New-York tribune., 1885-02-11
marvellous craftsmanship and military capaciy
working in concert can prevent change rom
bad to worse.
A FRONTIER DIFFICULTY.

The recent dispatches announcing serious
fighting on the Rio Grande between the Mexl-
can cattle-thieves and Texan rangers empha-
size and illustrate the protest OF Uover-
nor Ireland. of Texas, against tho anomalous
condition of things on the Mexican frontier.
Governor Ireland directs public attention
TO an evil which the Mexican treaty estab-
lished, and concerning which negotiations are
at present in progress though it is evident that
they need to be fastened. Under the treaty
the extradition of American citizens who are
accused of committing crimes on Mexican ter
ritory cannot be allowed; and as result the
extradition of Mexican criminals Is refused
The consequence of this most unnecessary
provision is what might have been an
ticipated 1t has made the fron-
tier a sort of "no-man's land" where many
of the worst desperadOes of either country seek
shelter, and whence both sides plan raids across
the border, confident of impunity II only they
can get back to their own side after commit
ting the intended depredations. 1t might nave
been thought self-evident proposition
that it was the interest of the United States and
Mexico alike to divest the frontier OF the bad
character it : has so long held and deserved
by facilitating in every possible way tne
prompt conviction and punishment OF CRIMINALS
on either side. Extradition in such case
ought to have been made easierinstead OF more
difficult and each Government should nave
assisted it's neighbor in policing the border
thoroughly,
But owing to some incOmprehensible biun-
der, the law has been arranged 80 as to suit
the border rutiians while it makes peaceful ex-
istence on the frontiers almost impossible Ana
while there can be no doubt that Texas is capa-
BILE of sending very hard crowd
across the border, it Is equally true
that there Is no more dangerous
cruel and utterly reckless villain on
the earth than the Mexican frontier desperate.
For some time past these two classes have been
harrying one another's borders with all the zeal
of Scotch mo o'stroopers. OF course In these
raids it is, however, the aw-abidlng settlers who
stand tho brunt The Mexican cattle-thieves
and cut -throats invade Texas, and steal and
murder Then to avenge this tho Texan
roughs invade Mexico and "lift" F" the stock OF
peaceful people. If two such parties meet they
fight, but in the long run the desperadoes have
nearly all tho fun, and the settlers pay the
bills 1t is no wonder that Governor Ireland
complains of such a condition of things.
The State Department, it Is understood, has
for some time been trying to arrange the mat
ter with Mexico. but diplomatic negotiations
are slow. and meanwhile the state OF the from
tier appears to be growing worse and worse. Ii
some remedy is not applied soon strip OF up-
inhabitable land will be developed on both
sides Of the boundary line. civilization being
simply thrust back and crowded out by border
runianism. But it is highly probable that Con-
gress can cure the evil by little legislation,
without in any way violating the treaty with
Mexico, and seeing that tins promises to be
very much the quickest way, its adoption may
be recommended.