Arizona republican., 1912-04-07
| Especial COrrcSPOHdcHcel

March 16.-Guatamala has not been especially puncitilous in observing its obligations under the Central Ameri-
 can peace pact of 19OI. and only re- gently Salvador had occasion to
 complain and invite the good offices
 of the American state department
 to secure her territorial rights against
 Guatemalan aggression.
 Mir Knox evidently had this in mind when he delivered his formal | address at the presidents dinner to- night It must have required some ! courage after the kingly style in which he had been entertained. and surrounded by men who appeared to draw their breath by sufferance of the host. for the secretary to stand ! up and declare in language that could not be misunderstood that the strict 1 adherence of Guatemala to the Wash ! ington conventions was inseparable 1 from any hope of future prosperity, advancement and peace These con ventions provide that disputes be-
 tween the five republics shall be sub mitted to the peace tribunal at Car tagO: that no government shall in- , wade the territory of another. or per
 init within their own boundaries the outfitting of revolutionary eXpedi- tions against sister republic
 The secretary said in part:
 Guatemala in it's position of close proximity to the United States. where there is ever ready an eager market
 for its products. and with its dense population occupies indeed an envia- - ] ble position among the central Amer 1 ican nations This position will be rendered increasingly desirable as
 time goes on and the development of
 your conutry's enormous possibilities
 is accomplished And Mr President | I may here remark without, I am sure. indulging any view not equally | shared by yourself. that the contin- | uous development and permanent ad- vancement of the republic depend on | its staple economic conditions IS well as upon its domestic cOntentment and l consequent repose. The unVaryinG | friendship of the government of the United States for republican institu- | tions in this hemisphere and its de- l interference are too well known and understood to need words of reassur- ance from me. From the very in ception of and even before the in- l dependence of the in-American
 nations. the attitude of the American government, which later was unmis-
 takably announced by President Mon roe. was well known and it continues
 undiminished to the present day.
 In Central America the United States has d special interest not only
 because of the proximity of the five
 republics to the great commercial l highway now nearing completion in Panama. but also because of it's moral obligations under the Washington conventions. The maintenance of peace and stable conditions in thesse republics is a matter of first impor-
 tance to my government. The faith ful observance of those conventions will. in the opinion of my government go far toward the elimination of the ! turmoil that has hitherto shaken the very foundations of some of the less fortunate and less tranquil countries.
 In conclusion. MT President, allow me to indulge the hope that the rela- tions between our respective cOun- tries may become increasingly cor
 dial and close, to the mutual benefit
 of both"
 This speech if published here. as | is probably will not be. may reassure
 good many who have admired the secretary because of his part in breaking the tyranny of President
 Zelaya of Nicaragua and some of
 whom. unfamiliar with the necessities of diplomacy, must have been be- wildered to see this champion of re- publicanism accepting the hospitality
 of the most notorious dictator now
 tolerated under a pretense of popu- i lar government.
 An editor ot q local paper asked 1 if the government censorship was se- we're replied: No. there is no cen sorship. It is unnecessary. The edi- tors understand perfectly what the government wishes published or not | published" The city has two papers recognized as official organs and a third. La Compana," the unthrottled oDDOSlllon NtthIN. Ht idNtti p'''' voice of the people spoke the only word of discourtesy regarding the American mission. Ia it's issue of two weeks ago today, copy of
 which was surreptitiously furnished for insuection. MT Knox was de- scribed as a bird of ill omen and its readers were advised to draDe their windows in black on the day of his advent in fhe capital Inasmuch as every intelligent Guatemalan known that La Compana' is also secretly directed bv the government as con- stituted in the person of Cabrera, it's attitude offers a subject of specula-
 tion Perhaps it was a rap for the "antis." and possibly like the appear
 ance in public of the president. 1t
 was intended to direct attention to
 the freedom of reDublicanism m
 Guatemala on the same theory that
 a partial admission is stronger some
 times than an unecuivocal denial
 Late tonight many of the street
 arches were stripped of their decor
 ations by vandals, it was explained
 similar incident occurred upon the
 last night of Admiral Swinburn's visit
 some years ago. and no political sig
 nificance was to be attached to the
 matter. the camp followers of Knox
 were told. Indeed. no significance,
 ,.litinaI nr C tn ha at