Los Angeles herald., 1910-01-06
Turbulent Central America
IA Century of Revolution
Bv Frederic j. Haskin
Bv Frederic j. Haskin

through Iturbide to annex them all to
her territory, declaring they could not
stand alone, but only Chiapas was
finally made a part of that nation.
Mexico did not give up her pretensions
to possession without struggle, Qua
temala having quickened her hope of
success, but after forcing one or two
of the states to submit to annexation
Iturbide's government in Mexico was
. itself overthrown and a republic es-
tablished there.
Then came a constitutional conven-
ton. A constitution modelled after
that of the United States was pre-
pared and adopted, though there is no
proof that it was submitted to the
people themselves. No sooner had
this new nation been formed than in
tense partisan spirit arose. The Cen
tralists and the Federalists, known
also as the Moderates and the Lib
erals, and also as the Aristocrats and
Radicals, became extremely bitter to-
ward one another. Starting under the
most favorable auspices, except that
the people were not fitted for the SOW
ereignty vested in American citizens,
it was not long until the question of
states rights arose in a peculiar way.
The national congress planned a big
C6lSDTdtIOH III uOlOr OIL Ile uISl dll-
niversary Of the new government, but
Guatemala refused to participate.
This refusal was most embarrassing as
the seat of government was in her ter
ritory So the national congress
passed a resolution compelling the
Guatamalans to participate in the eX
ercises.
In 1926 President Arce issued a proc
lamation conVening an extra session
of the congress, which was clearly'an
unconstitutional act. Salvador rebelled,
invaded Guatemala and was defeated.
Arce countered with an invasion of
Salvador and was in turn defeated.
Civil war was the result. The
troublous times brought a leader who
forced the states into submission for
a while, but even he could not indef-
initely postpone the separation that
seemed inevitable. BY 1888 every state
had seeded It was a general seces-
sion, for which, in the very nature of
things, there could be no remedy. The
United States of Central America was
nothing but a name.
About this time there arose a new
power in Central American politics.
This man was Carrera, q mulatto with
O predominant streak of Indian blood
in his VEINS and who had been pig
driver in Guatemala. He was as ig-
norant as his vocation would indicate,
yet possessed of a cunning and cru
city seldom surpassed. Years of
fighting followed his rise. The states
were led to a reunion, only to split
nm again. At times Carrera was a de-
feated guerrilla sulking in the noun
tains with a price upon his head, and
then a triumphant leader with re-
cruited force. He finally defeated
IN, n ornaf hattie and had
that valiant warrior put to death on
the anniversary of Central American
independence. Carrera placed himself
at the head of the Guatemalan gov
ernment and remained its dictator
until 1865
we now come to the time of William
Walker, the versatile and daring Ten
nesseean. who sought to establish an
empire of his own in Central America.
This dashing soldier of fortune hrst
failed in an attempt to create state
in a lonely Mexican province. but,
nothing daunted by this reverse,
pressed on southwark in his career OF
conquest. For time he was actually
in control of the government OF Near
ora and seemed in a fair way TO
realize his ambition to be ruler. But
his tenure of power was brief. AFTER
heinc turned from one port by the
American navy and ordered away from
another by the admiral OF BRUSH
yyarship. this valiant freebooters was
captured by Honduranean troops
court-martialed and shot.
The subsequent history of the CEN
trail American ctates is one of aoor-
five efforts to reunite them, OF reVo-
1utions and counter-revolutions, with
occasional bright periods of peace uh-
der temporary benefcent administra-
tion. Even as late as 1907 serious
effort was made to reunite the states IN
q permanent union like our own: !
There had been such succession oIs
revolutions that Mexico and the Unlted'
States Joined hands in asking the reg
public to take part in a conference
washington looking to a mutual uni
derstanding that would end these con-
start wars. When the delegates rnel
the renree tative from Honduras pro-
nosed a lion. He insisted that req
GRAFTON was bound to come, and tina.
the question involved was only Whethf
o., If should be now or hereafter Hort
duras and Nicaragua favored the prop
osition. but all the others opposed
The Jesuit was the court of arb1trA
tion. a sort of miniature Hague TN
bunal but no union.
Tomorrow--Turbulent Central Amerlct3
AMERICA.
H-Nicaragua, Land OF Blasted HopSeof