The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-01-26
THE RIO GRANDE BORDER

THE RIO GRANDE BORDER
COLONEL JOHN s. FORD BEFORE TIE Acus1
RAIDs-DIAz's POWER AND PROSPECTS.
WASHINGTON. jan 25 ls7a
The House Committee on Foreign Affairs had q
meeting this morning and examined witnesses In rel.
tho Texas border troubles One OF the VIII
nesscs examined was Mr.. j. G. Tucker. OF Browns
viiie large landowner aud forage CONTRACTOR with
tho government His testimony generally in
cosroboratio OF that heretofore taken
the iawcss condition OF affairs on the Texas bprder
and the prevalence OF raids IRON Moxico.
s. FORD.
John s. Ford. also OF Brownsville, State Senator
OF Texas, and who had been already before COM
mittec on the 2lst ,nst recalled further cx.
amined IN reference to the same subject The follow.
ing is the most important part Of his examination
.. From what yor know u the condition OF things
the border ould It would In your Judgment
be good policy the part or government re.
cognize tho Diaz government? a. think IL would ba
good policy to recognize tho Dtaz government;
would Dot TO do SO nj present. but IN the event Of
his being strong enough 10 do what he has pledged
himself 10 do, that rs TO suppress raiders
u What 10 your opinion 10 us strength and
ability 10 do IL A. Az present do not think
could do II. but whether recognition by the United
states government would have sufficient moral effect
10 increase his power cam OF say
z. What 10 your OPINION that subject A. IL
would certainly increase his power.
Y. Would not the Mexican people have
hdencc IN the STABILITY oil Tho Diaz govern n our
government should recognize. II A. think
z Then, confidence being restored, would not that
give IL greater power and greater capacity to aid and
our government IN SURPRISING those raids? A.
That is a hard question 10 answer; that would involve
declaralion On my part that l think thosc raids
think that is very doubtful; do no, think that any
government in Mexico would havo strength enough
10 suppress those raids without really applying mar.
In law a In them,
Q How can those rails DO suppresscds A. ny
iorcc
could II not be easily done thcuf A Yes, SIR.
cHAKACrER TROOPS
O. Would NOT force vi :, 300 our SIDE AND
mn equal humber the Mexican side check raidns II
tho government went at 1t IA earaesty A. That
quires some little explanation; tho Mexican army Il
principally made up Of men VINO have been pressed
taken out OF jail and consequently II is made 10
OF classes oil society; you may talk of their
being volunteers, but you viii Ind good
many OF them in chains; they are simply
,imo recently that 500 res ular Mexc troops
were TO be sent 10 The no Grande and the declaration
IN Texas then was 1--WE shall have $500
thieves" these neu desert and to this side
aud make the worst possible population that
gcr then, again, ] do not cure on what prctext
thcUnted States troops are sent into Mexico Il they
remain there any length OF time they Will be fired
upon by the people or some armed force; the Mexi-
cans hate tor Is great that they will tolerate
our presence on their soil, except as enemies
q Even III CO. operation with their own government!
A. Even cooperation with their govern aent;
General CarvaJal u very popular man. bu. no
never succeeded In any thing because they SAID he was
u .'griug.do''-that Is. no war Amoricanized.
O. DO you think tnero Will be, Tor time TO come.
auy federal government Ia Mexico under Daz or any.
body else OF which you can suy that It can spare
troops away trOu the difficulties which constantly
arising IN ordsr 10 send them 10 tho ronerY A. No,
q Is there anything that would Justly US in let
ting people depend upon The protection which tho
Mexican rovrnmcns can gave against raldiug? A. No.
ourseivesy A. Yes. sir; the regular army IN McKee,
Is frequently used ior the purpose OF deciding cleo
.,oas; there was ,oroe IN Mae.srsy MOI long aso'
sation with senator Dryer, Of San Antoine
twho is himself halt Mcxcan) that IN tho
event oil those troops being removed from Monterey
tho approaching election IN the state oil Nouvo Leon
would DO against tho then President. The troops
used for the purpose OF Keeping revolutionary ecenta
IN state OF quiet; they are used against The States
aud II President wero send 2,5OO troops
Rio Grande with tho avowcd purpose oi aiding sup
pressng raids that would be made Cause OF CON-
plaint aud OF probable revolution against his govern
ment
O. Then the popular opinion on that border Ia
against the suppression vi raIds Z A. They would
charge all over ii, x,co that Diax was dictated to aud
controlled by the Amercans, aud that would DO SUI
hcient 10 unsoat him.
THE RAIDS on TUE LOWER RIO oRASp2
O. You sald that within tho last year the rads
the lower Rio Grandc have not been frequent
on so grand scale rs they were formcriyr A. They
O. Before that and during tie worst time Of tho
RAIDS not tho diplomatic relations OF the iva
not tho Mexican government always rccog nizsd by
our governments A. Yes, SIR; even the very
time OF the worst ruiding the Mexican government
was receiving all kinds OF hvors from tho govern
ment VI the United States, aud, as far !
ku3w. there was tho most perfect good feeling
between the two governments Very frequently
there would be raid on The Rio Grsndc, and the
American Minister al Mexico would state that he had
assurances IRON the Mexican government that
thing had happs ned. The raids now are not so ire
quent they were formerly tor the reason that there
very little lett 10 steal heretofore travelling
norlhward from Brownsville you would soc huudrcda
anu thousands OF cattle and great many horses nus
In September last crossed over that country In
pany wsth Lieutenant King, OF the United SItes
Army and We Calculated that Ia distance OF about
one hundred anu ten miles In Cameron ana Nucccs
counties We had not seen thirty cattle grazing.
Supposing we postpone the recognition OF tho
Dpz government what IN your opinion would be tho
effect vi that tho stability aud strength OF that gov
crnnent2 A. | do not think It would make a great
deal OF difference IN It's stability, Tor the general
opinion that Daz will not his term, bat
Will DO driven out anyhow.
DiAz's PROSPECTS,
O. How locg ~ his term 7 A. Not quito four years;
have taken a good deal oil pains 10 inform myself
on that subject; | recently travelled Two hum
dred miles along the RIO Grando and back on
tho Mexican Side an had an opportunity of asccr-
tanning tho sentiment oil tho Mexican people. mud
thai there s AN undcrcurrent setting in against Dnz
the ground that he a statcsinan while Lcrdo
was canning lawyer and statesman and astntc
dip'onatist They say thai the Cuited Siaios could
pub the wool Lrrdo's oyos they havo boon
dong over Dazs THAI feeling oxists, understand
ali over Mexico
Does That grow cut oil Diaz's fricndliness TO thu
United otatcsr A. Yes, sir.
T. 10 you not tnink that this war talk Ia the Mex
can newspapers ana ~ Mexico has had tho eioct OF
strengthening Diaz aud preventing revoiutionf
A. Our understanding ~ simply this, that untwith.
standing Daz has Issued that order rcpc force by
ioicc ne H. al heart IN favor OF supprossing those
RAIDS aud would do all that he Tor that purpose
Out that he issued that order with the view sus
tanning himself VIII tho Mexican people.
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