The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-11-27
AMERICANS AND NICARAGUA.

II hardly needed tho report Of Cap
tain Shiplcy Of the q. :. cruiser Dcs
Moires to make &, certain that Amcri
can interests are not in danger in
Nicaragua. There has been nothing TO.
Indicate that they were in danger. The
stir that has been made has been by
no means an indication that American
interests were in peril, but has been
simply m Investigation as to the status
of the Americans who were shot ny
the order of Zelaya and whether or
not there was reason, Justice, and or
derly procedure in their conviction and
execution.
But after NIL, if it is a fact that those
Americans were fighting in the insur-
gent armies. and helped either by car
rying swords or rifles in the iusurgent
forces, it would seem that they had
abiured their American citizenship in
order 10 indulge in acts Of treason
against n government with which the
United States is at. peace. Under those
circumstances il is not easy 10 see
wherein the United States can be iusti
fled in interfering in their behalf,
though it is clearly justified in in
curing into the facts. But it is not
possible for any person to maintain his
American citizenship and Join in trea-
sonable assaults upon a foreign govern
ment. Let us suppose. for instance,
that some Americans bad engaged in
the anti-government rioting at BARGE
Iona, in Spain. and had been shot
either in the suppression of the riots
or Immediately after by the order of
the military officialdom. In that case,
would our government have intcrfcred
in the same clustering way thSt 1t
has done in Nicaragua II not, why
should it do so in this Nicaraguan
case7 In every affair Of this kind it
is always useful to inquire what we
should do in case the offender were
not weakly, half-barbarous nation,
but a strong, powerful country with
which we would have 10 deal on terms
at least approaching equality. That
is the only true standard, and that is
the standard which VIC believe this
Government viii apply in the Nicaragua
case, 1t certainly is the standard
which it should apply
II is absolutely certain, however.
that the action Of our Government was
threatening, and is injurious to the
established government Of Nicaragua
under President Zelaya-necessarily so.
The natural effect, also. is expressed
in the report which says that Ameri-
cans are acting in favor of the insur-
gents, probably meaning that Ameri-
cans in that part of the world are do
ing what they can without involving
themselves personally against the Nj.
caraguan government to help in the
overthrow of that government. Amer
leans would naturally take the cue
from the hasty and menacing atti-
tude of our government towards Ze-
laya, and would consider that they were
in a way justified thereby in doing
whatever they could against him. And
this is one Of tho unfortunate results
of the earlier attitude of our govern
ment with respect TO this matter I'm
fortunate, that is, provided we intend
10 keep our hands off of Nicaragua
and continue To recognize it ms an in
dependent government. If, however, il
is the design of our administration to
play the Panama game on Nicaragua
then, of course, tho whole aspect
changes, and Americans are not only
officially justified in doing what they
can against Zelaya, but are acting as
good supporters Of the administration.
But as this is not supposable case.
those Americans will need to look out
| for themselves,