Central American Relations.

New York Times 100 years ago today, July 25, 1913:
    The replies of the Presidents of the Central American States, Costa Rica and Salvador, to the inquiry of The Times as to their feeling in regard to the pending treaty with Nicaragua, which will establish a virtual protectorate of the United States, is just what might have been expected. Both Salvador and Costa Rica are free from internal dissensions, and fairly prosperous, though doubtless their prosperity could be greatly increased by the judicious investment of capital. Their Chief Magistrates discountenance the idea of surrendering their independence in any degree. With Nicaragua the case is different. In the view of the President of that country, which has been badly injured by needless revolutions, the proposed treaty will establish "on a firm basis the relations of the two countries," guarantee the independence of Nicaragua and its administration, and give it a new and assured position in the world.
    The two points of view are equally understandable. While the people of Costa Rica and Salvador feel as they do, and the conditions now prevailing in those countries are unchanged, we may be sure that no treaty resembling that with Nicaragua will be urged upon either of them, as none will be needed. The peace and prosperity guaranteed to Nicaragua by the acceptance of the treaty will have due effect, also, on the neighboring republics, and it will be the plain duty of the United States so to carry out its share of the contract that the neighbors of Nicaragua will soon learn that the little republic has surrendered no valuable part of its independence, and has strengthened instead of weakening its position among nations.
    The fear of President Melendez of Salvador that similar treaties between the United States and all the Central American republics would "make impossible the proposed Central American Union, the great ideal of these countries," seems to be groundless. Central American union would probably be helped rather than hindered, but that, it seems, is still a dream of the remote future.