The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-04-07
NlCARAGUANS WILL
VOTE FOR PRESIDENT
Where Dictatorship and Revo-
luton Have Made Such a
Thing impossible.
,.. .ssoe,.r.o -....,

people Oh Nicaragua are to be
gwen the right to express their will
ior the selection OF president. That
WIZ be remarkable state of affairs
Tor Nicaragua where. for twenty
years. dictatorship and revolution
nave interdicted and made such n
condition impossible. AS the secre-
/ ary OF state expressed II in an official
letter when he dismissed the Near
guam minister from the United States
in 1909: ut is equally notorious
that under the regime of President
Zelaya. republican institutions have
ceased to exist in Nicaragua except
in name. that public opinion and the
press have been strangled and that
prisons have been the price of every
demonstration OF patriotism"
President Diaz has lust issued an
announcement through the press
and says he will make II official by
proclamation in the Official Ga
zette. that lit has been the basis of
my program OF government to re-
store In Nicaragua all the republican
practices. To that end. he contin-
ues. the most important is the sue
cession OF one-term presidents in the
executive power. selected by popular
will.
AS the presidential election in
Nicaragua occurs October next,
and as politics are warming and the
parties are gathering themselves to-
gether. this announcement is most
significant. The present generation.
Except the older people who were
active before 1899, know nothing
of the popular will. Such things
for the presidency, of free registra-
ton Of voters. or Of any expression
OF the popular will. Sue hthings
were not permitted under President
Zelaya from 1893 to 1910.
The provisional government which
gained force that year adopted a new
constitution for republican form
OF government. providing that the
presidential, term should be four
years and an incumbent could not
succeed himself. thus restoring tho
practice in Nicaragua for the quarter
century preceding Zelaya. The first
election was in December, 1912, but
1t came soon after the revolution OF
1912 engaged in by General Mena
and Zelaya Liberals. that the parti-
sans of the latter party made no eff
fort ut the polls and the Conserve
tives won without opposition, the
acting president. Adolfo Diaz, being
elected for full term.
The president now declares that
the one-term provision will be car
ried out. which means that he will
retire, and states further that the
free expression OF the popular will
in the primaries or meetings will be
guaranteed by the government with
the same care that have taken that
! the other guarantees which the con-
stitution gives 10 the citizens shall
be respected"
He says that there is further
guaranteed the free exercise OF pro-
paganda and the right OF free speech
In meetings provided that it be done
with decorum and in lawful manner.
He calls attention to his instructions
to the Jefe Politicos (governors) OF
the departments last month that all
| citizens who desire TO register will
be given further opportunity on two
days in May
The Liberals. which Is the party
in opposition, are already taking adj
vantage OF the presidents declara-
tons that free discussion will be per-
mitted, by organizing clubs and call
ing meetings. The Conservatives arc
doing the same. So there is good
prospects OF six months lively
campaign. Some Of the Liberals
seem little stunned by the an
nouncement that free speech will be
permitted. so unusual Is 1t. When it
Is remembered that most OF the pres
ent high officials of government, who
are Conservatives. spent more or less
time in prison or in exile for In
dulgng in free speech in the regime
of Zelaya the significance OF Presi-
dent Diaz's announcement can be ap-
preciated. 1t marks new epoch
for Nicaragua.