The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-04-07
.NIGARAGUAIIS TO
\ HAVE AN ELECTION
will Be Unique Experience
For Most Of tn
People.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, March IL
Correspondence Of The Associated
Press The people Of Nicaragua are
to be given the right to express their
will for the selection OF a president
That will be remarkable state Of
affairs for Nicaragua where, for twenty
years, dictatorship and revolution
have interdicted and made such con.
dition impossible. AS the Secretary
OF State expressed 1t in an official let
ter when he dismissed the Nicaraguan
Minister from the United States In
1909: cit is equally notorious that
under the regime OF President Zelaya'
republican institutions have ceased 10
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 just issued an
announcement through the press. ana
says he vii make il official by a proc
ilamation in the Official Gazette, that
ut has been the basis OF my program
of government to restore In Nicaragua
all the republican practices. TO that
end, he continues. the most important
is the succession of one'term presl'
dents in the Executive Power, select
cd by poplar will.
as the presidential election in MIC
aragua occurs October / next and as
politics are warming and the parties
are gathering themselves together,
this announcement is most significant,
'The present generation, Except the
older people who were active before
1881 know nothing Of popular dis
cussion of candidats for the presi'
dency, of a free registration of voters,
or of any expression Of the popular
will. Such things were not permitted
under President Zclaya from 1893 to
1910.
The Provisional Government which
gained force that year adopted new
constitution for a republican form OF
government, providing that the pres.
idcntial term should be four years ana
an incumbent could not succeed him
self. thus restoring the practice III
Nicaragua for the quarter century pre-
ceding Zelaya. The first election was
in December 1912, but IL came soon
after the revolution of 1912 engaged
| in by General Mena and the Aelayd
Liberals, that the parttsans OF the lat-
ter party made no effort at the poils
and the Conservatives won WITHOUT op'
position, the acting President, a0ollo
Diaz, being elected for full term.
The President now declares that the
term provision will be carried out.
which means that he will retire, and
states farther that the free express
sion Of the popular will In the primar-
les or meetings will be guaranteed Dv
the Government, with the same care
that have taken that the other guar
tees which the constitution gives 10
the citizens shall be respected.
He says that there Is further guar
antecd the free exercise Of propagan-
da and the right of free speech in
meetings provided taht it be done
with decorum and in lawful manner.
He calls attention to his instructions
TO the Jefe Politicos (Governors) OF
the Department last month that az
citizens who desired to register VIII
be given further opportunity on TWO
days In May.
The Liberals, which is the party IN
opposition. are already taking adVant'
age OF the Presidents declaration that
free discussion will he permitted, by
organizing clubs and calling meetings.
The Conservatives are doing the same.
So ther,. is good prospect Of a six
months lively campaign. Some OF the
Liberals seem little stunned by the
announcement that free speech viii
be permitted. SO unusual is 1t. When
It is remembered that most OF the
present high officials Of the Govern
ment, who are Conservatives, spent
more or less time in prison or In exile
for indulging in free speech IN the
regime Of ZeIaya the significance OF
President Dio"'S announcement can ne
appreciated !. marks new epoch
for Nicaragua.