New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-12-03

The action of our State Department
means business in Nicaragua. II is not
precipitate IL comes as the result Of
long elaboration and thorough inyesti-
cation and scrutiny, and II maintains
that spirit of patience and forbearance
which, 10 the utmost equitable extent, is
most admirable in the bearing of
greater power toward a smaller. But In
the last analysis il is inexOrable and will
doubtless prove effective. This country
does not yet purpose TO intervene In the
affairs of Nicaragua. Ii hopes that IL
will never have occasion TO do so. 1t
leaves IL 10 the people of Nicaragua TO
determine whom they will have for their
chief of state. But il can and will no
longer maintain official relations with a
government which has notCriously and
egregiously shown itself either unwilling
or unable 10 act decently and 10 dis
charge the ordinary international obli-
cations of q civilized government. At
the same time IL will for practical pur-
poses recognize the existence of what
ever dc factO governments there may be
in the various parts of Nicaragua, and
VIII LOAu ltspoLSiblt III AhtiA aNhS
so far as American citizens and their
legitimate interests are concerned. The
reckoning will. out of consideration for
the distressed citizens OF that i'll gov
erned land, be postponed until some gen
eral government is re-established and
peace is restored; but then il will come
fla thorough earnest.
One Of the last things which this cOun-
try desires is 10 intervene ia the affairs
Of Nicaragua or. indeed. u any other
land. But neither does il desire, nor can
il in self-respect and in equity long en-
dure. 10 have Its treaty rights violated,
its citizens wrOnged and its diplomatic
representations fiouted by any state,
however small, or by any dictator. how
ever impudent. No well informed man
will seriously challenge the accuracy OF
Mr.. knOx's characterization of the Ze-
laya administration. and certainly none,
cOnceding that Characterization 10 be
merited. can dispute the deserved jus
tee OF Mr.. KnOX's conclusions or can
pretend that this government ought
longer TO endure the proceedings of the
Central American dictator. Nor can we
admit the counsel Of cynicism that there
will he little gained In the substitution
Of one President for another. since the
new one is likely 10 be as bad as the old.
That is not true. There Is on the whole,
Improvement. Bad as he Is. Zelaya il
not SO bad as some o. lis predecessors
We're. and we are encouraged 10 expect
that his successor will give the country
a perceptibly better government than he
has done
There can be no doubt. we believe.
that Mr. Knox is right In intimating that
the action which this government IL TAX
ing is in accord with the desires OF a
ma jOrity of the Nicaraguan people and
that II explicitly answers and grants
the formal appeal of a majority of the
Central American states-tO wit. Guate-
mala. Costa Rica and Salvador The peo-
pie of Nicaragua show their feeling in
open revolution. The others point TO the
treaties which We're made at Washing
ton by all five of those republics under
the auspices and with the moral coop
Grafton Of Mexico and the United States,
the solemn stipulations of which have
been openly fouted and broken by Ze-
laya. Surely il would be Incompatible
with the dignity Of this country 10 have
treaties which Were made under its
auspices and at its capital trampled on.
and il would menace the integrity of in
ternatiOnal conventions everywhere 10
permit these. 50 sOlemnly and circum-
stantially made to he 50 wantOnly re-
rudiated. Action against Zelaya is action
against national and International I'M
righteousness and In behalf of govern
mental integrity and of the fundamental
interests Of our Central American neigh
bOrs