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Show Secretary of State Knnx Hands Passports Pass-ports to Charge cf Affaires Rodriguez, Accompanying Them Wish Scathing Scath-ing airad Bo Letter. PRESIDENT ZELAYA 8S V8RTUALLY DENOUNCED AS COMMON MALEFACTOR Sympathy of Administrator! With Revolutionists Plainly Stated; Ru!er Regarded as a Tyrant arid Despot. WASHINGTON, Dec. 1. Secretary of State .Knox late today ' returned the passports of Felipe .Rodriguez, charge d'affairs of the Nicaraguan legation, with a letter scathingly denouncing the Zolayan administraliou of the government govern-ment of Nicaragua. The letter is definitely defi-nitely declared to represent the views of President. Taft and is about as plain-spoken plain-spoken as anything emanating from the state department in many years. The extraordinary feature of the letter's let-ter's that it seems to evidenco an intension in-tension on the part of the United States to. hold President, Zclaya personally responsible re-sponsible for I he alleged torture and execution ex-ecution of the Americans, Cannon and Groce, and exhibits the unique situation situa-tion of one government holding the 'chief executive of another practically as a common malefactor. Branded as Tyrants. Zclaya is brauded as a violator of aoleniu international conventions, .1 tl is-' turber of the national and hiternatiou-al hiternatiou-al peace, a tyrant whose administ ration has been a blot upon tho namo-of good government. I Secretary Knox virtually announces the recognition of the Nicaraguan revo-lulionbts. revo-lulionbts. declares it. lo be the conviction convic-tion of the Tinted States that the revolution revo-lution represents tho sentiment of .1 majority of the Xicaraguan people, and that there is evidently no responsible government with which the United States can deal, lie therefore announces that all parties will be held accountable account-able for their actions as affecting the interests of Americans and the peace of Central America. lie further informs Senor liodcrigupz that, whilo he has lost his diplomatic (pialitv. he may still serve as an "un-oflioiaf" "un-oflioiaf" channel of communication with the faction which ho is regarded as representing. re-presenting. Gomes Close to War. This brings the crisis as near to the status of w'ar as it could be brought by executive action without a definite declaration by congress, which will con-veno con-veno next Monday. Mr. Knox's letter let-ter in all but so many wordr. makes it plain thnt the action represents the wish and attitude of all Iho Central American states with the single exception excep-tion of Honduras, which is reenrded hero as entirely dominated by Zola.ya. Mexico has its sympathy with tho United Unit-ed States in this matter. .lust what status consular representative's representa-tive's of the United States iu Nicaragua now cn.ioy is not definitely explained today. to-day. It is expected, however, that Vice Consul raiders, who has been oc-MHying oc-MHying Iho location in Managua, and other consuls in that country, will be civfin their passports tomorrow. This is the usual method of procedure. Following is the text of Secretary Knox's letter to Senor Rodriguez: Knox's Pointed Note. "Department of State, Washington, December 1. J'.'UD. "Sir: Since the Washington con-a con-a cut inn of K07 it is notorious that President Zolaya has almost continuously contin-uously kept Central America in tension or turmoil, that ho has repentcdlv and Uarrantly violated tho provisions of the convention and. by a baneful influence on Honduras, whoso neutrality tho conventions con-ventions wore to assure, has sought to discredit Ihcsp sacred international obligations ob-ligations to the great dorinimt of Costa Rica, Salvador and Guatemala, whose governments meanwhile appear to have been able palionllv to strive for the loyal support of the ongapeinents so solemnly undertaken at Washington, under the auspices of the United States and of Mexico. 2o Longer Republic. "It is equally a matter of common knowledge thnt under the rocimc of President Zelaya republican institutions have ceased in Xicarairua to exist ex-cent ex-cent in name; that public opinion and the press ha'vo been throttled, and that prison has been the reward of any tendency to real patriotism. My consideration con-sideration for vou personally impels me to abstain from unnecessary discussion of the painful details of a roeiine which unfortunatol v ' has been a blot, upon the history of Nicaragua aud a discouragement discour-agement to a group" of republics whose aspirations need only the opportunity of free and honest, government. "In view of interests of Iho United States and of ils relation to the Washington Wash-ington conventions, appeal against this situation has long since been made to this ffovernmont. by a majority of the Central American republics. There is now added the appeal, through the revolution, of a great body of the Nicaraguan people. Rcfors to Executions. "Two Americaus. who this government govern-ment is now convinced, wore officers connected with the revolutionary forces and therefore entitled to bo dealt with according to tho enlightened practice of civilized nations, have -been killed by direct order of President. Zolaya. Their execution is said to have been preceded by barbarous cruelties. "The consulate, at .Managua is now officially reported to have been menaced. men-aced. There is thus a sinister culmination culmina-tion of an administration also characterized charac-terized by a cruelty to its own citizens cit-izens which has, until tho recent outrage, out-rage, found vent, in tho case of this country, in a succession of petty annoyances annoy-ances and indignities which maiiv months ago made it impossible- to ask an American minister longer to reside at Mauagun. From every point of view-it view-it has evidently become difficult for the United States further to dolay more j active response to tho appeals so long made to its duty to its 'citizens, to its dignity, to Central America and to civ- ' ilization. Stands With Revolutionists. "The government of the United States is convinced that the revolution represents the ideals and the will of a majority of the Nicaraguan people I more faithfully than does tho government govern-ment of Prosident Zolaya and that its ' possible control is well-nigh extensive 1 as that hitherto so sternJv attempted by the government at Managua. ! "There is. now ndded' the" "fact, as ! officially reported from more tnau one quarter, that thero are already iodiea-l iodiea-l tions of a rising in the western provinces prov-inces in favor of a presidential candidate candi-date intimately associated with Oho old regime. Tn this it is easy to see new elements tending toward a condition of anarchy which leaves, at a, given time, no responsible source to which the government gov-ernment of the United States could look for reparation for the killing of Messrs. Cannou and Groce. or indeed, for tho protection which must be assured American Amer-ican citizens and American interests in Nicaragua. Severing of Relations. "In these circumstauces the President Presi-dent no longer feels for the government govern-ment of President Zclaya that Tcspcct, that confidence which would make it appropriate hereafter to maintain with it regular diplomatic relations, implying imply-ing the will aud ability to respect and assure what is due from one state to another. "The government of Nicaragua, which you have hitherto representee! is herebv notified, as will bo also the leaders of the revolution, thnt tho go-eminent go-eminent of the United States will hold strictly accountable for the protection . of America u life and property the factions fac-tions do facto in control-of tho western portions of the republic, of Nicaragua. Question of Reparation. "As for the reparation found due. after careful consideration, for tho killing of Messrs. Groco and Cauuon, the government of the United States v.'ould be loath to impose upon the innocent in-nocent people of Nicaragua a too hoaw burden of expiating the acts of u regime forced upon them, or to exact from a succeeding government, if it nave quite iiiioreui poncio. inc. jinpo bifion of such a burdou. Into the question of ultimate reparation there must enter the question of the existence exist-ence at. Managua of a govorumnet capable capa-ble of responding to demands. There must enter also the question how far it is possible to reach those actually responsible re-sponsible and those who perpetrated the tortures reported to have preceded the r execution, if those be verified ; aud the f question whether tho government be ' one entirely disassociated from the present intolerable conditions and worthy to bo trusted to make impossible impos-sible a recurroace of such acts, in which the President, as a friend of vour country, ns he is also of other republics of Central Amcirca. might bo disposed to have indemnity confined lo what w;is reasonably due tho relatives of tho do-ceased do-ceased and punitive only in so far as rbe punishment might fall where really due. Will Withhold Demand. "In pursuance of this policy, the government -of the .United States will temporarily withhold its demand for reparation.', in the meanwhile taking such steps as it deems wise aud proper lo protect American interests. j "To insure tho future protection of logithnato American interest., in con- j sidoratinn of the interests of the ma jnritv of the Contra I American repub- 1 lies, ami in the hope of. making more ofa-olive the friendly "offices exerted un ; dor the Washinjitou conventions, tht government of the United Slates re- j sorvos for further consideration at, t be proper time the question of stipulating also that tho constitutional government of Nicaragua obligate itself by conven (ion. for the benefit of all the gov 1 emmeiits concerned, as a guarantee foi : its future loyal support ot. tho AVash-iugton AVash-iugton con vonf ions and thctr peacolui and progressive aims. 1 Handed Passportp. "From the foregoing it will be appa rent to you that your office of charge d'affaires is at an end. T haye tht honor to inoloso your passport, for use Continued on Pafie Twu. 1 ZELAYA HELD TO BE TYRANT AND DESPOT Continued from Pago One. in caso you desire to leavo this country. coun-try. I will add at the same time that, although your diplomatic quality is terminated, ter-minated, ,1 shall bo happy to receive you, as I shall be happy to receive tho representative of tho revolution, each as the unofficial channel of communicn-tion communicn-tion between the government of the United States and tho de facto authorities author-ities to whom I look for tho protection of American interests pending tho es-tnblishmenL es-tnblishmenL in Nicaragua of a jiovern-mont jiovern-mont with which tho United States can maintain diplomatic relations, "Accept, sir. the renewed assurances of my high consideration. "PC. KNOX. "To Polipo Rodriguez. Esquire." 17, her cargo was registered as pctro-loum, pctro-loum, watches, hay and produce. Captain Nordbocn of tho Stavangovon evidently proceeded with duo regard for the decorum of the high seas, nnd instond of going direct to Blueflolds, which would havo been an offense ngainst maritime lnw.s, put into Port Barrios nnd then cleared for Blucfiolds. At the office of the Nicaraguan consul con-sul hero nothing is known of the character char-acter of the cargo of tho Slavangcrcn. |