New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-08-01
Outside World
Slow to Trust
Huerta Regime
New System of Honesty in
Mexican Government
Causes Suspicion Even
Among Its Own People
Business Is Picking Up
American Shippers. Slow to
Distrust Carranza, Now
Hesitate at His Successor
Special Dispatch to The TRIBUNE


refrain in Spanish which may be
roughly translated: perhaps it
will, perhaps it won't, but probably
nobody knows whether it will or not"
This comes very near to explaining
in a nutshell the attitude of Mexicans
and foreigners to the present regime
in Mexico. There is a general good
will, but also q lack of that final touch
of confidence which is necessary for an
unconditional cooperation.
The situation is slowly growing bet
ter so far as the establishment of
z confidence is concerned, and the reac-
ton is more rapid in Mexico than
abroad
At the outbreak of the Oregon
movement ell business in Mexico was
being done on spot cash basis, with
gold as the medium of exchange.
Credit seldom extended over a time
greater than that necessary to effect
delivery. With the first report of
trouble business came to q standstill.
Those who had goods to sell de-
manded cash at point of shipment, and
purchasers were unwilling to make any
payments until delivery had been made.
The effect was not evident in the
United States as soon as it was in
Mexico because the American business
man did not, as rule, know what was
go.rg on.
Business Near Normal
When the new government was once
in the saddle it began Immediately to
put things back into shape, and within
very short time local business was re-
sumed, and it has now reached a point
very near the normal during the Car
rama regime.
1t is slowly increasing beyond that
point, but is waiting on the reestab-
lishment O. banking. AS the American
shipper was slower to shut down on
business with Mexico, he has also been
more timid in 1esuming operations.
The fact Of the matter is that he was
so slow in the first place that he acted
after the trouble was all over, and
conditions have not changed much since
that time.
On the train from Laredo to Mexico
City there were with me in the sleeper
one could hope to get together. Ihey
came from all parts of the country
end represented many branches of
business and government activity
Without exception, they were enthusl-
astic made q new regime, bat all OF
them made a mental reservation.
All of them had seen the new broom
sweep clean for time in Mexico be-
fore and they were inclined TO sit by
and AVA. developments. 1t had not
occurred to any of them, however, that
lust this attitude was what was largely
responsible for the delay of the gov
eminent in putting things in shape.
Waiting Normal Times
A business man from Coahuila told
The Tribune correspondent that he had
money ready to enlarge his business
to four or five times its present size,
but that he did not want to tie his
capital up at present He told me that
there were thousands of men just like
him here, who were waiting for normal
times to return before they went
ahead.
He explained that his business at
present was hand to mouth affair
and that he was forced to turn his
money over quickly This made 1t I'M
possible for him to take adVantage OF
the markets and resulted in higher
prices to the consumer and TO smaller
profits to himself.
A Yucatan chewing gum man told
very much the same story. He was en-
thusiastic over the prospect, but was
doing nothing as yet. He said that the
necessary money could be raised IN a
few days as soon as confidence in the
government was reestablished An
American business man with more than
thirty years residence in the country
looked at things very much the same
way. He had under way several large
projects, but none of them was out Of
the planning stage.
Government officials are apprehen-
sive and dstrustful of each other. The
change came so suddenly that there
was no test to Gull the goats from the
sheep, and every one is feeling his way.
To many of them the apparent mania
for honesty which characterizes the
utterances of the leading men Of the
present regime is disconcerting. 1t is
such a sharp contrast to things as they
have been for the last five years that
it is taking time for the new idea to
sink in.
All are agreed that should the plans
out, there will be some trouble. Nc
one is prepared to say just how serious
that trouble may be. They are still
less willing to hazard guess as to the
ability of the new government to cope
with it.
Honesty Seldom Seen
1t may be said here that the i'm
plantation of the policy of honesty is
progressing slowly. The scrupulously
honest public official is still something
Of curiosity. A few days ago an In
dian general in the Puebla Mountains
returned 10000 pesos to the treasury
with statement that it was what was
left after he had paid off his troops
1t had been so long since any one had
actually shown a surplus that Presi-
dent de la Huerta sent an emissary into
the Puebla Mountains to capture this
general and bring him to the capita
50 that the Cabinet could have a look
at him. The incident is still the talR
of the city.
Cases on the other side Of the screen
are frequent. Hardly day goes b,
that some army officer or other govern
ment employee is not discovered with
padded pay roll. The government is
making every effort to put stop te
this practice, which came into vogue
with the past regime. but it is slow
work. 1t is not rendered easier by the
fact that many Of the delinquents wher
IL AL. L.