New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-03-08
.L|MANTOUR IN NEW YORK
MexiCo's Finance Minister Ue-
rides Foreign Intervention Idea.
GOING HOME VIA HAVANA
Famous Diaz Official Says 1nsur,
rectionary Trouble Is Local
to Chihuahua.

tx vvos rJnantour arrived here from
Paris last evening on the Kronprinz WI
helm. of the North German LLOYD Line Gil
ro,;t. to Mexico. OF which country ne II
Minister of Finance. With him were
Sonora Iimantour, whose poor CONDITION OF
health has kept him in the French capita'
since August and Guillermo Limantour
the minister's son. They will stay at the
Plaza day or two and then proceed TO
Havana. Yucatan and Mexico City, arriV-
ing home they expect In about ten days
Senior Lmantour said ne had chosen TINS
route TO the Mexican capital because he
had long promised some friends in Yucatan
q visit. and It was easier 10 reach that part
Of his country from Havana than from the
City Of Mexico lie had never had any
Idea. he said of going home by way OF
FL Paso and the Mexican Central whose
service has been interrupted for some time
by the activity OF :he insurgents in the
State of Chihuahua. When asked FOR his
views of the Mexican rebellion the Minis
ter of Finance said:
II have not heard the latest news; |
have been out Of communication for sew
eral days with my government. Do tell
me, II YOU have information from authori-
tative sources. what the situation Is in
Mexico to-day"
"The general situation, we hear, is worse
than it has been" q newspaper man said
But by what authority do you say this?"
asked Senior Limantour You make this
sweeping statement. Do you get 1t from
the agents of Madero, where most of the
news about Mexico In this country has
come from in the last few months?'
The Answer Worries Him.
lie was informed that the source Of the
information was The Associated Press. and
at this he passed his hand over his broad
brow and gray eyes in a worried gesture.
HAS Mexico recognized that a state OF
war exists lie was asked.
NO. no." he replied somewhat inpatient
~ ut is Just as IL is in your country
when some negroes take up arms against
the local authorities. The government can't
recognize the dlsorderly conduct of few
individuals They must lay down their
arms. and then the local authorities will
deal with them.
There are certain questions of reform
which the government is studying. but
these reforms must be accomplished as a
matter of government policy and not as
gents. 1t is an extravagant idea that the
government is willing to deal with the in
surgents The whole trouble is local to
Chihuahua"
An afternoon newspaper, with an account
OF the sending Of United states troops 10
the Mexican border and the dispatch of
battleships to the Gulf spread all over the
front page. was placed in front Of him. lie
smile.
"Of course. the President OF the United
States has a right to send his troops to
any part Of the country he peases," he re-
marked. They may have moral effect
on the insurgents. Further than mis-
can't see what connection they have with
my government
1T is reported, senior, that n the uniteo
states does not act immediately to protect
the rights Of foreigners in Mexico some
other power Will. is this true?' he was
asked.
Ridlcules Intervention Idea.
1T is 70 laugh he rejoined, this talk
Of Mexico requiring the aid of a foreign
power TO do this"
Senior Limantour was then asked about
an interview with him cabled from Paris
I'm which lie was reported to say that the
troops OF the Mexican government were no
match for the insurgent cavalry and that
the United States was negligent IN It's
maintenance of strict neutrality on the
Mexican border. This interview. nc was,
told. had been strictly censored in Mexican
papers.
The famous Diaz official vehemently de-
MED in the first place that any censorship
Of the press existed in Mexico. and then ne
went on TO say that he had been mlsunuef-
stood. that what he had really said was
that the insurgents, being more familiar
with the Chihuahua hills were able 10 es-
cape from the government troops and had
n distinct advantage over the latter When
they pursued them.
With regard TO the maintenance Of neu-
traIity at the border, he said, he would
hardly venture to express his personal
opinion OF the policy pursued I'm this re-
caro- by the Washington government; that
he had merely cited MeXlco's attitude dur
ING the revolution in Guatemala in pre-
venting either party to the dispute from
making use Of the border as screen or
means OF escape
purpose Of converting sllocO0,OOO of Mexi-
can per cent bonds into e 10 run for the
same period of time-namely, to 1915. He
had been successful, no sand. in converting
lust half the amount, the Is selling for
g75s
THAT shows he pointed out with a
smile of pride, that the crodlt OF my coun-
try is still considered good. that there Is
no nervousness about the Mexican securi-
ties abroad that the sensational accounts
of the uprising published IN the United
states have done her credit no HARM
But why did you convert only half the
issue?" he was asked
L decided TO wait for better conditions
abroad" he replied. before seeking the
conversion Of the other half. Mexico is in
no need Of money Just now
AS Minister OF Finance for Mexico since
1898 Senior Limantour is responsible for
Mexico's solvency to-day. lie took charge
Of his department at a time when an an
nual deficit was regarded as u matter Of
course and the country was on the high
road TO bankruptcy. Naturally he Is re-
garded as one OF the most influential Mexi-
cans alive. and as such his arrival here
was interpreted as the signal for series
of conferences with prominent Mexicans,
including Senior de la Barra. Mexican Am
bassador to the United States. Senior Lin
antour, however. said he expected 10 have
no conference either OF political or finan
cial nature with any ono while in New
York.
Senior de la Barra. IT was learned. left
Washington yesterday under the impress
sion that the Kronprinz Wilhelm would