The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-12-08


nearly disappeared. and neither the
doctrine as 1t exists nor any other doc
trine OF American policy should be
permitted to operate for the perpetual
tion OF irresponsible government, the
escape OF just obligations or the insidi-
Gus allegation Of dominating ambitions
on the part Of the United States.
My meeting with President Diaz and
the greeting exchanged on both Amer
lean and Mexican soil served. hope.
to signalize the close and cordial rela-
tions which so well bind together this
republic and the great republic imme-
diately to the south. between which
there Is so vast a network of material
interests.
l am happy to say that all but one
OF the cases which for so long vexed
our relations with Venezuela have
been settled within the past few
months and that. under the enlight-
ened regime now directing the govern
ment OF Venezuela. provision has been
made for arbitration Of the remaining
case before The Hague tribunal.
On July 30. 1909, the government Of
Panama agreed. after considerable ne
gotiation. to indemnity the relatives of
the American oficers and sailors who
were brutally treated. one Of them
having. indeed. been killed by the
Panaman police this year.
This government was obliged to in
tervene automatically to bring about
arbitration or settlement of the claim
OF the Emery company against Mica
ragua. which 1t had long before Deen
agreed should be arbitrated A settle
ment Of this troublesome case was
reached by the signature Of protocol
on Sept. Is, 1909.
Many years ago diplomatic interven-
ton became necessary to the protec-
tion OF the interests In the American
claim Of Alsop & Co. against the
government Of Chile. The govern.
ment of Chile had frequently admitted
obligation In the case and had prom
ised this government to settle 1t. There
had been two abortive attempts to do
20 through arbitral commissions, which
failed through lack of Jurisdiction.
Now, happily, as the result Of the re-
cent diplomatic negotiations, the gov.
ernmeuts Of the United States and of
Chile. actuated by the sincere desire
to free from any strain those cordial
and friendly relations upon which both
set such store, have agreed by a protO-
col to submit the controversy to defin.
tive settlement by his Britannia majes-
ty Edward VII.
The Nicaraguan Trouble.
Since the Washington conventions of
1907 were communicated to the gov
ernment Of the United States az a con-
sulting and advising party this gov
ernment has been almost continuously
called upon by one or another and in
turn by all Of the Ave Central Amer
lean republics to exert itself for the
maintenance Of the conventions. Near
~ every complaint has been against
the Zelaya government Of Nicaragua.
which has kept Central America In
constant tension or turmoil. The re-
sponses made to the representations of
Central American republics as due
from the United States on account of
its relation to the Washington conven-
tions have been at all times conserva-
tive and have avoided, so far as posi-
BILE, any semblance Of interference, al
though 1t Is very apparent that the
considerations Of geographic proximity
to the canal zone and of the very sub
stantial American interests in Central
America give to the United States
special position In the zone O., these
republics and the Caribbean sch.
] need not rehearse here the patient
EFFORTS of this government to promote
peace and welfare among these re-
publics. efforts which are fully appre-
ciated by the majority Of them who
are loyal to their true interests. IT
would be NO less unnecessary to re-
hearse here the sad tale Of unspeak-
able barbarities and oppression alleged
to have been committed by the Zelaya
government. Recently two Americans
were put to death by order of Presi-
dent Zelaya himself. They were Off
GERS In the organized forces Of rev.
olutiOn which had continued many
weeks and was In control of about
half OF the republic, and as such, ac-
cording to the modern enlightened
practice Of civilized nations, they were
entitled to be dealt with as prisoners
Of war.
AT the date when this message is
printed this government has termi-
mated diplomatic relations with the
Zelaya government for reasons made
public In a communication to the for
mer Nicaraguan charge d'affaires and
Is intending to take such future steps
as may be found most consistent with
Its dignity, its duty to American in
terests and its moral obligations to
Central America and to civilization. 1t
may later be necessary for me to bring
this subject To the attention of tha