The New York herald., 1877-12-10
why No. Re.ognlx. Dl..,


that our government shall at once recognize
President Diaz. Why not?
In the first place, the Mexican people
have undoubtedly right to choose their
ruler. They apparently prefer Diaz to
Lerdo. The latter abandoned the capital,
and not only that, he fed out of the country
without striking a blow. General Diaz en-
tered the capital and assumed the govern
ment without opposition and his assump-
tion of power has since then been justified,
not only by the Congress which he very
soon called together. but by the general con-
sent of the Mexican people. Our own adj
vices from Mexico show that the country has
been more quiet under the rule OF President
Diaz than under that of his predecessor |;
there is nowhere any organized opposition to
his administration there are, of course, in
trigues against him by unscrupulous OPP
ponents, but even these seem to be weak
and of no consequence.
So far as to the actual establishment OF
right, before recognizing him, to scrutinize
the character Of his policy. What, then,
has Mr.. Diaz done, or attempted to do, since
his accession to power? His earliest mes-
sage to the Mexican Congress contained
several recommendations which showed him
to be animated by liberal ideas. He sug-
gested, for instance, the repeal Of the ex-
port duty on silver as an interference with
the industry of the country. Other sug-
gestions looked toward q more liberal COM
mercial system. and we believe we are not
in error in saying that he showed himself
friendly to the spread of schools. He sent
on to Washington promptly the instalment
due on the claims of Americans against
Mexico, and he gave immed evidence Of
q desire to meet in the best spirit our de-
mands for an effective protection of the
border. He has held in imprisonment in
Mexico the robber Cortina, who was for
many years the chief organizer of cattle
raids into Texas. He sent Generals Ben
avides and TreviGo, both capable men, to
the border, to confer with General Ord, and
later despatched regular troops to the Rio
Grande to aid in repressing disorders and
ceded to the reasonable demand of Secre-
tary Evarts, that our own troops should,
under certain circumstances, pursue ma
rauders across the border; and, finally, we
that he has impressed Ameri-
cans in the Mexican capital with the belief
can, to establish peace and order in all the
Mexican States and that he is friendly to
such liberal policy toward Americans rs
would draw capital and labor from this
country to undertake legitimate enterprises
in those States.
It may be said that all this only shows
abundance of those good intentions which
Mexican politicians have so literally con-
tributed to the paving of the lower regions.
But we reply that President Lerdo, the
predecessor of President Diaz, showed very
little Of this liberal and intelligent spirit.
Though during several years he was the
undisputed ruler of Mexico he did not
show himself friendly to liberal commercial
measures. During his term Of Office the
border robberies were far more frequent
oil remonstrances from Secretary Fish pro-
duced from Mr.. Lerdo only surly denial
Of the existence Of these robberies or an
assertion that our people also robbed the
Mexicans. Minister Foster tried in vain
during several years to persuade Lerdo to
negotiate with us a more liberal commercial
treaty. Lerdo was not positively hostile to
the United States he was simply All incapa-
ble-a man without either ideas or energy.
Diaz seems to have both.
If it is urged that President Diaz is not 50
strongly fixed in his power as we could wish
before recognizing him, the reply is that
the very act Of recognition would greatly
strengthen him. 1t would discourage the
faction chiefs who even now make no head
against him, but who in that case would
submit. If it is true, as We believe, that
Mr.. Diaz would, had lie power, make an en-
liphtened and liberal ruler for Mexico, and
that he would initiate policy toward us
favorable to commerce and to all our inter-
ests rs neighbors, then it would seem to be
clearly good policy for US to give him that
moral support which would come from off,
cial recognition. There is no doubt that
the people of this country, while they do
not want to own or annex Mexico, do Justly
desire to have greater benefits from our
neighborhood to it than we have had 80 far.
We do not want the Mexican States, but we
want the use of them. That is the plain
truth. Is it not possible that by dealing
frankly and in neighborly manner with
President Diaz we may get all we want and
have just right to claim?
We do not know the nature Of the nego-
tiations now going on at the Mexican capital
between Mr.. Diaz and Mr.. Foster but sup
pose the Mexican President were to offer us,
together with commercial treaty conceived
in really liberal spirit, such treaty, Of
fensive and defensive, rs was submitted 20
= H.