The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-11-23

The despatch of troops Of cavalry from
headquarters of the Department of
Texas AZ san Antonio to patrol tn" Amer
lean side of a.. Rio Grande Is Il prrcau
tionary measure. but II indicates that
the State Department IL IN possession of
news describing the disorders IN Mexico
rs SERIOUS II may now BE- CunjeCtur,Ad
that the so-callcd iuvasinns of American
territory by bodies al McNicans lately
reported were SIMPLY the passage Of the
Rio Grande bv insurrcCtionist- escaping
from detachments Of the regular army
or from rIrales. There was probably
not the least foundation for the r,Imor
that Mexican subjects were collecting
on the Texas side of th" river 10 march
on RoCksprnGs in order tn reraltate for
the lynrhng If RoDRIGrEz The Mexi-
cans Of the border hav" no stomach for
a conflict with tn. COWBOYS and ranch
men Of Edwards county. and they ar"
aware that Their" is a considerable" force
of cavalry in Texas for emergencies.
The mystery Of the assembling and
marching OF bands of Mexicans in the
neighborhood of the Rio Grande Is now
cleared up. there ia a revolutionary
movement against the Federal Govern
ment and President DIAz is proceeding
with characteristic energy TO restore
order. Probably the stories of sangul-
nary conflict between the regular army
and tn. inslrreCt IonIsts are exagger-
ated Mexican news IN time of popular
excitement is VIGOROUSLY inaccurate
but there seems to b. no doubt that skir-
mishas have occurred between parti-
sans of francesca |. MADERO and Gov
ernmer' troops IN the northern States
President DIAZ has at his disposal
an army of 3O.O oO we'll drilled and we'll
equipped men. The infantry is armed
with Nauser magazine rifles. and IN"
horse and field artillery uses Schnel-
,l.r-Ca net guns. The cavalry il well
mounted and carries Marlser carbines.
Mexican officers are well educated IN
their profession and az whole the army
il in high state of efficiency and disci-
pline II IL 10 be noted. however, that
the conscript!on falls upon the poorer
classes Military service is not popular
with rhem. and there may be some truth
in the reports that soldiers have recently
left the colors 4 strict censorship pre-
walls in Mexico Whenever If becomes
necessary TO deal with disorder out OF
the common II IS a condition that gives
sensation mongcrs along the border a
free hand, 40 that " will be well not 10
put too much faith in bulletins repo ring
the taking Of towns and pitched battles
with Government troops
We assum" that President DIAZ is
strong enough 10 deal with any conceiv-
able situation in Mexico. At the same
time IL il an extensive country. 81. COS
square miles IN area. with a population
of only III persons per square mile, and
guerrilla warfare could bc carried on for
a long time by determined partisans In
1900 there were 0. 10. OO7 males in Mexico,
q per cent. Of miIei races. - per cent
Indian and 10 per cent whitS. In the
event Of widespread iIssa tIsfaction with
the central Government II is evident that
an influential leader could find the
material in this population for revolu-
tionary movement that might in course
OF time tay rh" resources OF the military
administration in the city OF Mexico.