The Washington herald., 1909-05-23

/ M EQWln emerson IN the Nay nun Der
/ OF The Pacific Monthly has an article
under the healing Of Central America
\ Land OF Good Intentions" IN which
after dwelling upon general unsubstantlal
considerations. ne makes against the gov
eminent OF Guatemala the following ex-
traordinary charges:
I That although the capital city OF
that republic is provided with univeVsi-
ties. academies. technical institutes
cHuics. Conservatives. high schools. and
other educational institutions. they are
/ all closed on account Of lack Of pupils
( and teachers.
II That President Gen Reyns Bar
rios oppressed the country and was mur-
dered by one Of his countrynen. whom he
/ had afronted-
III That in Guatemala. Nicaragua, and
Salvador. when the government neeGs
more soldiers for its army or laborers
are needed 70 DO some public work. troops
are sent out into the country 70 hunt and
catch natives.
". That the natives might be consid-
cred as a race Of slaves on account OF
the way IN which they are treated.
V That the Guatemalan constitution
(Which Emerson calls Magma Chartaj con-
tains principles and rights that are dis
regarded By the government
VI That on a 18th Of September. The
independence day Of the republic, he saw
about fifty men. innocent OF al wrong.
being rounded up BY soldiers. who march
L~r
around their necks and With their hands
Red behind their backs.
vi That the GuateTnalan code Of
criminal procedure prohibits capital pun
Ishnent, but that n spite OF such prohibI-
ton the death penalty Is inflicted.
VII That after the last attempt
against the life OF President Estrada
'Cabrera april %, 1903 over tIirry-sIx
persons were executed, among them one
By mistake.
TX. That the property OF these persons
was con6scated, and that n the house
that belonged 70 one Of the men executed
the minister Of public works. Don Joaquin
Mendez. lives at present
Y That Don Juan ViteTi was found
hanging in his prison, and that Don
Francisco VaIladares was assassinated n
q Ike prison
XL That the general bureau OF reve-
nues IS an institution similar TO the Span
ISL inQUisition, wherein private individ-
uals are subjected 70 tOrtures II order
70 extOrt money from them
XII That IN Guatemala the most hcr-
rible tortures are inflicted. such as lash
ing, hanging BY the thumbs, and brand
ins with hot irons.
That IN o-ra- n e~-| e--~n state
OF affairs Il Is Indispensable that the
United States establish protectOrate IL
those countries similar TO that exercised
By Japan over Korea and by England
over Egypt
For the purpose Of establishing the
truth and destroying such ridiculous and
false fnputations the following lines have
been written as an Official response
thereto:
The trouble with 1Ir Emerson is that
having fatigued the attention Of Eastern
readers Oz the United States with his
fantastic and slanderOus narratives. he
IS placed in the necessity Of removing his
literary activities to another field in order
that the photographic repetitions Of him
self may find new listeners. and. there
fore. new customers In this respect he
could not have found a more congenial
medium than that afforded by certain
magazines which, with the design Of en-
tertsining the leisure hours Of the great
masses. always accept cheerfuIly sensa-
tio1al and awe-iEspi-ing articles, paying |
little or no heed 10 the reliability and
veracity OF the sources from which they
are inspired
Fortunately. Central America Is by no |
means Tibet or Bsluchistan. and couse-
ouen1Iy its particular conditions are per
fectIy well known 10 the sensible and 1
well-informed public OF the United States 1
and 20 the enlightened men who guide the /
destinies Of this great nation; therefore, /
n order 20 refUte In a few words and in /
z conclusive manner Mr.. Emerson's fever
Ish fancies. Il would be sufficient TO quote 4
the reports OF eminent American repre-
sentatiVes accredited to those countries
and OF the United States naval officers
who have recently visited the isthmian
republics.
It is to be regretted that a mind so
well supplied as Mr.. Emerson's should
resort 70 phenomenal and absurd irver-
tons. the fruits OF which are completely
soggy and unworthy Of so privileged an
Intellect as his. A journalist Of his quail
ication should rather devote himself 20
writing about the result Of his numerous
raveis and explorations OF TO discussing
n a sober and truthful manner the
pr2Bems that confront
humanity az the, present time Perhaps
sIr. Emerson may have strong reasons
or not so acting and for publishing mac
,ITacies, which reasons am not called
1pon to specify.
I ask any honest and Just nan how he
would describe a writer who publishes
lhOtOCrauhs aTtTihlrfng them deliberate
= 70 places and localities TO which they
10 lot belong; who invents names Of hcti-
ious persons. making them the victims
4 an imaginary tyranny; who attributes
% persons whom he knows not words
md deeds that they have neither uttered
Tor performed OF course. whatever
zane could be applied By men OF upright
nd Just conscience 20 such a WRITER'S