Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-04-24
NATIONAL HONOR OF
MEXICO IS AT STAKE,
MINISTER EXPLAINS
Dictator Appears Indifferent to Crisis
in His Affairs, Spending Evening
Listening to a Band
Concert.

to agree to the demand of the United
States that the Nag OF that country be
unconditionally saluted, gave out the
following statements:
ION the ninth Of the present month,
between II and oon q boat without an
American flag and With III marii,eS
and II officer landed at Il point called
the Beach OF tturbide in Tampico. Col.
Raymond tiinojoSa, who has charge OF
defending that point. detained the ma
riues and officer and conducted them
to the presence Of the general who had
command of the tort. lguacio Morelos
Zarasoza.
1T should be remembered that at
This time the port NOT only was under
military control but w~ithstanding an
attack By rebels.
Gen Zarasoza immediately and
without even Investigating the case.
put the marines and the officer at lib
srtS. placed Hinoiosa in prison and
sent an apology TO Rear Admiral Mayo.
the commander OF the American fleet.
w thought the incident vas closed.
bu. unfortunately this was not so be-
afterwards an uiuimatum in which he
asked that a second apology be pre-
scented to him by the staff of the chief
of the fort. General Z~aragoZa; that the
American flag 5e hoisted at a public
place in Tamplco and saluted by Il
( I'LL anu SSldSS itS SCNSAC ~
ment of Hinojosa STIMULATING that al,
this be within "a hours
Tells of Inquiry.
"The term was later extended when
diplomatic pour parleers were begun
between the sup-secretary of foreign
affairs in Mexico, the minister being
absent at that date. and continued
until now.
1.-The president of Mexico. when in
formed of the case. ordered an investi-
cation of the facts and the punishment
of the guilty officer. if it was proved
he was b~lameworthy. He also author
lied the minister of foreign affairs to
express regret on account OF the Incl
dent when he became aware that the
American government supported the
request of Rear Admiral Mayo relative
to a salute of the American flag which
had not been insulted. he proposed to
show his good will toward the Amer
lean people though he did not think
that such a request was just, proposing
hat the flags of the two nations be
hoisted and saluted reciprocally and
simultaneously.
THE American government did not
agree with that idea. but insisted on
Rear Admiral Mayo's request giving
assurance that in accordance with in
ternational practice the salute would be
returned by American cannon in an
swer to the salute of the American flag.
This was not accepted by President
Huerta. who insisted on his proposition.
Their the American government de-
termined that the pour parleers be
brought to al end by the final decision
of President Hucrta within a term
which expired at 6 o'clock last night, an
%nouncing that if by that time he had
not agreed to the salute of the Amer
lean flag as requested the affair would
be presented to thu American congress
for decision.
1.-The Mexican government believing
that the salute in question was of no
Importance unless previously and for
lnally agreed on by both parties. pro-
posed the signing of a protocol and the
minister of foreign affairs presented
last night a draft of such protocol to
the American charge d %affaires. Nelson
OfShaughnessy.
"O'Shaughnessy answered that he
must consult his governments: that he
would advise the minister of the nature
of his answer ana this afternoon he
communicated to the minister the fact
his government did not accept the
idea of q signature of any protocol
whatever. but wanted an unconditional
salute of the American flag.
Would Humiliate Mexico.
"1his the Mexican government re-
fused, feeling it has done a.ll possible.
in view of the friendly understanding
between the two governments and be-
lieving the acceptance of such an i'm
position would be equivalent to yielding
Mexico to humiliation.
The Mexican government is conf
lent that the civilized world will find
its conduct has been wise and temper
ate. that it has observed all the re-
quirements of international law and
that the refusal to yield further is in
spired only by a regard for its honor
and dignity
The draft of the protocol by Mexico
refused signature by the United States
follows:<
With a view to putting to an end
the lamentable incident which occurred
on the 9Th instant at Fort Tampico.
and one American officer, considering
that such marines were Immediately
put at liberty by General Zaragoza
commander at Fort Tampico and that
said officer presented an apology to
Rear Admiral Mayo. commander of the
American squadron in those waters:
that afterwards when the president of
the republic of Mexico became adj
vised of the facts he expressed regret
through the officials of foreign rela-
tons for tho incident and ordered that
a full investigation be made to the
n that the guilty might be punished
N any be ound guilty; and finally that
the action In question was due to the
~zealousness of a subaltern which might
be regarded as cxcusable IL 1t is taken
into consideration that the marines
when detained had gone aahore in uni
form without permission of the military
authorities the port being at the mo-
ment. not only in a state OF war but
n attack by rebels. The charge
d~'affatrs Of the United States and the
minister Of foreign relationS OF Mexico.
acting in their official capacities agree
as follows:
First that the Mexican government.
inspired by a desire Of showing the
eo0o Will 1t seels toward the people az
the United States and anfinr a. ~