El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-04-03
Mena Holds Whip Hand in
Nicaragua, but Factions
Are Bitter.
Correspondence Associated Press)


Correspondence Associated Press)
{ on board the L. s. Cruiser Maryland,
off COrinto Nicaragua, March 23.-If
former president OF Nicaragua Zelaya
IS following the diplomatic trip of sec
rotary Knox he may be interested to
| know that the author Of the now IA
nous Knox note TO Zelaya,' which
finally broke the latter's power and
made him an exile. occupied in Mana
qua the presidential palace-the first
tenant of that imposing example Of
Moorish architecture since II was hur-
rledly vacated by the Liberal prest-
dent, Madriz Estrada and Diaz during
the brief tenureS OF the presidency
cOntented themselves with more hum
bic quarters. but the palace was re-
stored to something like its Old-time
grandeur in honor OF the American
guest
More pleasant news for Zelaya will
be that he still has a following in
Nicaragua who did their best to mako
the visit an occasion for anti-American
demonstrations. However, in this they
failed utterly.
Bitter Political Faction.
. Mr.. Knox found himself projected
into a bitter political fight or, more
properly, two fights. The Liberals
who were shOrn OF power by the Es-
trada revolution. have never forgiven
the United States for the influence II
eNerted at that time Some in the par
~ flooded the country with inflamma-
tory leaflets attacking the United
states government and MI KNOX anu
the Liberal papers In Managua Waged
a bitter campaign against the visit up
10 the day preceding the arrival Of Mr.
Knox, when most Uf their editors were
put in Jail, where they remained until
the secretary Of state had left the
city
General Rodolfo Espinosa,' perhaps
the biggest man among the Liberals.
now an exile in Costa Rica, called
upon the secretary Of state during the
latter's stay at San Jose and besOught
him TO use his influence TO prevent
the persecution of Liberals by the Con-
servatives in Nicaragua OF course,
the secretary Of state could not med
die in the affair, but he would have
been better pleased If the COnserva-
tives had used less strenuous means
to protect him from insult
As a matter Of fact, when the agtta-
ton was closely analysed IL appeared
that the feeling was less anu-Ameri-
can than government. and many
Liberals called upon the secretary OF
state in Managua, disavOwed the in
LemmatOry utterances and insisted
that their grievance was against the
Conservatives, who, they declared, had
tailed TO fulfill their promises Cor re-
form Many denied that they wished
Zelayaism restored 1t also seemed
plain that the Out-and-Ouc dnti-Ameri-
canism was confined chiefly to the IN
informed, who in their ignorance Of
the real policy OF the United Stat s had
been easily made to believe that the
=
fcreTunner Of American occupation.
This belief has been found among the
less informed in other countries Wis
tied
Trains Under Guard.
The trains carrying the Knox party
from C0rintO TO MauaRua suggested
an armed invasion First there was a
pilot train consisting Of locomotive
and one car. The car carried so sol
der and from the rear door a Colt
automatic gun with a capacity Of 25O
shots a minute was trained upon the
special of five cars Immediately fol-
lowing. The position Of the weapon
aroused mixed feelings among the
cOuntry's guests, but fortunately a
freight car filled with musicians. and
two coaches occupied by Nicaraguan
escorts interviewed between the artil-
lery and the presidential coach set
aside for the Knox family. Closely
following the special was a third train
of three cars carrying 100 soldiers and
soldiers lined the track on either side
All the soldiers were fully armed and
were in light marching order. The
cartridge belts were fixed on the au-
tCmatics ready for instant use.
All this precautiOn was not as re-
assuring as il was intended to be. but
as the trip progressed and nothing un- I
pleasant happened the Americans be-
came accustomed to the military dis
play and rather enjoyed the ride OF 90
miles. though Ii occupied six hours. [
The train passed through a magnificent /
fertile country where neglected land ]
can be purchased for Sc gold an acre
At Ameya. Chinamdega, Chichigalpa J