Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-08-10
MEXIco's PRESIDENT.
Diaz and His Minister Talk Sensi.
bly, About the Cutting Affair.

CRY OF MEXICO, Aug. 4.-Popular
sentiment has been so thoroughly
aroused over the editor Cutting case,
and the press comments thereon that
the representative of the Associated
Press called to-day at the Castle of
Chapultepec TO get the views of Presi-
dent Diaz and Scnor Remerio Ru-
bio, who is visiting the Castle. The
latter said that he was happy to pre-
sent the facts in the case to the press,
and entered at once into very full
review of it from the beginning. lie
stated Mr.. Cuttings offense, his char
acter, and that of Senor Medina, and
went into an elaborate explanation
of Mexico's right to arrest Mr.. Cut
ting from legal point of view.
"Mr. Cutting" said the Minister,
"having been commanded by the
court to make an apology, did so in
an Ell Paso newspaper, but worded it
so as to make it really an insult to
the court. This newspaper, although
published in the United States, Cut
ting knew to be circulated in Paso
Del Norte, on the Mexican side of
the Rio Grande, and he took pains to
circulate the issue containing the re-
Elections on the Mexican court in Paso
Del Norte, crossing the river to this
side himself to circulate the paper.
lie was thereupon arrested in proper
legal form and put in Jail. He was
treated with even more consideration
than Mexican criminals"
The Minister was asked if he
thought the Judge had acted in good
faith.
lie replied: ~ do, and for that
very reason the executive power here
could not, on a demand from the
United States Government, set aside
the judicial power. The Government
here considered that Cutting had not
only infringed the code of the State
of Chihuahua, which makes offences
against its citizens committed on for
eign territory punishable by its
courts, but had ALSO commi te | an
oflense on this side of the line.by re-
fusing, without giving any reason, to
recognize the demand of the Judge,
using insulting language to that Off
cial, and it was clear that the circu-
lating of the statement derogatory to
the court OH this side of the river
constituted clear case of offense
against the law"
"Then, it's for these reasons that
you have refused to grant an uncon-
ditional release?"
"Yes; the Government here has
forwarded a very full report of the
case to Washington, where it has
been submitted to Congress"
President Diaz then entered the
apartment and expressed gratifica-
tion at meeting representative of
the Associated Press of the United
States, and extended cordial greet
ing.
The President said: "I presume
you have had from Minister Romero
Rubio full explanation of the case
and an abstract of the grounds for
our action, and will only say that l
have Just received letter from the
Chief Justice of the State of Chihua-
hua, giving a resume of the pro-
cedure of the court in response to my
request"
The letter was then read in full by
Romero Rubio. 1t showed that the
State authorities of chihuahua had
exercised every care in treating Cut
ting with consideration, even more,
the President thought, than was me-
cessary, for he thought it was suffi-
cient to treat him as he would treat a
Mexican citizen imprisoned under
the same charge.
"Do you consider, Mr.. President,
that the case will lead to trouble?'
Il have no apprehension of difficult
ties growing out of such an insignifi-
cant affair, which is really only a
quarrel between disreputaDle jour-
nalists. l think that the United
States Government was a trifie hasty
in the matter, owing, probably, to
early and inaccurate and one-sided
reports. I have no doubt that the
full explanation already forwarded
to the American Congress, an enlight-
ened body containing many excellent
lawyers and accomplished statesmen,
will lead to a calmer consideration
of the matter, and that justice will
be DONE"
The President then went on, at
much length, to relate curious cases
occurring on the border line of the re-
publics, TO show how careful both
Governments should be not TO act loo
hastily upon insufficient evidence.
"There are," said the President, "a
class of both Mexicans and Americans
on the border who, after getting into
trouble with the law, plead their cit
izenship to shield them from the
punishment they deserve"
The President also mentioned the
Capt. Crawford case, whose investi-
CATION by "his good friend Gen Sher-
idan, always animated by kindly
sentiments toward Mexico" proved
the shooting was the result of a mis-
understanding on the part of the
Mexican troops. He also mentioned
several cases in which he had person
ally gone farther than was absolutely
necessary in order to avoid having
unpleasant difficulties with the Unit
ed States Government. The Presi-
dent said he deplored the tone of a
certain section of both American and
Mexican press, adding: "Our Gov
ernment is certainly acting in good
faith in this matter, being only de-
sirous of having justice done. 1t is
a matter for calm consideration on
the part of the two governments, un.
influenced by the popular clamor."
He said that it was ridiculous to
suppose, as had been charged in some
newspapers, that the United States
Government was making a pretext
of the Cutting case 10 enter a war
for the United States would not do sc
without having first got in readiness
The President did not believe that
the American people were hostile to
Mexico. On the contrary, he had
found the best class of Americans iu
cordial sympathy with the progress
i've purposes of his Administration
He sincerely hoped that nothing
| would Occnr In mar the friendshin nj