The National tribune., 1911-03-16

heir apparent Therefore, as Diaz's
rule has been purely personal, there is
n well-grounded alarm that when he
dies the oll-time anarchy will come,
with perhaps dozen irresponsible and
uncomfortable leaders in the field, each
man lighting for himself and utterly
reckless as to what may be the conse-
duences of his acts so long as they give
him the temporary advantage.
Why Troops and Ships Are Sent.
This is probably the real underlying
reason for the sudden massing of our
troops on the border and the hurrying
of war vessels to the ports. 1t is a
strong hint to all these possible leaders
of inSurrecto armies that unless they
respect the persons and property of for
cigners there lisa physical force near at
hand sufficient to compel them to.
This situation would take Mexico out
of the category of civilized countries.
In civilized countries when war occurs
there arc weii-defined parties which can
be held responsible for their acts, but
in these Latin countries when the main
Government breaks down nobody can
he held responsible. The situation is
like that of the Commune of Paris or
the time of the French Revolution, be-
fore Napoleon got such an ascendancy
as to create regular and responsible
menace to the stability of Government
and the peace of the world in Cuba 1t
is what is happening in the constant
revolutions and turmoiIs in all the
SpaniSh-American States.
Senior Limantour, who seems to be
the leading man in Mexico next, after
DiaZ, is naturally jealous of his coun-
try's reputation as 8. civilized State. He
insists that Mexico should be treated as
any other great State, and that inter-
vention would mean war with the whole
country. While he thinks that the pres
ent Government will probably maintain
itself, he feels that il it is overthrow
that which will succeed it will be strong
enough to protect the lives and proper
ty of foreigners.
This may be so. but it is important
not to take chances in country Of the
history of Mexico. The probability is
that il the Government Is overthrow
those who have Joined in the insurrec-
ton will at once begin fighting among
themselves for the supremacy, and let
loose again the innumerable bands of
robbers and pIunderers who were be-
fore DiaZs time the scourge of the
of anxiety and innumerable executions
to suppress these robbers. and we can
rest assured that the evil was not eradi-
Gated; 1t was only suppressed.
Between 1910 and the time of the
Intervention of the French in 1862,
there have = been over 20 revo-
buttons in Mexico, each of them
attended with all the horrors of whole
sale murder and robbery. This was the
excuse for the French expedition to
Mexico in 1852, in which Great Britain
and Spain Joined, but from which the
latter two retired when they saw that
they were being used as catspaws for
the designs Of Napoleon III. The revo-
lutions were continued after Maximil-
ian was expelled, and even Diaz him
self led one of them against his old
friends of the Juarez party. and ousted
President Lerdo de Teriada- -
Foreign Interests.
Under the encouragement Of Presi-
dent DiaZ the Americans have made
immense investments in the country in
railroads, mines and manufactures. The
English, French and Germans have also
very great interests in the country and
monopolize many branches of business
1t Is highly important that these great
interests shall not be menaced with de-
struction by irresponsible leaders of
guerrilla gangs claiming to be waging
war. If this condition should come
about, the duty Of our Government
would be plain, and troops would have
TO be moved into the country to restore
peace and protect person and property
This would be work Of the greatest
delicacy and annoyance, however, and
1t is sincerely hoped that no necessity
will arise for 1t. 1t would be the Cuban
problem multiplied many times over.
We certainly do not want to annex the
country. and, almost as much, we do
not want to assume a prOtectorate over
4 hof t.,