Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-10-24
had been captured by Mexican rebels,
but they were unverified.
Personal Staff Jailed.

ASApVhoA ASNeAA OdL4Ous
Mexico City, Oct. 24.-The members
of Provisional President Huerta s per.
sOnal staff, every man of whom was
arrested last evening, will be court
martialed, according to information
from official sources today, and it was
thought that some of them might be
shot.
The charges against the prisoners
were not made public, but the impress
sion was that they were caught CORE.
spending with General Felix Diaz.
That Huerta should be in danger, or
at any rate consider himself in dan
ger, at the hands of persons as close
to him personally as the members of
his on staff as generally taken as an
explanation of his determination not to
resign even for day to give an ap-
pearance of constitutionality to his
candidacy to succeed himself as presi-
dent.
He trusts absolutely no one, and it
as the consensus of opinion that it
would be unsafe for him to do So
Boldly Defies United States.
The provisional presidents statement
to the foreign diplomats here yester.
day afternoon created tremendous
sensation and undoubtedly aroused
much enthusiasm among those well
enough educated to understand it by its
bold defiance of the United States:
The points Huerta made were, in
brief, as follows:
He pledges himself to the restoration
of peace and promised fair elections.
He said he was determined to protect
foreign lives and interests and equally
determined that Mexicans should set.
tie their own democratic affairs with.
out foreign interference.
He admitted it might prove impos.
sible to hold a valid election next Sun.
day, and said in that case he would
have to continue in power until valid
election could be held
What Washington Risks.
He referred with respect to President
Wilson, and with admiration to the
American people, but declared that if
Washington refused to recognize him,
it would "risk precipitating what
might bring Washington face to face
with the governments at London, Paris
and Berlin, and which might lead eth.
er to the setting aside of the Monroe
doctrine or to the appalling injustice
Of intervention by the United States in
Mexico"
He gave warning that enforcement
Of its will in Mexico will cost the
United States Gin addition to at least
$4,000 lives, more money than the en-.
tire foreign investment in the coun.
try"
lie outlined n broad system Of Mex.
lean reforms including naturalization
Of the land, but expressed the opinion
that II will be long time before the
government can be anything but one
by the few Of the many.
Fuerta took pains to emphasize at n
meeting with the diplomats today that
he said he would not submit to inter.
ference from "any power" II was
considered as an attempt to avoid Civ.
ing too much offense to the United
States, by giving the impression that
he referred to IL alone,
On Advice Of Britisher
Adopting this rather slight measure
of Cancellation, the provisional presi.
dent was said 10 have been acting on
the advice Of the British minister, Sir
Lionel Garden, Of whose Judgment he
thinks highly But for Sir Lionel 3
presentation Of his credentials to him
just at the time he had outraged the
country by arrcsting the members Of
the chamber Of deputies and proclaim
ing himself dictator, most Of the dip.
lomats here believe Huerta would al
ready have been overthrown. The Eng
lishman's opportune recognition an.
doubtedv did much to give moral sup.