The Washington herald., 1911-03-12

coast OF Mexico, the former northward
and the latter southwark
Country Hemmed In.
With 5000 troops massed on the north
ern frontier and war-ship patrols estab-
lished on both the eastern and western
coasts, Mexico will practically be hemmed
in by an American force, except on the
southern frontier. For any filihusterinG
expedition to puncture this line and bring
support to the revolutionists will be next
to impossible The news OF the suspen
sion of constitutional guarantee in Mexico
was received here yesterday with great
interest.
1t is accepted by officials in Washing
ton as the first step in a more determined
policy by the Diaz government to crush
the insurrectionists. At the same time
1t is most convincing evidence, in the
opinion of many, of the alarming extent
to which the revolution has spread in
Mexico. The suspension OF the constitu-
tional guarantee means in Mexico prac-
tically what the suspension OF the habeas
corpus right would be in this country.
1t is regarded by many here as the first
step toward the declaration OF martial
law.
Members of the revolutionary party
in Washington are charging now that
Diaz has intrigued with Wall street
interests to bring about the mObiliZa-
tion of the troops in Texas. The rev
olutionists go further, and say the
great American business interests with
investments in Mexico, want to Sc"
Jose Limantour made President OF
Mexico, and are planning 10 bring that
about. There has been talk before that
business interests in this country
to ~
like Limantour put at the head of the
Mexican government II the change
would break the revolutionary spirit
and pave the wya toward greater sta
bility and security.
Opposed to LimantOur.
Those here who are familiar with af-
fairs in Mexico say that the selection
of Limatour for President would be all
right in theory, but rot in practice. The
trouble would be that the people of
Mexico will have something to say
about the naming of the next Presi-
dent. Limantour is a member of the
wealthy oligarchy that has been built
up under Diaz and it is practically
certain that he would not be accepta-
BILE to the insurrectionists.
The failure of the United States TO
this time SENS to have been due partly
to a misunderstanding between the two
governments over the question whether
arms and ammunition in themselves con-
stitute contraband. The American view
has been that trade in arms and am
munition is legitimate. and that a ship
ment of this character cannot be re-
garded as an expedition" unless ac-
companied by a body of men or unless
men are taken on at some other port
than the onne where the shipment OF
arms originated.
The position Of the United States in
other words, has been that the ship
ment of arms and ammunition to be lille
gitimate must take the form of an eX-
pedition. The Mexican government has
been extremely anxious to cut off all
shipments Of arms and ammunition to
the insurgents. Under the former policy
of the State Department, only filibuster-
ing expeditions would be stopped, but in
view of the recent formal protest of
Mexico, it is likely that all shipments OF
arms will be prevented fro mthis coun-
try into any section of Mexico held by
the insurgents.
Delays on Railroads.
At the rate Of mobilization of troops in
Texas is now proceeding, officials here
estimate that all of the soldiers will be
at their destination to-day, or tomorrow
morning at the latest. The only delays
that have been recorded In the movement
Of troops toward Texas have been due to
washouts on railroads and inability to
secure cars.
The officers of the National Guard are
accepting the invitation to witness the
joint maneuvers in Texas tpgreater num-
bers than the War Department had an
ticipated. Already Gen. Wood has re-
ceived word from 1,209 National Guard
officers who have been designated by the
governors OF States TO attend the maneu-
vers. II is expected now that about 1000
of these officers will be on the ground.
The Mexican Embassy received a dis
patch from SenOr Enrique c. Cree!, min
lister of foreign affairs of Mexico, denying
that the Mexican government had under
the terms of secret treaty given TO
Japan right to naval base in Lower
California. Here is the dispatch:
You are authorized to deny that any
naval station in Lower California has
been or will be given to Japan. Also
that there will be a, naval station given
to any country at the terminal of the
Tehuantepec Railroad"
Baron Uchida, Japanese Ambassador in
this country, has also denied that his
government has obtained naval base in
Mexico.
Three army transports, the Mcclellan. |
Fitzpatrick, and Sumner, sailed from
Hampton Roads this morning, carrying |
twenty-four companies of coast artillery |
for Galveston. The transports are, sched- |
uled to arrive at the Texas port next |
Wednesday.
Going to Galveston.
The New York artilleryRen are among |
the troops who sailed on these transports |
In all, about 5000 men are on board. |
They will serve temporarily as infantry
at Galveston. A published report that