Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-12-14
SENATOR SPEAKING TO REso-
LUTON. RECENTLY OFFERED
TERMS NlcARAeuAN AS ONE OF
CRIMINALS OF THE AGE.
EXAMPLE M u S T
BE MADE OF HIM
SENATE is TOLD THAT THE
WORLD MUST KNOW THE FLAG
FOLLOWS CITIZENS WHEREVER
THEY MAY GO.

Washington, D. c., Dec. 13.-spean.
Ing of his resolution offered in the
senate last Friday authorizing the
President of the United States to take
all necessary steps to apprehend Presi-
dent Zelaya of Nicaragua, and bring
him to trial on charge of the murder
OF Groce ar Cannon, the two Ameri-
can citizens, recently executed in
Nicaragua, Senator Rayner of Mary
land, today addressed the senate at
length. Senator Rayner's speech. stir
ring and denunciatory in tone and
characterized by dramatic fervor, was
an unsparing arraignment OF President
lelaya whom he designated as one of
the criminals Of the age
What | am concerned in now" said
Senator Rayner, sis not the question
OF the belligerent rights of the revolu-
tionists, or in case of their success
their recognition either as the de-
facto or the de jure government, but
in the speedy apprehension and
punishment of zelaya. This desperate
is everything that the secretary of
state says about him, and great deal
more. If the country knew what is
known in official circles in reference RI
his general depravity. it would re-
gard the secretarys communication as
exceedingly temperate, as it shows
upon its face the restraint under which
he was laboring in dealing with such
a character.
ZeIaya Bitterly Arraiened.
Il have watched for years the reyo-
lutionary history of Central America
and am familiar with the career of a
great many of the irnposters and
usurpers and the grotesoue and motley
leaders that have sprung from their
chaotic institutions, but Zelaya is prob.
ably the most despicable figure that
has ever risen in their midst. If he
were simply highwayman. we might
Identity him; if he was simply tyrant
who oppressed the people for the pur-
pose of robbing them. we might par
tlcularize him; if he was usurper
who was only holding on to power 80
long as there was any money in the
treasury to steal, or any further ter
ritory that he could sack for private
plunder, we could assign him proper
place in the ranks of some of his
predecessors, and if he was purely an
assassin who regarded murder as n
legitimate profession through which he
could despoil his victims of their pos
sessions until the time came for him
to flee from the hands of retributiye
justice, 1T would be an easy task also
for anyone acquainted with the politi-
cal history of Nicaragua to classify
him.
He is. however, all of these things
combined. In the school Of corrun-
tion, dishonor, perfidy and crime he
stands Without peer, and exhibits in
one glow of associated harmony the
pride of every model and the perfec-
tio- of every master I have been in
formed upon the most reliable an
thority that the vices of his private
life are more infamous in their in
describable details than the iniouities
OF his public career. Such a creature
as this deserves the execration OF
mankind
Must Make Example Of Him.
If Zelaya had the rieht" the SEN
ator continued, "to sentence these
men to death and execute them in cold
blood, then we must acknowledge that
right and recognize it before the ma
tions of the world. If he did not have
that right, no matter how petty and
insignificant he may be in the eyes OF
diplomacy or upon the sphere of the
WI . dCtlOH, no mdLLer now trivial
and unimportant a station his gov
eminent may occupy, this government
is his accuser, and if he is guilty he
must be awarded the doom and fate
that he deserves, SO that every tyrant
on this earth in every nationality un-
der the sun, and in every government
large or small. and especially these
dictators in several of these Central
American states who have received
every favor and consideration at the
hands OF the United States and to
whom has been extended the official
hospitality of our land, and who in re-
turn therefor have exhibited to us at
times the bitterest hatred and visited
upon our citizens the most cruel in-
dignities and outrages, shall be told
once and forever that our flag follows
our citizens wherever they go, ana
that when an assassination like this
occurs the malefactor must take his
place like any other culprit at the bar
of criminal justice. and must answer
for the deed with his liberty or his
lifas