The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-10-31
OUR MEXICAN RELATIONS.
Negotiations for Treaty 10 Prevent the
Rio Eraude Raids,

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30-Senor Matas de-
parture for Mexico does not indicate the reject
ton of his effort to secure the recognition o.
the Diaz government by the United States
Secretary Evarts is simply svailing himself of
the opportunity to secure new and more fav-
orabe treaty with Mexico than heretofore rat
flied, as prerequisite to such recognition. In
formal negotiations looking to such treaty
have been pending for two months past, but as
Senior Mata was without plenary power to con-
clude and siga the required treaty, the whole
subject has been referred back to Minister Fos-
ter at the city of Mexico to conclude an ar
rangemert there with Senior Vilarte, Mexican
minister of foreign affairs AS the signature
of the sub-tIeaty by both parties would in it.
self constitute a recognition of the Diaz gov
erDmeDt, the latter has strong motive for
bringing the desired arrange ment to an early
conclusion. The order to Gen. Ord to pursue
the % arauders in Texas across the Rio Grande
and into Mexican territory, though earnestly
protested against by Mexico, has not been
withdrawn. On the contrary such with
drawal is declined except as the condition of a
new treaty under which security to the border
of Texas can be insured by means equally eff
fectlve in Mexico. This it is is proposed to ac-
complish, first by the establishment of military
lines parallel with the Rio Grande river and so
miles tn arefrom on each side of the stream. the
strip of territory thus enclosed being 100 miles
wide, to be guarded by military patrol con-
sistpg of U. S. troops on one side of the line
troops to be governed by regulations restricting
their entry into any town or city and foibidding
their Interference in any way with peaceable
settlers. Their proposed duty is to keep the
peace and arrest maranders, for which pur-
pose the force of either nation may cross the
border and pursue such maraudeIs into the
territory of the other. On arrestiDg criminals
the troops are to deliver them up to the near
est authorities for trial and punishment if
crimes are ommilted in the jurisdiction of the
arrest or for extrsditon when the crime is
committed on one side of the river and the ar
rest on the other. 1t is additionally proposed
to designate certain places where alone it will
be lawful to carry horses or cattle across the
Rio Grande, all animals crossing elsewhere to
be deemed stolen property and be arrested.
Senior Mata explained that the failure of
Mexico to surrender the last two of the five Ell
Paso marauders recently arrested by the Next
can local authorities, resulted from the fact
that these men claimed and obtained protection
by Mexican courts under the stipulation of the
existing law which practically forbade their
extradtion, they being Mexican citizens.
hus they were beyond the executive
control for delivery. 1t is proposed
to obvla,e this difficulty here
after by providing in new treaty that the fact
of nationality shall in no case be bar to the
extradtion to III jurisdiction wherein crime
has been committed
The other stipulatioLs discussed look 10 the
protection of American capital invested 10 rail-
roads, mines and other enterprises for the de-
velopmeIt of Mexico aud of our trade with
that country.
While no agree ment has been reached the IN
formal conferences have substantially removed
the serious difficulties that stood in the way of
an agreement and it is expected that Mr. Fos-
ter will have little trouble 10 concluding sat
isfactory treaty.