The Washington herald., 1913-02-02
NICARAUGUAN REBEL CHIEF.
Gen. Mcna's Grievance Against the
United states.
Prom the Mexican Herald,

Frum the MEXICAN Hcrald.
Gen. Mena. the NicaraGuan rebel chief,
is Of pure Indian blood. forty-hve years
Of age. powerfully built, with the ply
s.que 4 blacksmith, and essentially a
man Of violence The national assembly
in Nicaragua proclaimed him constitutions
al President some time ago TO begin his
service in January 1872. This selection
was shown to be unconstitutional and
Mena never came into power. He no"
seeks to gain the Presidency by force.
II was the late Thomas Z. Dawson ot
the American State Department whn
frustrated Gen. Menas attempt to taxa
over the reins OF government, and 1t IS
said that Mena holds this against the
United States. which first befTiended him,
he says, and later turned against him,
His attitude toward George T. weitZelr
the American Minister at ManaSua- and
the American marine officers indicates
that he takes little stock in the threats
of reprisals IL he does not protect AmeTl-
can lives and property.
Gen. Mena's grievance in Nicaragua,
the cause of the present revolution, datei
back to the time last year when ths
Assembly was called together TO rat!f1
the convention between the United Statei
and Nicaragua. The Assembly then pro.
ident. to take the oath OF Office on Janu.
airy l. 1872, succeeding Adolfo D!az.
AS revolutionary leader under Juan
Estrada against Zelaya Gen. Mena frsa
came into prominence, and Estrada mads
him Minister Of War in recognition o-
his services. In control of the army, hs
got into trouble through his political am
bitions in 1910 but when Estrada resigned
or "despOsited power" the Latin
4 II q
Diaz, Gen. Mena was liberated and found
his following stronger than ever.
He posed as champion backed by
the United States. saying that the Amer
lean Government ordered his release
from prison. But when his election as
constitutional President OF the Assem-
bly, became known the late Thomas -
Dawson. diplomatic expert on Latin$
American affairs in the State Departs
ment. used his influence to offset what
the Assembly had done by demonstrat.
ing that it was contrary to the laws OF
the country. The Assembly had met I'd
ratify the United States-NicaraSua con-
vention. and had no power to name .
constitutional President as a dIVerSica
while waiting to ratify the convention.
This put an effective stop TO Gen. Me-
mas ambition to become President with
out 4 popular election. Election time.
this year, drew close with little prospec;
of Gen. Nena's candidacy having a wins
ming chance. He therefore ''bolted' ant
began to make trouble.
As conditions in ths country were il
bad shape, with a famine threatened and
a financial stringency, the time was cons
sidered opportune for getting togethes
the maIcontents and urging them TO sUp<
port a move against the government
Before the trouble broke out Gen. Me.
ma lived in Campo de Marte. in Manas
qua. where Zelaya lived. with all tbs
splendOr of a President. President Diaz,
Il is said. lived in his own private house.
1t was fast becoming more and more
evident that Gen. Mena intended to exers
else a sort of dictatorship over affairs
in Nicaragua This Diaz and his sup
porters objected to, and. foreseeinS tron
Bile, attempted to repress Mena, with ths
result that the armed revolt broke ous
at this time.