New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-12-08

1ItldCIlNt
stock market will have plenty or OPP
portunity TO experience sensational
movements. AS the matter STANDS no"
rot the stock market alone but lhe
whole business of the country is In
state Of expectancy. which is only natu-
raj. in view of the economic changes
which will occur.
The Mexican Problem.
Events Of interest TO the world OF
finance multiplied during last week.
and in the ensemble an opportunity for
study was afforded, owing to the mixed
character of the influences on the stock
market drawn from the weeks changes.
In Mexico the success Of the rebels
seemed TO point to the early end OF
Huerta's dictatorship. In a measure,
such a prospect offered some relief, as
IL seemed TO preclude the necessity for
drastic course being pursued by
President Wilson in carrying out his
nolicies calling for the exclusion Of
Huerta from Mexican control. This
deduction on the surface is reason
able. but to many familiar with the
character of Mexican life and the com
paratively limited intelligence Of the
rank and file of Mexican inhabitants,
the success of the rebels does not mean
the immediate beginning Of an era or
satisfactory government in that repub-
| no Cf DrGGi-
dent Wilson's waiting policy, it is
based on a reasonable understanding
Of the awful cost that intervention
would mean to the United States. Mex
leo has an area Of 767, 900 square miles,
which is four times as large as the
entire Balkan peninsula, the recent war
| i'm which cost over billion dollars.
The population of Mexico in 1900 was
about 100000, 10 per cent OF which
/ were Of Spanish descent, 3S per cent.
/ Indian and 43 per cent mixed blood. At
! the time the rebellion started the esti-
mated population was II, oOO,O 900. Look
ing back TO 1916, the beginning Of the
war with Mexico, it will be found that
the United States was involved in hos
| tilities from January OF that year to
| June, 1S48, and the people Of Mexico
| then covered a much smaller area, and
no attempt was made by the United
States TO accomplish anything. but to
conquer the MeXicans so far as their
warlike attitude toward the United
| States was concerned. An intervention
at this time for the purpose Of restor-
! ing order probably would require hun
dreds OF thousands OF soldiers and a
war fund that would stagger even mod
ern extravagant ideas. 1t probably
| would not be a question of months, but
| of years. The present situation may
be menacing to American investments
In Mexico, hut intervention would not
afford much relief on that score.
In the mean time Mexico remains in
state of instruction, and the future
has a decidedly indefinite line Of vision.
Whether the United states will be able
| 10 avoid taking an active part in the
settlement of the problem will remain
a question until the final end of hos
tilities has come.
President Wilson'S message delivered
to Congress on Tuesday was soothing
! in it's references 10 political matters
generally, including affairs in Mexico,
| but consolation distracted from his
words Of encouragement was due more
1 TO his magnetic style and concise state
ments than to the definite character OF
| his utterances relating to the impor-
tant questions Of the hour. He was
/ optimistic along all general lines in
which Wall Street is interested, but on
| points of special interest, such as anti
trust legislation, he deferred the period
of considering the matter more fully.
One point, however, was especially
comforting to all lines of business, and
that was the fact that he is endeavor.
ing to clarity the situation in the ap-
! plication Of the antitrust law. There
has been too much uncertainty exist
ing as to the intent and extent of the
meaning of the Sherman act, and it
has not been possible to obtain a clear
understanding OF corporate limitations
| under this act without expensive litiga-