Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-05-11

Decision May Have Been Reached
at Conference.
ASSERT PRESIDENT IS ILL
Peace Negotiations at FL Paso Are
Held Up Until He Gives His
Pied ge-Renewal of Fighting
Feared.

Mexico City.-Above the disor-
! der that prevails in this city one
| hears the persistent rumor that Pres
! ident Diaz has determined to resign.
1t would cause no great surprise in
! official circles If the announcement of
! his intention to retire should be made
within the next day or two.
/ No authoritative confirmation Of
this could be obtained, but there ap-
pears little doubt that President Diaz,
| recognizing the seriousness of the sit
uation and responding to the popular
| demand, will retire when order Is re
stored
At the presidents office no state
ment could be had, and the members
of the cabinet, realizing that he was
the only man who could give direct
answer to the demands of Francisco
| |. Madero, JT., the revolutionary lead
er, that Diaz should make known pub
lcly his intention to retire, were
silent
Minister of Foreign Affairs de Ia
Barra was peremptorily summoned to
! the Office of the president. On arriv-
ing there he found Senior Limantour,
| minister of finance, who likewise had
been summoned.
The three officials were in confer
ence for hours. Immediately after
wards typewriter statements were
issued by the foreign Office to all the
newspapers saying that the reception
tn tho Chilean fcto
had been postponed until May r. The
reason for this change of plans was
given as the slight Illness of the
president. The presidents indisposi-
ton is known to be slight, but on
orders from his physician he must re-
main indoors"
Since the statement was issued Gen
eraI Diaz is known to have been out
riding in his automobile. He was ap-
parently in his usual health.
In the event of his resignation there
will be no opposition on the part of
the present government officials to
Senior de Ia Barra's incumbency of the
presidential post pending new cleo
tions.
The question of President Cor
rails resignation is not so simple. 1t
is known that before leaving for Eu-
rope he refused to resign, and since
arriving there he has reiterated this
statement.
But this is regarded as merely Incl
dental. The officials consider the
resignation of Diaz the only solution
to the trouble. Reluctantly they ad-
nit the growing strength of the rebels
and realize that peace is improbable
should he antagonize them further.
Unconfirmed reports have reached
here of skirmishing in the neighbor-
hood of Saltillo
Ell Paso, Textile dove of
peace that lowered over Juarez and
the insurrecto camp seems to have
flown away. Diaz has refused to an
swer the telegram asking him to make
public his private statement that he
intends to resign when peace is re-
stored
Oscar Braniff, one of the federal
peace commissioners, states that he
does not expect Diaz to answer it. DR..
Nasquez Gomez, chairman of the in
surrecto commissioners, in turn makes
the positive announcement that unless
a favorable answer is received from
Diaz peace negotiations will end.
Knox Demands Protection.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Knox made
strong demand on the Mex
lean government to afford Ameri-
cans in Mexico every possible protec-
ton. His action was caused by the
reported murder of two sons of Judge
Melvin Goldman by revolutionary ban
dts at the Goldman hacienda, Buena
Suceso, not far from Acapulco. It was
made clear to Minister of Foreign At
fairs. Senior de la Barra, through Am
bassadOr Wilson at Mexico City, that
Americans must be protected.
According to late dispatches Senior
de la Barra has telegraphed instruc-
tons to the commanding officer at
Acapulco to afford all possible aid.