The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-04-19
,In. r\I,rvs MisrAIIE.

mistake when he did not ask the New
York World what ne ought TO dc
rbout handling for the protection OF
tho American border and American In
sercsts IN our ncighboring Republic
the admittedly grave situation in Mex
leo. mo American citizens engaged
sn peaceful pursuits in their own conn
,rv were shot by Mexican combatants
until after the United states troops
mad been mohtlized IN Texas Mir. TAFT
could nave protected American Inter
j rsts much better by strengthening the
ia,order patrols than by making a spec
stacular military demonstration. 1t is
tdin,o the country had official inforna
ticn that would explain the Adminis-
iration's Mexican policy. The game has
is7ccn played in tho dark long enough,
Certainly i, has MIR. Taft should
tcn The newspapers all about 1t. That
iss tho way TO handle all questions OF
4 4his sort and the only way. even II
,be newspapers would not accept the
explanations Of the President as sat
aisfactory. Explanation after cSplana-
4ion has already been made. to tho
members Of the Congress committees,
so ali persons who have had the least
Eli these committees and other persons
whom, the President has taken into
his confidence have expressed them
selves as being entirely satisfied with
what the President has done SO far;
Tut the mistake he made was In not
giving ont for publication the entire
correspondence he has had with the
diplomatic representatives OF the Gov
crnmcnt in -AcNico and in not admit
ting the reporters 10 all the conlden-
liai conferences he has held with
members OF the Senate and House al
Washington. What he ought TO have
done wa 10 Sight it all out in tho
newspapers. 1t might have been we'll
FOR him to nave simply strengthened
the border patrols, but this he should
have done in the auieicst way, SO that
nobody would have known anything
about 81, and The patrols should har'
ueen made UP OF men that he picked
up on the border instead OF the sol
oilers of The Army. The soldiers SHOULD
have been kept in their quarters at
their various regular posts, with none
bu, their regular duties to perform
Tor The sake of avoiding a spectacular
demonstrate n on the border. 1t Is
4 really wonderful how much better The
iNvorld would have managed this whole
nnnir II II had been informed in lime
/ OF what was going to happen.
j, is hoped. however, that the United
States Will be able 10 pull through
without great disaster. as Diaz has
given assurances that hereafter there
ghali be no lighting near enough tho
american line To let the bullets come
over on our side. II The border haN
been simply. natroiied, even By an in
creased patrol,. IL might nave been
that the Insurgents and the Regulars
would have selected some place near the
Amcrican border for their target prnc.
4. tlce-evcn the patrol might not have
'7een able 10 prevent the bullets from
iloming over into Texas bu, neither
Eidc understood how offensive sucl
hostili;ies would have been to the
Boss Boss OF the whole Western Hem
lisphore. ,.c would suggest that MIR
TAFT should now Insist that both side!
shall connne t.icir snoring to thcii
own country. That ought TO he salts
factory 10 The World, ana. naturally