The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1909-12-02
with the United States in this mat


| explained today
1t is expected, however. that Vice
Consul Caldera, who has been &C.
! cupying the legation in Managua. and
other consuls in that country, viii be
given their passports tomorrow. This
is the usual method Of procedure.
| Following is the text of Secretary
knox's letter to Senior Rodriguez:
Text OF Communication.
Department of State, Washington,
December l, 1909
Sir: Since the Washington con-
| vention of 1907 it is notorious that
President Zelaya has Almost contin-
uously kept Central America in ten
| sion or turmoil, that he has repeatedly
and fagrantly violated the provisions
| of the convention and, by a baneful
| influence on Honduras, whose neu-
trality the conventions were to assure.
| has sought to discredit these sacred
| international obligations to the great
| detriment of Costa Rica, Salvador and
Guatemala, whose governments mean
| while appear to have been abe pa
| tiently to strive for the loyal support
| of the engagements so solemnly I'M
| dertaken at Washington under the
auspices of the United States and Of
Mexico.
1T is equally a matter of common
| knowledge that. under the regime of
President Zelaya. republican institu-
lions have ceased in Nicaragua to ex-
ist except in name, that public opin-
| ion and the press have been throt-
| tied, and prison has been the reward
| of any tendency toward real patriot
| ism. My consideration for you per-
sonally impels me me to abstain from
| unnecessary discussion of the pain
| full details of a regime which unfort
unately has been bot on the history
| of Nicaragua. and a discOura cement
to a group of republics whose aspir-
ations need only the opportunity of
| free and honest government.
I'm view of interests of the United
| States and of it's relation to the
| Washington conventions, appeal
| against this situation has long since
been made to this government by a
| majority of the Central American re-
! publics. There is now added the ap-
| peal, through the revolution, Of a
great body Of the Nicara guam people.
Americans Barbarously Treated.
1.-TWO Americans, who this govern
ment is now convinced, were officers
connected with the revolutionary
forces, and therefore entitled to be
dealt with according to the enlight-
ened practice Of civilized nations have
been killed by direct order of Presi-
| dent Zelaya. Their execution is said
to have been preceded by barbarous
cruelties.
THE consulate at Managua is now
officially reported to have been me-
naced. There is thus a sinister cul-
minatiOn of an administration also
characterized by a cruelty to its own
citizens which has, until the recent
outrage, found vent, in the case &C
! this country, in succession of petty
annoyances and indignities which
| many months ago made it impossible
to ask an American minister longer to
reside at Managua. From every point
! CT view it has evidently become diff
| cult for the United States further to
! delay more active response t. the APP
! peas so long made 10 its duty II It's
| citizens, to its digni~y. TO Central
America and to civilization.
"The government ur t!:e United
| States is convinced that the revolu-
| ton represents the ideals and the Wi !
| of majority OF the Nicaraguan peO
| pc more faithfully than does the gov
| eminent of President Zelaya. and that
it's possible control is we'll nigh as
extensive as that hitherto so sternly
| attempted by the government at
| Managua.
/ Rising in Western Provinces.
! There is now added, the fact, as
| officially reported from more than one
| quarter, that there are already indi-
| cations OF a rising in the western pro-
! vinces in favor of a presidential can
didate intimately associated with the
/ old regime. In this it is easy to see
new elements tending toward a con-
dition of anarchy which leaves, at q
| given time 70 responsible source to
| which the government Of the United
States could look for PREPARATION for
the killing Of Messrs. Cannon and
Groce, or indeed, for the protection
| which must be assured American citi-
| zens and American interests in Mic
| aragua.
''In these circumstances the presi-
dent no longer feels for the govern
mont OF President Zelaya that re-
spect, that confidence which would
make it appropriate hereafter to
maintain with it regular diplomatic
relations, implying the will and the
abb ity to respect and assure what is
due from one state to another
1.-The government of Nicaragua,
which you have hitherto represented
! is hereby notified, as will be also the
| leaders of the revolution, that the
| government Of the United States will
| hold strictly accountable for the pro-
lection of American life and property
the factions de facto in control of the
| western portions of the republic OF
| Nicara qua.
Would Not Impose Too Heavy Burden
CAS- for the reparation found due,
otter careful consideration for the
| killing OF Messrs. GrOce and Cannon.
the ~vernment of the United States
| would be loathe to impose upon the
| innocent peop'e of Nicaragua too
| heavy burden of expiating the acts OF
| regime forced upon them. or to ex-
| act from a succeeding government, if
| it have quite different policies, the
imposition of such burden. Into the
question of ultimate reparation there
| must enter the question of the eY-
istence at Managua of a government
capable of responding to demands.
| The question how far it is possible
| to reach those actually responsible
and those who perpetrated the tor
lures reported to have preceded the
| execution, if these be verified must
enter, as well as the question whether