Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-12-17
zELAYA HANDS IN
HIS RESIGNATION
Nicaraguans Were Aroused, Guns
OF RevoIutionists Threatened
So Was No Other Course.
CLAIMS PATRIOTIC MOTIVES.
Commission Appointed 10 Draft Bill
Looking to Approval OF
His Last Act.

Managua, Dec. 16.-Jose Santos Ze-
laya has resigned from the presidency
of Nicaragua. He placed his resigna-
ton in the hands OF congress this morn
ing.
Apparently there was no other course
to take The people were aroused at
last. Tho guns of the revolutionists
threatened. The warships of the United
states lay in Nicaragua ports.
Managua has been seething for days
The spirit of revolt has spread even to
the gates of the palace. Zelaya sur
rounded himself with an armed guard.
Unchecked. the populace have marched
through the streets. crying for the end
OF the old and proclaiming the new
regime.
Who Will take up the rcins. no one
knows or cares. 1t Is sufficient that
Zelaya, as dictator, Will be known no
more, There is no doubt that congress
win act quickly on his resignation. for
the people have demanded 1t.
DR.. Jose Madrlz. judge OF the Central
American court of justice at Carta-
go. who has been close to Zelaya, and
is now his choice for president. is on his
way here. He will arrive on Saturday.
Madriz has his following, strong and
lists. but Gen. Estrada. under whose
command the great body of lighting In
surgentS now face VaSquez's troops at
Rama, will have none of him. Estra-
da's word will bear weight in the choice
OF president.
Zeaya has known, too. that Madrlz
is not acceptable TO the United States.
and no has sought to learn who would
be looked upon with favor by that
government as his successor. But the
American government, so far as can be
laerned, has named no man, and the
choice probably will lie with those who
have gained the upper hand.
ZELAYA's MESSAGE.
Accompanying his resignation Zclaya
sent the following message to con-
gicss:
1.-THE painful circumstances IN which
the country Is plunged call for acts of
abnegation and patriotism on the part
OF the good citizens, who arc the wilt
nesses OF the oppression OF the republic
by the heavy hand OF fate. The coun-
try is staggering under a shameless
revolution that threatens the nations
sovereignty. and q foreign nation un-
justly lntervenes in our crisis, publicly
providing tho rebels with arms. which
has only resulted In their being defeat
ed everywhere through the heroism of
OUT troops.
ITO avoid further bloodshed, and for
the reason that the revolutiontsts have
declared that they would put down
their arms when | surrendered the ex-
ecutlve power. I hereby place In the
hands OF tho national assembly the
abandonment OF the remainder of my
term of office. which is to be filled by
a substitute of their choosing. with tho
hope that his will result in good to
Nicaragua; tho rc-establishment of
peace, and particularly the suspension
OF the hostility OF the United States. to
which 1 do no wish to give a pretext
for Intervention
A commission OF five deputies was
appointed to draft bill looking to tho
acceptance of Zelaya's resignation.
News of the presidents action spread
throughout the city. and soon great
crowds moved through the streets.
shouting for the United States. Es-
trda and the revolution.
Held in control for years by the
strong hand OF Zelaya, the people