The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-12-02
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consul. who was clapped in Jail be-
cause of his persistency. England
| Immediately jumped in and brought
Zelaya to his senses by forcing him to
pay an indemnity of $4,000.
A New Constitution.
In 1894 he drafted a new constitu-
ton, but. from Zelayan point of view
there was serious defect in it, which
provided that president could not
succeed himself. He had this rene
died by an amendment in 1896.
In the meantime, he had begun his
active campaign against Honduras.
The settlement Of this was not salts
factory, and was quickly followed By
another. His campaigns became SO
frequent that the Nicaraguan army was
spending the greater part of its time
| marching across the state line. On
the slightest pretext old troubles were
revived, and when there was nothing
else to fight about. Zelaya would Sc
lect the boundary line as an excuse:
this being a never failing source Of
dispute, since the states were first
| formed.
Finally with the aid of the United
States and Mexico and Central Ameri-
can Peace Conference was held in
Washington in 1897 and each repub-
lie signed a guarantee not to inter-
fere with the government of the 9th
er and agreed to refer all to court
of arbitration at Costa RIGA.
Under the watchful eye of this coun-
try and Mexico, this agreement has
Zelaya has been charged several times
with trying to destroy the Costa Rican
| court.
Forms Federation.
His military efforts. curbed by this
agreement, Zelaya began exercising di-
plomacy. and in August. 1898, he in
duced Honduras and Salvador to join
a federation. known as the United
States of Central America. 1t soon
| became evident, however that Zelaya
wanted to be the president of the new
republic. and govern it as autocratical-
ly as he had his own. The two states
Immediately protested and the fedora.
ton was dissolved in November of the
same year.
But the international entanglements
of Nicaragua were not the only ques-
tons that this ingenious ruler was far
more successful with.
His enemies were numerous and
when the quadrennial election periods
came round he had to see to it that
they were carefully removed He de-
veloped a system OF espionage which
rivals that of Russia. and thousands OF
citizens. whose only crime was their
opposition to the administration, Were
forced into, exile, and their estates for
feited. Others were clapped into jail
until the election was over. while some
placed against stone wall as targets
for a file of soldiers.
| On one of the elections unique
scheme was devised by this clever pol
itician to deceive the ignorant provin
Gals and insure his election. 1t con
sisted in the printing of three names
on the ballot-Jose, Santos and Zelays
all candidates for the presidency
The result showed the election of al
three: or in other words. Jose Santos
lZelaya was unanimously reelected.
BY such methods Zelaya has manag
ed to be thrice reelected, in spite Of
his enemies.
Attempts to Kill Him.
} Many attempts have been made Il
assassinate him. and in 1902 his pal
ace at Managua was blown up and Ia
soldiers killed. but the willy executiv.
escaped unframed. His undisputei
bravery and many miraculous escape:
from death have led the more supersti
tious of his enemies to believe that h:
is in league with the devil.
In one instance he learned of a plo
that was being organized against him
in which several of his officers wers
inveISed. Through his spies he dis
: covered their meeting place and deter
mined to surprise them.
The eonspirators were gathere.
) around a table discussing the detail!
of the plot, when there came a knocl
. on the door. When the summons wa:
answered. the officers were dumb