The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 50, October 21, 1897

The cause of the unpleasantness between Nicaragua and Costa Rica is the boundary line which divides them.

This boundary question involves the mouth of the Nicaragua Canal.

In 1858 it was agreed between the two countries that the channel of the Rio San Juan del Norte at its exit into the ocean should be the dividing line between them.

Owing to changes of current and other causes, the course of this river has changed, until it is now several miles farther south than it was in 1858.

Costa Rica claimed that the boundary should be the spot where the old channel was; Nicaragua, that the treaty called for the channel of the river where it emptied itself into the sea, and that therefore the new mouth of the river is the boundary.

It is a serious matter for Nicaragua, for the opening to the Nicaragua Canal on the Atlantic Ocean side is through the Rio San Juan del Norte. If Costa Rica were to own the mouth of the canal while Nicaragua owns its body, there would be no end to the complications and troubles which would arise.

The matter was therefore submitted to arbitration, President Cleveland appointing the arbitrator.

The decision has just been rendered, and is against Costa Rica. The arbitrator decides that the old treaty holds good, and that the boundary line of Nicaragua is the channel of the river as it flows into the ocean, and that no matter how far the Rio San Juan del Norte creeps down into Costa Rican territory, Nicaragua will always own to the channel where it flows into the sea.

Costa Rica is of course angry that the decision was against her, and she may try to secure her lost territory by force of arms.

This is the Nicaraguan and Costa Rican trouble. The disturbance in Guatemala is in the shape of a revolution, which, if the accounts we hear are true, is of a serious nature.

We have told you before of the many revolutions that are constantly taking place in South America, and that the people have become so accustomed to them that they take very little notice of such things, and no one regards a Central American revolution as a serious affair.

Now while it is amusing to make fun of these toy revolutions, some of the best people of the country suffer severely through them, and to these people they are very real and terrible. Those who suffer most are the merchants. During the disturbances caused by constant changes of government, trade cannot properly flourish, and many of the merchants of Central America wish heartily that a means may be found to restore order and give them a government which will be likely to last.

Some time ago a plan was made to form the five republics of Guatemala, Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica into one republic, under one government.

At this time Mexico objected to the plan. She was afraid that a strong republic at her doors might give her more trouble than she was likely to have from the five weak little countries.

Attempts were made to carry the plan through, but it was finally abandoned.

It was not, however, forgotten, and in January of this year the first step was taken toward such an arrangement, by the union of Nicaragua, Honduras, and Salvador, forming together the Greater Republic of Central America. It was hoped that Guatemala and Costa Rica would also join in, and in June of this year Guatemala did join the other republics.

Mexico still disapproved of the plan, and was not at all pleased that the Greater Republic of Central America had been formed.

The level-headed men of Central America then suggested that Mexico should be asked to join the union, and one vast Central American Republic be formed.

To this President Barrios of Guatemala objected. He is perhaps the most ambitious man in Central America, and undoubtedly aims to be the president of the Central American Republic. Were Mexico to become a part of this great federation, Barrios would have a strong rival in the beloved President Diaz of Mexico, and so he steadfastly set his face against union with Mexico.

The friends of solid government were much disappointed at this, and it is stated on good authority that they then formed a plot, which has resulted in the present disturbances throughout Central America.

It was decided that as Barrios of Guatemala and Diaz of Mexico were opposed to the plan, they must both be removed from office as soon as it could be managed.

According to this story, Barrios was the first to give his enemies the opportunity they sought.

We have told you that he is a very ambitious man. In Guatemala presidents are elected for six years, and are not allowed to be re-elected.

President Barrios is very near the end of his term, and he could not bear to think that in a few months he would go out of office, and lose all chance of rising to the heights he wished to attain. He therefore had himself proclaimed dictator of Guatemala, and announced that he intended to have a law passed which would allow a president to be elected for a second term.

This meant of course that he intended to be elected again, and that it would be another six years before there was any hope of forming the federation.

The people of Guatemala strongly disapproved of Barrios' action in making himself a dictator instead of a president. A president is guided by the wishes of the legislature, and though he has the power to veto, or forbid the passing of, a law made by congress, that body has also power to overrule his veto, and pass the laws in spite of him. So you see the power is pretty equally balanced. Then, too, a president can be impeached, or called to account, if he neglects the duties which he has agreed to fulfil.

With a dictator it is very different. He has absolute power in the government of the state. His word is law, and he is not accountable to the legislature for his actions.

A dictator is sometimes appointed in times of war or great trouble, but he should always be a man whom the people love and honor, and to whom they can entrust this great power.

The reason for appointing a dictator is, that not being accountable to the legislature for his actions, he is able to do as he thinks best, without waiting for the long delays that must follow the submission of plans to congress.

While the people were so opposed to the idea of giving these great powers to Barrios, it was thought to be a good opportunity to overthrow him, and so a revolution was begun, with Gen. Prosper Morales at its head.

This revolution has steadily grown stronger. Most of the important men in Guatemala have joined it, and success has attended the rebel arms.

They have captured one of the most important towns of the country, and it seems as if the overthrow of Barrios was assured.

If the rumors of this great plot are true, the revolution in Guatemala is but the commencement of the great rising which is to end in the formation of the new republic.

That there is some truth in these rumors is shown by the fact that a cowardly attempt which was made to kill President Diaz of Mexico, a short time ago, was found to be connected with the present disturbance in Guatemala.

It was found that the man who had attempted to do this wicked deed was the agent of some persons in Guatemala; and thinking that there was something strange in this, the Mexican authorities handed the prisoner over to one of the highest police officials, with orders to keep him under close guard until further inquiries could be made.