New-York tribune., 1911-04-18
THE MEXICAN VIE ".

The exceedingly interesting ana i'm
pressive dispatch from The Tribune's
special correspondent at the Mexican
capital which We printed yesterday
gave an account OF the Mexican official
view Of the present situation and the
prospects Of the immediate future which
may be accepted as accurate and which
is decidedly the most comprehensive and
instructive that has been published In
this country. That view is not, as we
ascertained at Washington and as We
made known yesterday, altogether cor
rect The wish is apparently to too large
a degree father to the thOught-a not
uncommon circumstance. Nevertheless,
this insight into the Mexican mind IS
both interesting and valuable, for the
instruction and guidance Of Americans
in their attitude toward their great
Southern neighbor. and while 1t does not
correctly conceive the disposition and
purposes Of our government it is such
as to command large measure Of popu-
lar If not of official sympathy.
II has not been and is not the inten-
ton Of this country 10 intervene In Mex
lean affairs. unless under a stronger and
more unimpeachable compulsiOn than
has thus far been exercised by the cur
rent of events. 1t is not conceived TO
be the duty OF the Washington govern
ment to read the riot act TO Madero
and his followers. The first desire Of
this country-selfish though il may seem
is 10 have its own borders left undis-
turbed by the conflicts on the other side
OF the line. The second. operating pdrf
pGssM with the first, is 10 have peace re-
established In Mexico and the integrity
OF the Mexican Republic and its consti-
tutional government maintained. To eff
feet the first Of these objects our gov
ernment Is prepared to employ, if neces-
sary. the ample physical forces which
the prudent foresight of the President
has provided. while TO effect the latter
Il stands ready, rs It always does IN
such a case. 10 eXercise-which does not
mean to intrude or TO impose--its good
offices.
With the Mexican view that Wadero's
present stand is arrogant, that il pre-
sents an unnecessarily unfortunate OBJ
stacle TO the re-estabHshment of peace
and that there is no sound reason why
authorities in seeking peace there will
be wide and hearty agreement in this
country. The Mexican assumption that
such are the views Of the Washington
government is presumably gratuitOus
and may or may not he justifiable That
is point upon which The Mexican gov
eminent may be able TO inform itself
through diplomatic channels 1t would
not he surprising. however, If there
proved TO he at Washington a stronger
inclination toward the attitude of the
elder Madero In his willingness to ac-
cept the reforms which have been pro-
mulgated AS basis Of peace than toward
that of the recalcitrant leader in the
field who counts all concessions and re-
forms az nothing unless he can have the
personal satisfaction of seeing General
Dlaz driven from the Presidential chair.
The American conception of republican
government is that 1t should be based
upon constitutional principles and not
upon the personalities of officeholders.
and II could regard nothing as more
ominous than that the movement for gov
ernmental reform in Mexico should de-
generate into mere struggle TO turn one
man out and to put another into his
place