The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-08-27
THE PRESIDENT AND MEXICO.

So far as appears the diplomatic in
tervention which President Wilson I'M
dertook in Mexico, has failed, At the
same time, there is no reason to expect
any very serious consequences from
that failure. Since the purpose OF Mr..
| Lind s mission as special representative
Of the President to Mexico has ended,
| and since the nature OF the propo-
sitioDs which he carried have been dis
closed it is really no wonder that the
mission failed, In fact, it would have
been marvel if it had succeeded; for,
first OF ALL that mission was a sort Of
back-door approach to an official whom
We refused TO recognize in his official
capacity. Why. then, should we cx.
pect that he should receive with any
sort of patience any kind of communi.
cation from tho government Of this
countryf Second, that mission di-
rectly expressed distrust Of Huerta,
both az an official and as man. It de-
manded an honest and fair election.
with Hucrta ruled out az a candidate
Very naturally Huerta resents this
him. 1t is stated that his reply is very
able, Doubtless it is, for his position
is absolutely impregnablc, while ours is
as weak as water Huerta declares. as
the fact is, that he is at the head OF
strong, capable government. In fact,
his government is the only government
that is known in Mexico. All other pre-
tended government is merely brigand.
age, pillage, and robbery. Huerta very
deftly points out the absurdity of
President Wilson's proposition to
Huerta for an armistice. Huerta can
not possibly either grant or enforce an
armistice, since the forces that are in
rebellion against his government are
chiefly guerrillas and bandits, with
whom no faith can be entered into and
whom no compact will bind
The upshot Of the whole matter is
that President Wilson adheres to his
determination that he will not recog-
nize President Huerta as Provisional |
President of Mexico; and since Huerta |
has pointed out very plainly that the |
Wilson propositions aimed at the estab
lishment Of peace in Mexico amount in |
fact to intervention in the affairs of |
that country, and a sort of surrep-
titious Intervention at that, the whole |
matter seems to have come to n stand |
still. The situation has come to a po-
sition where all action seems TO be
blocked. The American government |
will, of course, protect American citi-
zens to the utmost of its power, save
only in the way of actual military in
tervention. 1t will guard the border, it |
Will prevent the shipment OF arms and |
military supplies into Mexico from this
country; but it cannot prevent such
shipment from other countries. and as
long as the Mexican ports remain open,
these shipments will be made, and we
have no authority whatever TO inter
fere with them.
1t is possible, Of course. that some
sort Of an arrangement may vet be
arrived at whereby something will come
Of President Wilson's diplomatic in.
terVention in Mexico, especially since
President Huerta sought delay in the
delivery Of President Wilson IS message
20 Congress, which was granted. But
t is clear case that tho straigbtfor-
ward thing TO do, the right thing to do,
he correct diplomatic thing to do,
you'd be to recognize President Huerta
as Provisional President Of Mexico, and
let the Mcxicans fight out their internal
battles, actual and political, among
themselves.