The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-05-17
EX|LED PRESIDENT REACHES GALVESTON General BoniIla of Honduras Bound for New Orleans WILL AGAIN LEAD HIS ARMY Says His Country Was Defeated By Nicaragua Because of Desertions.
 Prophesles Victory Yet
 for Honduras.
WILL AGAIN LEAD HIS ARMY

Galveston Tex, May 16.-Gen. Manuel Bonilla, exiled president of Honduras, ar rived al this port from Progresso, Mexico, on the Norwegian steamer Molina this morning. The vessel will be released from quarantine at noon tomorrow and proceed to Texas City from which point the former president will come to Gal weston, where he expects to remain sev- eral days.
 Although Gen. Bonilla stated today that he was in search of his health, it was learned from another source that he would make his way from Galveston to New Orleans, where he would board d vessel for British Honduras and go from thence to his own country, where he is expected again to find enough following to reinstate himself into the presidency.
 This afternoon by courtesy of the GUS toms officials at this port and the guar antine officer, a newspaper reporter was enabled to board the steamer and through an interpreter asked and received an- swers to numerous questions concerning Central American conditions. President Bonilla was guarded in many of his an swers, but was outspoken in his defense of Honduras position in the recent war.
 
 president said
 ..Honduras was defeated by Nicaragua because many of my countrymen desert ed to the enemy. The armies of the two countries numbered about 15.000 each with the Honduran army the best equipped and the best drilled. Had it not been for the unfaithful, the traitors, in my coun- try, we would have driven the enemy from their positions and won glorious victories There are however, many faithful patriotic citizens of Honduras who will rally to the country's standard nnd my country will again stand forth among the smaller nations of the world, free from treason and prosperous.
 Ut has been enormously reported that I was driven by the enemy across the border and deserted and alone fled from my country. When my capital, Amapala, was captured the captain of the United States cruiser Chicago intervened, and l was taken abroad that vessel. Afterward I was transferred to the cruiser Prince lon and landed in Santa Cruz Mexico, from which place l went to Progresso and through this port"
 President Bonilla, while favorable to d Federation of the Central American states with strong central government, stat ed today that he did not believe that such form of government was possible at the present time.
 ..In 1885," said he, Honduras and Qua iennaIa agreed to such a union and made sn effort to secure the consent of Mica ragua, Costa Rica and San Salvador. These countries refused and the plan was dropped. At that time Nicaragua was ruled by the conservative element, but now President Zelaya Is liberal and would like to form such a union with himself as president. Such union can never be formed by force of arms but must be accepted peacefully and condi- lions are not ripe for the movement
 When told of the rumor of a proposed protectorate over Central American states DIV the United States and Mexico, Pres dent Bonilla stated that it was the first he had heard of 1t and that he did not lredit it,