New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-25
DEALING WITH MURDERERs

The murder Of ex-PreSident Madero
intenslfies interest In the policy of This
government toward Mexico i'm Two
major respects one is that Of inter-
vention. There can be no question that
The crime Of Saturday night has roused
IN many minds an impulse toward
avenging the atrocity. or at least tow
ard making a continuance or such
practices impossible The thing was
so needless. so cowardly. so bruta! and
so cynicsIly defiant Of the sentiment of
the world. and particularly of this
country AID its government. IS directly
expressed only q, little While before By
President Taft. that It is impossible Ia
regard 81 otherwise than with unre-
lieved adherence and righteous wrath
feelings which are deepened rather
than mitigate by the paltcrins eX-
plantations which arc put Forward ana
which serve chiefly 10 demonstrate
that iust as traitor may naturally
he murderer, 50 a murderer may
readily be a liar. If the Hnerta gov
eminent had honestly intended 70
transfer Madero and Suarcz from the
Palace 10 the prison il would not nave
smugsled them thitter al midnight.
With scarcely any guards. 1t would
have done 50 probably by daylight, but
certainly with ample military escort
The circumstances or the Incident are
suspicious If not damning.
Nevertheless. il must be recognized
Hat 4 crime committed In a foreign
country against one of ifs own citizens
i, not p,fmq focie cause for interven-
lion. European powers did not inter-
vcne in bulgaria when Stambulotf was
murdered and his slayerS were shield
Ell by the government which proiitcd
fyom their crime or in Servia, when
he ROYAL family was brutally cXter-
minated: or in France. when reVolll-
iionary government in Paris murdered
Archbishop Darboy and many other In
n0ccnt persons MonstrOnS as The act
in Mexico was. il was after all purely
domestic No foreigner was involved.
/" official assassination is adopted q
regular method of administration We
may regard the dOers Of il with deteS-
tation. as reyerting 10 Savagery, but it
j. not clear that a sufficient breadth of
turpitude-th is no doubt about The
depth--haS been manifested 10 wOr-
rant war OF conquest and subiuga-
lion.
The other question Of policy toward
the murderers is that Of recognition.
* yet. of course. no country has for
mally recognized the revolutionary
government OF General Huerta. We
may be sure that the tragedy will not
hasten the process. Certainly upon the
mere strength of his traitVrouS and
murderous seizure of supreme power
Huerta is not entitled 10 recognition,
unless Of the barest ~ tGCtO kind We
shall see if he is able so TO persuade
the Mexican people Of his innocence
or 30 20 cOndone his crime in their
eyes as 10 win the suf1rages Of ma
iority of them In q constitutional elec-
ten. Until he does that he and his
government cannot expect dc inre rec
IGNITION. Even then there would be
room for considering the attitude TO be
assumed toward a nation which made
such a choice II took much time and
some pUrging Of the army rolls 70 in
duce European governments 10 recog-
nize the new dynasty In Servia. There
viii be no making haste TO recognize a
government stained with the blood Of
murders as brutal rs those az Belgrade
and actually more want0n and more
void Of any purpose save the most alb
lOrrent