The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-18


 Mexico City, March 17.-If Minister of Finance Limantour is coming to the capital with the intention of inducing General Diaz to listen to terms pro posed by the insurrectos for cessation of hostilities 1t Is possible that his efforts will prove fruitless.
 The known character of General Diaz is not such as would permit him to listen to terms from revolutionists. It was but a few days since that he an nounced a plan which was not one of conciliation but one of war. No long, CT is there a disposition on the part of the administration to deny that q condition of war exists, but 1t is main tained that the progress of the cam paign made against the rebels up to this time has shown satisfactory re- suits. It Is not admitted that the in surrection exists in all portions of the republic as efforts have been made by revolutionists to have it appear. but only in the north, chiefly confined to the state of Chihuahua. The spasmodic outbreaks in other states are consid- cred as no part of a widespread in
 
 merely the activities of isolated bands of robbers who have taken advantage of the revolution to conduct a cam paign of brigandage on their own ac- count. This phase of the situation for the moment is considered negligible by the government.
 MaderO Losing Hold
 At the war department it was eX- plained that Maderos campaign in the north has received a serious setback within the last four days. Up to the first of the present week the revolu- tioniSts apparently were in control of the situation in the state of Chin uahua By cutting the railroad bridges north and south of the city of Chihuahua, the capital of the state, they had been able effectively to besiege the city for weeks; supplies were cut off and the presence of 2000 troops in the city only added to the seriousness of the predicament because of the policy of siege adopted by the rebels rather than of direct attack.
 The ability of tl.e federals to recon struct the bridges and to re-establish railroad communication with the city, it was pointed out has demonstrated the weakness of the rebels. During the entire campaign. according to state ment made at the war department to- day, the rebels have not won single decisive victory.
 To yield to the rebels in any one of their demands for peace under these conditions would be most absurd, said officials high in the government.
 Minister Limantour may have some other plan than that suggested In the dispatches from New York and if so it is more than probable that he will re- ceive the hearty cooperation of General Diaz. He and the minister are not only fellow officers of the government but per sonal friends of many years standing.
 MT. Limantour may have in his mnc reforms whose enactment will have an excellent effect on the situation, but if they are based upon yielding by this gov ernment to demands made by the rebels as indicated in previous dispatches, there is little doubt that President Daz will not agree with him.
 That the administration would be will ling to grant terms was regarded as a strong probability, but as has been stated before. only after the rebels had laid down their arms.
 That General Diaz would agree to de- clare his recent election void was dis missed as the extreme of absurdity.
 That changes in tie cabinet are prob able has not been denied here although whether soon or late no official would state positively. Minister of Foreign Re- lations Greet has declared that it was un- likely they would occur until after the revolution has ceased.
 With the exception of that knowledge published by government officials-and perhaps not more than one official-which they refuse to divulge, the Mexican pub lie is as much in ignorance of the real i'm port of the coming of Limantour as the American public. In all ranks of society his coming has created an unusual inter- est and much speculation regarding it's meaning Is indulged in. but in few quar- ters does one hear the opinion expressed that his arrival will result in an imrle- diate cessation of hostilties. The Mex ican people give to Limantour due credit for the part he has played in establishing the credit of this republic and for other assistance he has rendered General Diaz, but few can bring themselves to the point where they think they can conceive Gen. eral Diaz stopping a fight when he has suffered no serious reverses and especially when he believes he has the situation well in hand.
 When Minister Limantour arrives in