Honduras and Salvador engaged last year.
Costa RIGA and Nicaragua.
Supporters of President Zelaya are at
loss to explain the reported hostility of
Costa Rica to Nicaragua. 1t has been
known for some time that the present adj
ministration of Costa Rica was not friendly
to President Zelaya and his administration,
but the relations between the two nations
have been such that an open break be-
tween them has never been thought of by
the Nicaraguans.
After the recent presidential election in
Costa Rica some of the defeated candidates
went to Nicaragua and were Hospitality re-
ceived. That incident gave rise to much
talk and rumors that Nicaragua would as
sst in movements against the successful
candidate in Costa Rica.
The alleged slaughter of a small Mica
raguan garrison by Honduran insurgents
who crossed into Nicaragua was the cause
of the trouble between President Bonilla
and Zeaya. That was being arbitrated,
but President Bonilla withdrew his COM
missioner and that gave rise to hostilities.
There were four arbitrator in that COM
mission - Honduras. Salvador, Nicaragua
and Costa Rica each being represented by
one member. The fact that President
Zelaya would consent to have his rights
passed upon by commission of four on
which he had but one member is pointed
to by his supporters as an indication Of his
good faith in the effort to bring the war
with Honduras to an end.
In 1894 President Zelaya marched against
Honduras and made his way to Tegucigal-
pa, the Honduran capital, where a friend
of his was chosen President. The friends
of Zelaya say that if he had wished to ac-
quire territory from Honduras he could
have done so at that time.