Aid for Nicaragua Asked By Estrada.

New York Times 100 years ago today, September 10, 1912:
She Will Never Thrive Without Our Effective Intervention, Says ex-President.
URGES A PROTECTORATE
President Diaz Hopes for Our Help, He Declares — Blames Americans for Revolutions.
    In the course of an Interview with a Times reporter yesterday, Ex-President Estrada of Nicaragua, who is stopping at the Hotel St. George, Brooklyn, said that without the effective intervention of the United States warfare in Nicaragua would continue indefinitely, ruining the Central American country, and sooner or later involving the United States in trouble with England or Germany. Mr. Estrada, who declares that the presidency rightfully belongs to him, also brought grave charges against a number of Americans in Nicaragua, blaming them for present conditions there.
    Mr. Estrada and his faithful henchman, Gen. Moncada, are starting for Nicaragua early this week to support the government of President Diaz, in whose favor Mr. Estrada handed over the reins of the chief magistracy in 1911, in order to avert, so he says, war with the Conservative faction.
    "I would like you, through The New York Times, to convey a few words to the American people," said Mr. Estrada. "It is succinctly this. Without the active help of the United States Government Nicaragua will never thrive. She will be always the same."
    "You mean a sort of American protectorate?" he was asked.

Arbiter for Nicaragua.
    "Yes," he answered without hesitation. "A protectorate along the lines exercised in Cuba and Panama, without, of course, impairing our sovereignty. We want the United States Government, whether it be Republican or Democrat, to keep an eye upon us, supervise our elections, and, in a word, become the arbiter and judge of our destinies. I speak in my name and in the name of President Diaz. My ideas are his, as well as those of the majority of the people of Nicaragua. It's the only way in which we can hope for peace and progress. I am still titular head of Nicaragua. I did not resign, as has been stated, but merely handed the Government to the Vice President during my absence.
    "For the last twenty years Nicaragua has been in the hands of a savage system of militarism. There are no real elections, everything is a farce, and everybody wants to be President and rule. The result is that the country has been and still is a seething pot of anarchy, which is gaining proportions every day.
    "But it is not alone our people who brew all this trouble. They are the least responsible; I charge that the majority, if not all, of the revolutions in Nicaragua in recent years have been engineered and openly financed by American companies anxious to get concessions and monopolies from the Government.
    "Take the case of the Bluefields Steamship Company. Zelaya gave these people the exclusive monopoly for the navigation of the River Escondido and its affluents. When I reached the Presidency also found that exclusive concessions for the exploitation of the mining, liquor, tobacco, cattle, fishing, and other National Industries were in the hands of a few Americans and Germans.

Conspiracies on All Sides.
    "What was the result? I found conspiracies were being hatched on all sides. Mena, my War Minister, was planning a revolution. The United Fruit Company, which was after a similar concession, a railroad, was pushing him all the time. I had positive proofs that he was going to start a revolution on May 14, 1911, so I arrested him on May 9. The Conservatives clamored for his release, and I handed over the Presidency to Diaz to avert war, although I might have carried it on successfully because I had the backing of 600 Liberals, who rallied around me at the time.
    Continuing Mr. Estrada said that Mena's revolution was being backed by the United Fruit Company and the partisans of Zelaya.
    Mr. Estrada was frank enough to admit that the revolution headed by him which overthrew Zelaya had received financial aid from certain American companies established on the Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua. He said these companies had contributed off and on something close to $1,000,000. The house of Joseph W. Beers was in for $200,000 and that of Samuel Weil for about $150,000.