THE POLITICAL RELATIONS OP THE UNITED STATES AND NICARAGUA Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement] for the degree of Master of Arts of the Graduate Sehool of the Texas Technological College 1930 Mamie Wolffarth i!f£fJ««'»«ia8,c;^ fUui^'-^ «0tU6£ uSi^ -1 Aec-s'J^M ^05" TABLE OP COHTESTS I Ve>^D Chapter I QKOORAPHIC AND OTHER FACTORS 3 &-A>.ti 1. Area and Population. 2* East and West* Chapter II EARLY RELATIONS 9 1* Traditional Parties* 2. Clayton-Bulwer Treaty. 3, Rivas Walker Government* Chapter III OVERTHROW OF THE ZELAYA REGIME 16 1* Central American Court of Justice* 2* Conservative Revolution. 3* Dawson Agreements* 4* Mena ^evolt* 5, Bryan«>Chamorro Treaty* Chapter IV THE CHAMORKO COUP D'ETAT 27 1* Washington Compact, 1923* 2* Election of 1924* 3. Withdrawal of Marines* 4* Chamorro Coup d*£tat* 5* Liberal ^evolution* 6* Peace Conference* Chapter V ELECTION OF DIAZ AND HECOGNITION 39 1. Election of Diaz, 2* Reeognltlon of Dias* 3* Mexican Interference. 4* Ameriean Intervention* •2 Chapter VI THE STIMSON AGREEMENT 55 1* Peaee Movements* 2* Stismon Investigati<m. 3* Stimson Agreement* 4. Sandino* Chapter VII THE ELECTION OF 1928 71 1« Dias*s Request for Supervision* 2* Congressional Veto of Election Lav* 3* Executive Decree* 4* Election* Chapter.VIII THE CANAL AND OTHER FEATURES 80 1. Cumberland Report* 2* Sandino* 3* Canal* Appendix A BRYAH-CHAMORRO TREATY 85 Appendix B TREATY OF 1923 87 Appendix 0 NICAHAGUAN ELECTION LAW 89 BIBLIOGRAPHy 94 -3 Chapter I i^^]r aSOSHAPHIC AND OTHER FACTORS Sj**'' The Rgpublies of Central America and the West Indies secured their independence from Spain in 1823* The Central American countries were first united under *The Federation of Central American States* which was recognized by the United States when President Monroe received Mr. Canaz as envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary, August 4, 1824*^ This confederation consisted of the States of Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Salvador. The union, however, did not last long. The people had had virtually no self government under Spanish mO-e; they did not understand their new constitutions; they were accustomed to favoritism and corruption and it was difficult if not iispossible to ia^lant respect for law and honesty in adnd.nistration The holding of fair elections was impossible** ^ -'• >- the party in power always won* Hewolts were chronic ., ?• -'^'^^ so the union split up into five republics* Hiearagua was recognized by the United States Deeenftier 24, 1849, by President Taylor*s receiving Mr. Bduardo Comanoho as Mlearaguan ChargI d«Affaires .^ ^Mo«re2 Interaatlonal Law Digest, Vol* I, p. 92, *IW:d« Nicaragua is the largest of the five Central Asierican Republics having an area of 46,950 square miles of which Lakes Nicaragua and Managua occupy substcmtially 3,000 square miles*^ Nicaragua is bounded on the South by Costa Rica and on the North by Honduras* Nicaragua is sharply divided into the East and the Wcat* In the West the two lakes are the doidnant feature, the climate is coaqparatively healthful, and a considerable portion is capable of cultivation* Although the western and eastern portion of the country is fairly evenly divided, seven-eights of the population reside in the western part largely because of the more healthful climate. Around the lakes on the fertile plains may be found the capital, Managua, and the rival cities of Granada and Leon* Connecting these cities from Iiske Nicaragua to Corinto on the Pacific Coast runs the only railroad. So far all efforts to extend this railroad to the East have failed* The eastern district is made up of Jungles and swaa^s having an average rainfall of 194*9 inches per year with a rainfall of 251 inches in San Juan del Norte* Rainfall in the H[. W. Cu29herland: Nicarai^ - -An Economic and Financial Survey, p. 6* -5 western district averages 61*5 inches* No exact count has ever been made of the population of Nicaragua* It is approximately 650,000. About two-thirds of the population are of Indian stock, about one-sixth are primarily of Europeeua origin and about one tenth are negroes— the rest are mixed* Oriental immigration is prohibited* Because of the high birth and death rate a relatively small portion of the total population is found in the economically productive age group which is estimated at 125,000. Peonage in Nicaragua is absent and Nicaragaan workmen are considered as good as any in Central America *1 A line miglht be drawn tram Seuva Segovia to the town of ^an Juan del Norte (Greytovn) dividing the East from the V/est* One of the greatest problems of Nicaragua today is amalgamating these two parts into a unified state. The twenty-five thousand Mosquito Indians, megroes, mixed and whites continue to distrust, as they have a right to do, those six hundred and twenty-five thousand citizens of predominantly Spanish blood who continue to look iipon the "Costinos*' with contesq^t. They have very little chance of ever seeing each other* ^^hn&erland: Nicaragua—An Economic and Financial Survey, p. 12* -6 fM sust sosst tedsy is sv^a further f roM Ifansgus thsm tt vss itam Cemellus Vsndsrhllt ofsrsted hits ssmsl* Tbm Xong rslagr ssas<m mates overland fsssage slnsst imposslbls» A triy to the sspltal frcas ths •ftst ssmst vm§tSi3fm a rids im a small motor sail bout to Costa Hiso^s Port Liaont s danf^m traim tri|i t^ to Sam l<His and thsa a possible wait oJT aims days tor m Pueifls boat and about three <^ys it^ to Corinto aad into Managua over mc»t of ths oowsiry^s hnmdred and t«enfey>»five miles of raiXroftd«^ 'SMM is ths most eomfortable roKte, fho sftstem district has very little politisal or iroi^UCl iwftf*sn^« The form of government ia lisarsgma is B#|«^lisaa with mslversal suffrage ^ tlMi oomstitutioA being modeled aTter that of tho flidLted StfttiMi^ Tlisre is a hi|^ oeatralisatioii in tte natioBal government^ the departments beimg ostttroUod Igf miiitsz*y officials appoiated by t^ frosijilsttt#^ The wsstem district because €t its iKTgor fopnOstiott matursUy ]^revuils« ^axes are soilooted fro« ths east awi vsry little of ths aaommt eollssted is retimmed for asosssary pvbUs «9sadit«rss» It is aesssssry ia order to hold ths maioa together to ssatraliss the coUectioa of 'Hhitiag liNlismsi*Ooottgupid>o Determinism ia Mosrsgasf AaasJUi^ IMv. p* 142* "atats Dspartmeast A Brisf History of ths ^slstioM -7 revenue so all incoBie from tariff, liquor, and similar duties is sent in to Managva* Direct and local taxes are almost imused in Nicaragua so the districts must depend uxxm the central government to return enough taxes to meet their local needs* Since 1894 to the present time all Bluefielders have believed that the central government promised England to spend a certain part of the district's income within the borders of the district and they resent the fact that this is very seldom done if at all*^ Local pride j^evails more in Nicaragua than patriotism* The cost of living in the east la also much higher than in the west* In view of these facts it is only natural for Bluefields to be the center for plotting revolutions Most any leader can get followers if he promises justice from Managua or sejjaration of the east and west* Then, too, government troops, especially during the rainy season, can hardly get over the mountains, through the Jungles, and down rivers to p«it down a revolution in less than three or four months* It is not strange that the rebellion against Zelaya started here, nor that ^aeasa set up his capital on the east coast* ^IThiting Williams: "Geographic Determinism in Nicaragua*" Annals, 1927. p. 144* -8 Another sore spot which results from the geographic conditions is the fact that becaiise of the wide separation of these isolated parts from the central government, the local governor is usually a despot* He is too far away to receive daily orders and be checked up on by the govemntent* In Bluef ields every officer from Governor down to ordinary policeman is sent from Managua. One Governor after foxir months on a salary of two hundred and fifty dollars retired with twenty thousand do3talars*^ And yet it is necessary to keep this system of appointive officers so that the central govemsient can protect itself in time of revolt by sisqply removing all local officers and sending new ones in to check up on the sit\iation* It is necessary for an American to understand these geographic factors and also bear in mind that the Latin tenqperament is extremely different from the Anglo-Saxon in order to understand the political situation as it exists in Nicaragua* nliiting Williams: "Geographic Determinism ia Nicaragua.* Annals, 1927. p* 143* -9 Chapter II EARLY RI::LATIONS Added to the natural difficulties under which Nicaragua struggles because of geographic conditions is the fact that political rivalry in the state resembles a nation wide feud and elections frequently become riots which may res"ult in revolutions* Politics is based upon sectionalism rather than principle * There are two parties in Nicaragua today and they are traditional rivals* The Conservatives got their start at Granada when it was an important trading center between Madrid and the Central Americeu:! capital at Guateroala City. The Liberals look down on the traders of Granada and trace their origin fcLrther back to the more professional and idealistic citizens of Leon*-^ The years have grown to represent so much prosecution and so many iisprisonments that a meniber of either party upon gaining power is considered a traitor to his x>arty and relatives unless he gets revenge by bringing about the ruination of as many x>olitical enemies as possible* Political leaders are forced to go into exile when the rival party gains control ^Dodd: "The United States and Nicaragua^' The Annals, 1927, p.