The Detroit times., 1913-11-07
GRAFT VICTIM,
NICARAGUA in
NEED OF HELP
Republic. Plundered in Many
Ways, is in Dire Need of
Money
REBELLION ONLY ADDS
TO BURDEN OF PEOPLE
European Agencies Carefully
Fostering "Anti- American"
Sentiment

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, Nov. T.
Nicaragua needs help sorely Her
people were plundered through the
larger part OF the last 20 years by
her own sons and by such alien sol
diers OF fortune az flock to pick the
flesh from the bones OF sick nations.
The republic was robbed Of nearly
ell real money. and compelled by the
robbers to accept In its stead paper
that was and 10 nearly worthless.
Foreigners refused to take the paper
In exchange for anything Of value.
The administration monopoiized
nearly every productive industry OF
the land, except those owned by for
eisners. 1t peddled those monopolies
to foreigners and left almost nothing
to pay the people OF the country for
their toll and use Of the capital they
had invested.
Rebellion against these intolsrable
conditions took from her fields her
young men and her old. II took the
OK from the yoke. the mule from un.
der the pack. and the horse from the
saddle. 1t seized food wherever 1t
was found, by one or by the other OF
the parties to the strife, and destroy
ed all that was not used. that II
might not give aid and comfort to
the enemy. Cow and pig and poultry
that escaped such destruction and
grain that should have been saved
for seed were eaten by the hungry
people. And productive labor OF man
and beast were lost to the country.
Then followed two years In which,
over a large part Of Central America,
little rain fell. Harvests were very
light in the few fields In Nicaragua
where attempts at planting had been
made. At most little ground could
have been cultivated. because seed.
animals and men for that work were
gone. as we're pigs, poultry and goats.
In the midst of this widespread
want and suffering, a faction under
took TO wrest the government--and
Its treasury--from those at the time
in power. So this faction who live
by looting the masses of Spanish
America. increased the burden OF
misery Of this unlucky republic.
Having no productive industry, 9TH
or. than agriculture. and with that in.
duatry ruined for tho time, the peo-
pie had no way to get money nor
credit. except by the aid Of another
people.
No sister republic of Central Amer
lea could, II any OF them would, give
money or credit To tho wrecked ma.
ton, for most OF them wore suffering
from the drought. Honduras was
staggering under the load imposed by
the Bonilla revolution and all other
republics were overloaded with debts
long overdue.
Commerce In Nicaragua was Tor
years Observation-Disclosures ruined. In
deed. by her government. The little
trade remaining when Zelaya was ex-
PEELED was controlled by those he ia
vored. It Is said that credit was
given so long as the buyer had prop
erty that would insure ultimate pay
meut or had the favor of the dicta-
tor. When property or favor were
gone the traders naturally told the
buyer that their own standing and
capital would no longer allow the ex-
tsssion Of credit.
Il 10 said, further, that the mass OF
the people OF Nicaragua was led to
believe that the American govern
ment was about to place millions oil
dollars at the command OF the new
rulers. The masses may have mag
ined that these millions would be
used to repair the injury done to their
own Industries, by Nicaraguans them
selves. and by alien soldiers OF for
tune-misfortune for which no others
are responsible.
The belief that the American peo
pie az q whole would come to the help
Of the Nicaraguans was encouraged
by the proposal put before the Amer
lean Congress In the summer Of 1918
Naturally, the refusal of the United
States senate to ratify this proposal
caused wide and acute disappoint-
ment In Nicaragua.
Men who spent months In learning
the sentiments OF the laboring, the
commercial and the land-ownine
classes, became convinced that these
unfortunate conditions were used by
enemies of American commercial in
terests to fan the smouldering fires
Of hatred of all things American.
Refusal to hand over millions Of
dollars to the people OF Nicaragua If
said to be secretly reseited by that
handful VINO rule the masses there
and that opposition will be made by
that small class TO every proposal to
borrow money, II that money should
be used honestly and with prudence
and not diverted to the pockets OF q
few grafters.
These assertions may seem not i'm
probable. to those who know the story
OF the financing OF Spanish-American
nations as II II set out In their own
records Ever since they became In
dependent of Spain. more than "
years ago. they have been going In
debt deeper and deeper. The money
they have borrowed went to pay the
costs Of rebellions, or to save their
or invasions; or II has gone to make
parks. theaters or other monument
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