Taft Is Relieved By Madero's Fall.

New York Times 100 years ago today, February 19, 1913:
President Was Anxious About Americans, Owing to False Rumor of Intervention.
FEDERAL CHIEF SPREAD IT
Wired to Officials Throughout Mexico Washington Would Interfere — Wilson Must Treat with Huerta.
Special to The New York Times.
    WASHINGTON, Feb. 18.— President Taft and his Cabinet were much relieved to-night when they learned that President Madero of Mexico was out of power, and that there was a possibility that the Mexican Government was in the grip of a man able to control affairs in that republic, at least so far as the safety of American residents was concerned.
    They were inclined to credit Gen. Huerta with ability to keep his countrymen from endangering foreigners, and they were glad Madero no longer was President of Mexico, because they had reason to believe his recent policy was menacing to the lives and property of United States citizens dwelling in his country. Mr. Taft and his advisers had information that Madero had used the possibility of American intervention as a means of stirring Mexican sympathy in his behalf, and perhaps of arousing Mexican fury to a point where a massacre of Americans would have resulted.
    With the Madero Government fallen and Gen. Huerta proclaimed President of Mexico it devolved on Henry Lane Wilson, American Ambassador, at once to treat with the de facto Mexican Government for the protection of Americans throughout that republic. With several Americans killed, many wounded by the bullets of the contending forces in Mexico City and thousands homeless because of the slaughter that resulted from the shooting in the streets, Mr. Wilson's first duty was to treat with the new President for amelioration of the conditions imposed on Americans and other foreigners, especially since the revolution entered its last stages.
    This Government will take no concern over the choice of a successor to President Madero save that such a successor will have to demonstrate his ability to maintain stable government before political recognition can be given to him by the United States.

Washington Distrusted Madero.
    Although none of the higher officials of Mr. Taft's Administration would admit it openly, they felt that Madero's personality was not strong enough to cope with the situation in Mexico, and that a change of government probably would bring about conditions that would give less concern to the United States. The outcome of Mexico's troubles is uncertain, yet the Federal officials here are hopeful that the accession of a military administration installed by Huerta, Blanquet, and Diaz will be a long step forward in the direction of restoring peace.
    It is thought the United States will not be in haste to withdraw its battleships and cruisers from Mexican waters. The problems of reconstruction Mexico must solve will require time. It is argued the presence of United States warships will serve as a reminder to all elements that American life and property must be protected.

Mexican Embassy Glad, Too.
    Surprise was expressed in the Mexican Embassy when Señor de la Cueva, Chargé d'Affaires, and the members of his staff were informed of Madero's overthrow. They appeared to be glad a settlement had been reached, even though it had resulted in a change of government.
    Gen. Huerta was described by attachés of the embassy as a stem soldier of the type of ex-President Porfirio Diaz. On account of his long service and bravery, it was said, he was popular with the army and well known throughout the republic. Felix Diaz, leader of the revolution, and Gen. Huerta were friends before the Madero conflict arrayed them in opposite camps.
    The formality of political recognition probably will fall to the Administration of President-elect Wilson. There hardly will be time for such negotiations in the remaining few days of President Taft's term.

Madero's Fiction Discovered.
    There is reason to believe the active efforts of the United States Government in preparation for meeting a military emergency in Mexico were due to some extent to the discovery that Madero had been trying to revive his waning cause by systematic circulation throughout Mexico of a report that the American Government had decided to land armed forces on Mexican soil for the purpose of intervention. Whatever desire the Taft Administration had to maintain a feeling of friendly neutrality toward Madero was dissipated by that discovery.
    In making known yesterday that it had sent identical instructions to all United States Consular officers in Mexico to deny emphatically the statement that intervention had been determined on the State Department was careful to conceal that it had reliable information that the false report was being disseminated by orders emanating from President Madero. The New York Times correspondent learned, to-day, however, that the department was notified from several sources that the Madero Government had been directly responsible for the report, and had taken pains to have it reach places where it would do the most good or harm, According to the point of view.
    It is believed that the first authentic information as to Madero's alleged effort to arouse feeling among his fellow-countrymen against the United States came to this Government from Rear Admiral W. H. H. Southerland, commander of the American naval forces off Manzanillo and Mazatlan. But from Consular officers and other sources of reliable intelligence in Mexico the State Department learned the Mexican Government had sent telegraphic advices to civil and military authorities throughout the republic that the United States was preparing to intervene in the Mexican situation, and had appealed to the loyal forces to stand behind President Madero "to save the country from Yankee aggression."
    President Taft and his advisers were disturbed when they learned that the then Government of Mexico had resorted to such means in an effort to hold together the troops and citizens who had stood by Madero's cause up to that time. It was apparent to them at once that a statement of the character mentioned, backed by the authority of Madero himself, tended to produce the crisis which this Government all along had been endeavoring to avert.

Massacre of Americans Feared.
    In Washington it has been an open secret that the Administration believed that if American troops crossed the border into Mexican territory, the warring domestic factions would be amalgamated in opposition to the invaders. It was a common remark by officials that intervention probably would be followed by a massacre of Americans in Mexico. When the Administration learned that the untrue statement that President Taft had decided to intervene was being telegraphed all over Mexico with the sanction of the Madero Government, the fear was aroused that a slaughter of American citizens and their families would be the result.
    The State Department lost no time in taking steps to contradict that dangerous lie. Instructions were at once telegraphed to Consular officers in Mexico to make known in the most public and authoritative manner that the report was untrue. Apparently, that prompt action had the effect desired, as no outbreak against Americans was reported from any place in the republic.
    At the time Madero knew, or was understood to have known, that troops, Federal officials, and citizens of Mexico were being urged to stand by his cause on the ground that Mexican independence was menaced by intended American invasion, Madero was appealing to President Taft to contradict the report that a policy of intervention was to be adopted by the United States. Read in the light of knowledge possessed by Mr. Taft and his Cabinet as to what was being done to arouse antagonism to this country, the answer sent by Mr. Tait to Madero in the small hours of yesterday was considered emphasized in its self-restraint.

Mexican Governor Made Trouble.
    In line with that information was a message received by the State Department to-day from Clarence A. Miller, United States Consul in Tampico, that Matias Guerra, Governor of the State of Tamaulipas, seemed to have been responsible for a widely distributed circular of  anti-American character, in which he called on the people of the State to prepare for the defense of their country. Consul Miller's dispatch was filed yesterday, and the sense of it was made public to-night.
    The circular was withdrawn, Mr. Miller said, but not before a strong feeling of resentment against Americans was aroused. In consequence, Americans and other foreigners were apprehensive of trouble.
    It is supposed the purpose of the State Department in making this information public was to show that, should any violence be offered to American citizens, the responsibility would rest directly on the Mexican Government.

Wilson Says Many Were Killed.
    In the dispatch from Ambassador Wilson that was given out and which covered the happenings of yesterday in the Mexican capital, it was said that, whereas the firing of the day had been heavy and prolonged, he was not able to discover that it had inflicted damage on the citadel, where Diaz was entrenched, although much damage had been done to other buildings, and many persons had been killed. Several soldiers, all Federals, were killed in the vicinity of the United States Embassy, he said, and bullets entered the embassy building — without, however, doing material damage.
    Gen. Diaz was reported to have advanced his lines to the corner of Insurgentes and Miza Streets, apparently with the intention of attacking a nearby battery, and was expected soon to be in full control of the residential section. Federal troops were being withdrawn from all exposed positions and retired toward the palace, which had been placed in charge of Gen. Blanquet's troops.
    Consul Canada in Vera Cruz telegraphed at 12 o'clock last night that there were more than 200 American refugees and several hundred other foreigners there. Many more were coming in — several in a destitute condition. The Consul had organized a committee to assist in taking care of the destitute foreigners, which body had raised by personal subscriptions enough money to feed the refugees for two days. The committee also was arranging for temporary quarters until relief should be forthcoming. Termination of the armistice in Mexico City on Sunday afternoon prevented many persons desirous of leaving the capital from departing on the trains.