Evening star., 1915-04-16

governments citadel. For go days the
streets of the City Of Mexico ran with
blood. The situation became intolerable.
The foreign diplomatic representatives
asked Mr.. Madero to resign. He did not
want to accede to their wishes. Then.
senators to put an end to that anguished
situation, placed Mr.. Madero under
arrest.
Our congress. our senate and our
supreme court of justice, complying
with all the requisites of the constitu-
ton of our country. named me as the
constitutional president of the United
States of Mexico. considering me as
the man for the job.
Mr.. Madero, while being conducted
to the penitentiNry. died an unnatural
DEATH In the opinion of some of the
public in this country. l am blamed as
having taken part in executing MN.
I never have tried to shirk any respon-
sibilities. and anything ever dld was
done openly. | am man enough 70
stand by what | do. | know | am not
to blame for the death of Mr.. Madero
Time and history will do me justice
Ear be it from my mind to make
eulogy of my own administrator But
I must say that during my adminis-
tration all the law-abiding citizens of
nv republic, as well as all the foreign
ers resident there, until the very last
moment of my command, received guar
antees, and their homes, their lives and
their properties were fully protected
I appeal to the testimony OF the Span
ish. German. French and English colo
MES. and particularly to the important
American colony resident In Mexico
They will and do confirm what ! say.
Protected Foreigners.
Nobody can ever name single 1or-
eigner who has suffered directly or IN
directly from my government any loss
of life or interests. I make special
mention of the American colony. as
thousands of United States citizens re-
siding in Mexico then are at present
in these United States Of America.
During the seventeen months that l
was President of Mexico l had the good
fortune to enjoy the confidence and
moral support of the whole American
colony resident there. including United
States Ambassador Henry Lane Wilson
and Nelson O'Shaughnessy. charge
d'affaires both of whom were my per-
sonal friends. as we'll as great many
other American residents there.
"It was very painful to see numerous
American families break up their
homes abandon their business and
leave our country by the advice Of your
government. Not being able to evade
the exodus. my government took spe-
cial care of the Americans. Special
trains were placed at their disposition
and armed forces accompanied the
trains to the seaports. Thousands of
American men, women and children can
verify the above.
Crimes Against Foreigners.
Unfortunately. and for our shame.
numerous crimes have been committed
against foreigners on Mexican soil dur
ing the last four years and a half.
Englishmen were cowardly assassinat-
ed, more than three hundred Cinnamon
were brutally slaughtered in Torreon;
German women were brutally violated
in Covadonga, Spaniards We're butch
cred in Atencingo and other places;
foreign and native ministers of the
church were shamelessly mistreated,
but these crimes We're committed either
before or after my time, or by rebels in
territory that l did not control These
are the results of the anarchial propa-
ganda of Mr.. Madero and his follow
erS.
Il have always had and have proven
my great admiration and respect for
the American people. I must say, peri
odicals and public opinion in the United
States were for the last few years di-
verted from the right path. on the Mex
lean question. l have always tried to
be fair in my judgment.
The heads of your administration
were not fair to Mexico, but l believe
they were misled by false statements.
Besides. there is quite a difference be-
tween theory and facts. If your ad-
ministrators had only been in Mexico
for thirty days they would have
changed their theoretical. erroneous
ideas. But I would rather not discuss
this subject too deeply. 1t is a dis
courtesy, you know, for a foreigner to
criticise heads of nation whose hos
pitality he enjoys.
MY Indian. honest blood boils when
1 think of the unfortunate conditions
existing in my poor country and when
l think that a good, clean press like
the American are led by false and arti-
f1cial tricks to defend a cause which is
nothing more than one of vandalism
and anarchy.
Cannot Conquer Mexico.