the hispanic nations of the new world-第33章

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nce　those　agreements　had　vested　no　one　with　authority　to　enforce　them；　such　an　interpretation　of　their　language；　aimed　apparently　at　all　disturbances；　foreign　as　well　as　domestic；　was　rather　elastic！　At　all　events；　after　1912；　when　a　new　constitution　was　adopted；　the　country　became　relatively　quiet　and　somewhat　progressive。　Whenever　a　political　flurry　did　take　place；　American　marines　were　employed　to　preserve　the　peace。　Many　citizens；　therefore；　declined　to　vote；　on　the　ground　that　the　moral　and　material　support　thus　furnished　by　the　great　nation　to　the　northward　rendered　it　futile　for　them　to　assume　political　responsibilities。

Meanwhile　negotiations　began　which　were　ultimately　to　make　Nicaragua　a　fiscal　protectorate　of　the　United　States。　American　officials　were　chosen　to　act　as　financial　advisers　and　collectors　of　customs；　and　favorable　arrangements　were　concluded　with　American　bankers　regarding　the　monetary　situation；　but　it　was　not　until　1916　that　a　treaty　covering　this　situation　was　ratified。　According　to　its　provisions；　in　return　for　a　stipulated　sum　to　be　expended　under　American　direction；　Nicaragua　was　to　grant　to　the　United　States　the　exclusive　privilege　of　constructing　a　canal　through　the　territory　of　the　republic　and　to　lease　to　it　the　Corn　Islands　and　a　part　of　Fonseca　Bay；　on　the　Pacific　coast；　for　use　as　naval　stations。　The　prospect　of　American　intervention　alarmed　the　neighboring　republics。　Asserting　that　the　treaty　infringed　upon　their　respective　boundaries；　Costa　Rica；　and　Salvador　brought　suit　against　Nicaragua　before　the　Central　American　Court。　With　the　exception　of　the　Nicaraguan　representative；　the　judges　upheld　the　contention　of　the　plaintiffs　that　the　defendant　had　no　right　to　make　any　such　concessions　without　previous　consultation　with　Costa　Rica；　Salvador；　and　Honduras；　since　all　three　alike　were　affected　by　them。　The　Court　observed；　however；　that　it　could　not　declare　the　treaty　void　because　the　United　States；　one　of　the　parties　concerned；　was　not　subject　to　its　jurisdiction。　Nicaragua　declined　to　accept　the　decision；　and　the　United　States；　the　country　responsible　for　the　existence　of　the　Court　and　presumably　interested　in　helping　to　enforce　its　judgment；　allowed　it　to　go　out　of　existence　in　1918　on　the　expiration　of　its　ten…year　term。

The　economic　situation　of　Costa　Rica　brought　about　a　state　of　affairs　wholly　unusual　in　Central　American　politics。　The　President；　Alfredo　Gonzalez；　wished　to　reform　the　system　of　taxation　so　that　a　fairer　share　of　the　public　burdens　should　fall　on　the　great　landholders　who；　like　most　of　their　brethren　in　the　Hispanic　countries；　were　practically　exempt。　This　project；　coupled　with　the　fact　that　certain　American　citizens　seeking　an　oil　concession　had　undermined　the　power　of　the　President　by　wholesale　bribery；　induced　the　Minister　of　War；　in　1917；　to　start　a　revolt　against　him。　Rather　than　shed　the　blood　of　his　fellow　citizens　for　mere　personal　advantages；　Gonzalez　sustained　the　good　reputation　of　Costa　Rica　for　freedom　from　civil　commotions　by　quietly　leaving　the　country　and　going　to　the　United　States　to　present　his　case。　In　consequence；　the　American　Government　declined　to　recognize　the　de　facto　ruler。

Police　and　fiscal　supervision　by　the　United　States　has　characterized　the　recent　history　of　Panama。　Not　only　has　a　proposed　increase　in　the　customs　duties　been　disallowed；　but　more　than　once　the　unrest　attending　presidential　elections　has　required　the　calming　presence　of　American　officials。　As　a　means　of　forestalling　outbreaks；　particularly　in　view　of　the　cosmopolitan　population　resident　on　the　Isthmus；　the　republic　enacted　a　law　in　1914　which　forbade　foreigners　to　mix　in　local　politics　and　authorized　the　expulsion　of　naturalized　citizens　who　attacked　the　Government　through　the　press　or　otherwise。　With　the　approval　of　the　United　States；　Panama　entered　into　an　agreement　with　American　financiers　providing　for　the　creation　of　a　national　bank；　one…fourth　of　the　directors　of　which　should　be　named　by　the　Government　of　the　republic。

The　second　period　of　American　rule　in　Cuba　lasted　till　1909。　Control　of　the　Government　was　then　formally　transferred　to　Jose　Miguel　Gomez；　the　President　who　had　been　chosen　by　the　Liberals　at　the　elections　held　in　the　previous　year；　but　the　United　States　did　not　cease　to　watch　over　its　chief　Caribbean　ward。　A　bitter　controversy　soon　developed　in　the　Cuban　Congress　over　measures　to　forbid　the　further　purchase　of　land　by　aliens；　and　to　insure　that　a　certain　percentage　of　the　public　offices　should　be　held　by　colored　citizens。　Though　both　projects　were　defeated；　they　revealed　a　strong　antiforeign　sentiment　and　much　dissatisfaction　on　the　part　of　the　negro　population。　It　was　clear　also　that　Gomez；　intended　to　oust　all　conservatives　from　office；　for　an　obedient　Congress　passed　a　bill　suspending　the　civil　service　rules。

The　partisanship　of　Gomez；　and　his　supporters；　together　with　the　constant　interference　of　military　veterans　in　political　affairs；　provoked　numerous　outbreaks；　which　led　the　United　States；　in　1912；　to　warn　Cuba　that　it　might　again　be　compelled　to　intervene。　Eventually；　when　a　negro　insurrection　in　the　eastern　part　of　the　island　menaced　the　safety　of　foreigners；　American　marines　were　landed。　Another　instance　of　intervention　was　the　objection　by　the　United　States　to　an　employers'　liability　law　that　would　have　given　a　monopoly　of　the　insurance　business　to　a　Cuban　company　to　the　detriment　of　American　firms。

After　the　election　of　Mario　Menocal；　the　Conservative　candidate；　to　the　presidency　in　1912；　another　occasion　for　intervention　presented　itself。　An　amnesty　bill；　originally　drafted　for　the　purpose　of　freeing　the　colored　insurgents　and　other　offenders；　was　amended　so　as　to　empower　the　retiring　President　to　grant　pardon　before　trial　to　persons　whom　his　successor　wished　to　prosecute　for　wholesale　corruption　in　financial　transactions。　Before　the　bill　passed；　however；　notice　was　sent　from　Washington　that；　since　the　American　Government　had　the　authority　to　supervise　the　finances　of　the　republic；　Gomez　would　better　veto　the　bill；　and　this　he　accordingly　did。

A　sharp　struggle　arose　when　it　became　known　that　Menocal　would　be　a　candidate　for　reelection。　The　Liberal　majority　in　the　Congress　passed　a　bill　requiring　that　a　President　who　sought　to　succeed　himself　should　resign　two　months　before　the　elections。　When　Menocal　vetoed　this　measure；　his　opponents　demanded　that　the　United　States　supervise　the　elections。　As　the　result　of　the　elections　was　doubtful；　Gomez　and　his　followers　resorted　in　1917　to　the　usual　insurrection；　whereupon　the　American　Government　warned　the　rebels　that　it　would　not　recognize　their　claims　if　they　won　by　force。　Active　aid　from　that　quarter；　as　well　as　the　capture　of　the　insurgent　leader；　caused　the　movement　to　collapse　after　the　electoral　college　had　decided　in　favor　of　Menocal。

In　the　Dominican　Republic　disturbances　were　frequent；　notwithstanding　the　fact　that　American　officials　were　in　charge　of　the　customhouses　and　by　their　presence　were　expected　to　exert　a　quieting　influence。　Even　the　adoption；　in　1908；　of　a　new　constitution　which　provided　for　the　prolongation　of　the　presidential　term　to　six　years　and　for　the　abolition　of　the　office　of　Vice　Presidenttwo　stabilizing　devices　quite　common　in　Hispanic　countries　where　personal　ambition　is　prone　to　be　a　source　of　political　troubledid　not　help　much　to　restore　order。　The　assassination　of　the　President　and　the　persistence　of　age…long　quarrels　with　Haiti　over　boundaries　made　matters　worse。　Thereupon；　in　1913；　the　United　States　served　formal　notice　on　the　rebellious　parties　that　it　would　not　only　refuse　to　recognize　any　Government　set　up　by　force　but　would　withhold　any　share　in　the　receipts　from　the　customs。　As　this　procedure　did　not　prevent　a　revolutionary　leader　from　demanding　half　a　million　dollars　as　a　financial　sedative　for　his　political　nerves　and　from　creating　more　trouble　when　the　President　failed　to　dispense　it；　the　heavy　hand　of　an　American　naval　force　administered　another　kind　of　specific；　until　commissioners　from　Porto　Rico　could　arrive　to　superintend　the　selection　of　a　new　chief　magistrate。　Notwithstanding　the　protest　of　the　Dominican　Government；　the　〃fairest　and　free