Imperial Valley press., 1914-05-12
BORDER TROUBLES WITH
MEXICANS LONG STANDING

Washington, May 12.-For many
years both preceding and following
the Mexican war the United States
has had trouble with it's Latin-Am
! lean neighbor. Outrages by Mexican
bandits and by Mexican Indians were
not handled with gloves in the past.
Administrations of some thirty or for
ty years ago did not put up with raid
after raid by Mexican "revolutionists ,
on American territory. One such raid
in those days was the signal for in
vasion of Mexico by American troops.
Sometimes merely company Of SOL
diers was sent after the marauders;
on other occasions, however, large bod
les of troops crossed the Rio Grande.
At that time Porfirio Diaz was pres
ident of Mexico and he was a very
different man from Huerta or Ma
dero. 1t is generally conceded that
Mexico never had president of the
strength and power of Diaz.
The American authorities did not
treat even the powerful Diaz in the
fashion which the present administra-
ton has handled the insults of HUI
erta, and Diaz more than once threat
ened war.
On July 6, 1877, Lieutenant John
R. Bulls, U. S. A., crossed the Mex
ican border in pursuit of cattle thieves.
The group of bandits was encountered
on Mexican territory and given sum-
mary punishment. Various diplomatic
representations followed this invasion,
but nothing ever resulted.
On September 26, 1877, Lieutenant
Bulls again crossed into Mexico, his
object being the capture and punish
ment of marauding Indians and Mex
lean cattle thieves. Groups of Indi
ans and horse rustlers in those days
worked together in their attacks on
American settlements. After a raid
upon small township or cattle ranch
the bandits would beat nasty re-
treat across the Mexican border. On
this occasion Lieutenant Bulls found
himself on the trail of an enemy much
more powerful than his own little
company.
He was surprised in Mexico and
was in desperate straits when he man
aged to slip courier through the
lines of Indians and Mexicans. This
messenger soon brought reinforce
ments in the shape of squadron of
United States cavalry and the Mexi-
cans and Indians were routed.
President Diez, in November, 1877,
directed General De Leon, who COM
manded the Mexican border troops,
to repel invasions by American sol
diers.
In the spring of 1878 General Ran
aid S. Mackenzie, United States army,
led two columns into Mexico. One
of these columns was under the COM
mand of Lieutenant Colonel Shafter,
afterward General Shafter, who led
the American invasion of Cuba in
1898, at the inception of the Span
ish war. The other column was COM
manded by Captain Samuel B. M.
Young. Colonel Valdez, in command
of detachment of Mexican regu-
lars, was met at Remalino. Colonel
Valdez informed General Mackenzie
that further progress of American
troops would not be permitted and
that he would have to compel a re-
turn across the border.
The Mexican colonel explained that
unfortunately the American column
was too powerful for the Mexicans
to attack it. He requested that Cen
eral Mackenzie be kind enough to de-
part peaceably. General Mackenzie
replied that he regretted his inabil-
ity to return, but offered to very po-
litely await the arrival of Mexican
reinforcements before opening hostili-
ties. Colonel Valdez lost no time in
seeking aid. After wait of almost
day General Mackenzie again pro-
ceeded with his column, whereupon
Colonel Valdez and his Mexican troops
forgot their dignity and fled.