The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-08-22
INTERVENTION AGAINST HUERTA

clsely the same basis as heretofore.
INTERVENTION AGAINST HUERTA.
The answer by Provisional President
Huerta Of Mexico to tho message oon-
veyed to him by Special Representative
Lind is precisely what was to have
| been expected. President Huerta In.
| sists that he is the head Of the only
| government there Is in Mexico, and
that whatever disturbances prevail in
that country appear in revolt against
his rule; and he very Justly argues
| that since his government is in every
respect tho de facto government, the
| only general government there is in
Mexico, and has been recognized as
| such by Great Britain, France, Ger
many and other powers, it is an un-
friendly act for the United States to
refuse to recognize it, The plea is
made that Great Britain. France, and
Germany have recognized Huerta, not
as the permanent President Of Mexico,
nor his government as the definitely
established government, which ls true.
They have recognized Huerta as the
Provisional President; they have rec
ognized his government as the de facto
government. AS to the establishment
of a permanent government in Mexico,
neither Great Britain, France, nor Ger.
many concerns itself, and il is fairly
argued from the Huerta standpoint that
there is no reason In international law,
comfy, or usage that justifes the Unit.
ed States in holding out against rec
ognition.
Further than that, while this admin.
istration does not actively intervene
in Mexican affairs, it does diplomat.
ically intervene, and it does so on
wrong basis. Tt deals with Huerta but
refuses to deal with him as Provis
ional President of Mexico, and yet, in
fact its dealing with him Is only be.
cause Of his position as such. That
is, we are pretending that we are not
doing thing which in fact we are do
ing.
Again. while our administration does
not seem actually to sense the fact, our
refusal 10 recognize Huerta is in re-
ality aiding and favoring those that
are in rebellion against Huerta in Mex
lco, This is something that Huerta
must very keenly realize, and he finds
it difficult TO understand why our gov.
ernment fails TO recognize that most
important fact For it is a fact that
our refusal to recognize Huerta en-
courages rebellion against him. and
gives moral aid and support to those
who by insurrection resist and DEFY mis-
administration.
II is pointed out, and the fact is.
that this country delayed year in the
recognition OF Por6rio Diaz. when he
had put down all Of his enemies and
made himself The supreme ruler of
Mexico. But the United States at that
time was in some degree culpable in
aiding DiaZ, and by reason OF that
culPa ability II held out longer on scru.
pulous grounds than it otherwise would
have done against tho recognition It
may be said, also, that during the time
that we held out against the recop.
milton OF DlaZ n generation or more
ago, there was no rebellion against him
that would be fostered and encouraged
by our refusal to recognize him, so chat
this refusal did him no damage. At
the present time. however, with the re-
volts that are active against Provis- |
ional President JIuerta. our refusal to
recognize him is in fact taking sides |
against him, to all moral intent and
diplomatic purpose. This is the crucial !!
point, undoubtedly, with Huerta, aud |
he IS justified, rs it seems to us. in
rcscDting the refusal Of our government |
to recognize the point that It's refusal
10 recognize him IS in effect taking
sides with the rcvoIutionists.
AZ the same time. it is an uuoues |
toned and gratifying fact. as illu. |
trated in the L. S. Senate yesterday.
that tho American people viii stand by
the administration, with practical |
unanimity, in whatever IT may deter.
mine to do with respect to Mexico, pre-.
cisely as was done fifteen years ago
at the outbreak Of the war with Spain.
though many disapproved that war. And
Uuerta makes the mistake of his life
when he intimates n belief that the
people won Z back President Wilson:
for there is not the slightest reason
for Huerta 10 cherish any hope Of
divided United States in case of anv
serious trouble between this country
and Mexico.