Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1909-12-02
WARM NOTE
BY Mr.. KNOX
severing Diplomatic Re|a-
lions With Nicaragua
OF HLAYA
He is Held Personally Re-
sponsible for the Murder
of Groce and Cannon
Note is Also Recognition
of Revolution.

! State Knox returned the passports OF
/ Felipe Rodriguez, charge d'affaires of
! Nicaragua today in letter scathing
| ly denouncing Zelaya. The letter was
/ definitely declared TO represent the
| president and is about as plain spoken
as anything emanating from the state
| department in manv years. An ex-
| traordinary feature is that il seems to
be the evident intention on the part
I of the United States to hold Zelaya
personally responsible for the alleged
torture and execution Of the Ameri-
cans. Cannon and Groce. and exhibits
the unique situation of one govern
ment holding the chief executive Of
! another practically as a common male
factor.
Mr.. Knox virtually announces a rec
ognition of the Nicaraguan revolution
| lists. This brings the crisis as near
war as il could be brought without a
definite declaration by congress, which
will convene on Monday Mexico is
in sympathy with the United States.
Just what status the consular repre-
sentatives Of the United States In Nj
carague now enjoy is not definitely ex-
planned. 1t is expected, however. that
they will be given passports tomorrow.
The letter of Mr. Knox follows:
Sir: Since the Washington conven-
tion of 1907 your notorious president.
Zelaya. has almost constantly kept
Central America at tension and in
turmoil. and has repeatedly and flag
rantly violated the provisions Of the
convention and by his baneful influ-
ence, Honduras. whose neutrality the
conventions were to assure. has sought
to discredit these/sacred international
obligations to the great detriment of
Costa Rica. salvador and Guatemala.
II is equally matter of common
knowledge that under the regime OF
Zelaya, republican institutions have
ceased in Nicaragua: that public
opinion and the press have been
throttled: the prison has been the re-
ward of any tendency toward real
patriotism.
consideration for you personally
impels me to abstain from an unneces-
sary discussion of the painful details
of that regime which unfortunately has
been a blot on the history of Mica
ragua. a disoouragemen to a group of
ttpubiiNo nihpStN dSpii atipiiS uttN biiis
opportunity for free and honest gov
ernment.
Two Americans. who. this govern
merit Is now convinced, We're officers
of the revolutionary forces. and there
fore entitled to be dealt with accords.
ing 10 the enlightened practice of civil
lized nations. have been killed by the
direct order, of President Zelaya The
execution is said to have been pre-
ceded by barbarous cruelties.
1.-The consulate az Managua is OFF,
cially reported to have been menaced
There is thus a sinister elimination
Of an administration, also character
lied BY crueltt to our own citizens,
which has, until the recent outrage,
found vent in the case of this coun-
try in a succession of petty annoy
ances and indignities which many
months ago made it impossible to ask
the American minister longer to reside
at Managua.
From every point of view it evil
IDENTITY has become difficult for the
United States further to delay more
active response 20 the appeals which
long made it this governments duty tol
its citizens. to its dignity. to Central
America and to civilization.
The government of the United
States is convinced that the revolu-
ton represents the ideals and the will
of the majority of Nicaraguans more
faithfully than does the government
of Zelaya. as is officially reported
from more than one quarter and as is |
already indicated in the rising of the
western provinces. In this il is easy
to see in the new elements tendency !
toward a condition of anarchy which
leaves no RESPONSIBLE source to which
the United States could look for repa-
ration for the killing Of Cannon and
Groce and for the protection which
must be assured American citizens and
American interests in Nicaragua.
In the circumstances the president
has no longer for the government of
Zelaya that respect and confidence
which make it appropriate to maintain
ernment Nicaragua. which YOU have
hitherto represented. is hereby notified, |
as viii be also the leaders of the revo- !
luton. that the government of the
United States States will hold strictly
accountable for the protection Of
American life and property, the fac
tions in control of the western portions
of the republic of Nicaragua.
! As for reoaration for the killing of
Groce and Cannon the United States