Taft Not To Relax Watch On Mexico.

New York Times 100 years ago today, February 20, 1913:
Will Recognize Huerta's De Facto Authority if He Retains Control.
CONDEMN MADERO'S KILLING
Officials, Relieved at Prospect of Peace, Privately Sneer at Dictator's Telegram.
Special to The New York Times.
    WASHINGTON, Feb. 19.— The outcome of conditions in Mexico is involved in too much uncertainty to justify a prediction by the Taft Administration as to what the future will bring forth. Until the situation changes. President Taft and his executive officers will mark time.
    In the meantime the military preparations heretofore made for an emergency requiring prompt treatment will go forward. Orders for warships to proceed to Mexican ports or to augment the Atlantic battleship fleet at Guantanamo, Cuba, will not be countermanded. The 2,000 marines sent to Guantanamo or to strengthen the available American landing force at Vera Cruz will not be called back. The arrangements now under way for the transportation of troops to Galveston and Newport News will be completed.
    The Administration is taking no chances because it is as much at sea as the rest of the country in regard to the Mexican situation. It does not intend to be caught napping if the Huerta coup fails to turn out satisfactory from the viewpoint of peace. But, broadly speaking, the President and his Cabinet are relieved over the sudden ending of hostilities in Mexico City, and are hoping for the best. In their opinion almost anything was preferable to continuation of the deplorable conditions that prevailed in the Mexican capital for ten days.
    While Gen. Huerta has earned the disinterested gratitude of the Washington Government through removing, temporarily at least, the danger of compelling the United States to adept the drastic measures for which preparation has been and is being made, the manner in which he accomplished his coup is viewed here with a good deal of disfavor. Of course, this is merely a personal feeling, but it is deemed worthy of note from the fact that it is shared by the high ranking officers of the Administration. Much as these same officials were glad to see Francisco Madero deposed — and their satisfaction in that direction has been particularly hearty since they learned of his effort to hold his forces together by stirring up anti-American sentiment — they refuse to applaud thy actions or the man who brought about his downfall. And the unfavorable sentiment toward Huerta has turned to unconcealed indignation over the killing of Gustavo Madero, the ex-President's brother, by his captors.
    Huerta has neither helped nor hurt himself by a telegram to President Taft announcing triumph of yesterday, although officials are inclined to regard it as evidence that he is a bombastic sort of person hardly capable of handling the grave situation with which he has to deal. This telegram was given out at the White House to-day without comment, but privately officers of the Administration sneer figuratively and laugh literally at what they designate as its hifalutin' egotism. Here is the telegram:

    Mexico City, Feb. 18, 1913.
    His Excellency, the President of the United States, William H. Taft, Washington D.C.:
    I have the honor to inform you that I have overthrown this Government. The forces are with me. and from now on peace and prosperity will reign. Your obedient servant,
    VICTORIANO HUERTA,
    Commander in Chief.

    Attention was called to the fact that Huerta had signed himself "Commander in Chief" and not "President of the Republic." The press advices from Mexico City that he has been proclaimed Provisional President are not doubted here, but the State Department has not been informed of the fact officially. If Huerta remains in control, the American Ambassador and the other foreign diplomatic representatives in Mexico will recognize his authority as that of the de facto Government; but there will be no recognition of it as the Constitutional Government of the Republic while the present condition of uncertainty prevails.
    Ambassador Wilson was active in his efforts to bring about peace between the Madero and Diaz forces, but it is not believed that he had any part in encouraging the coup of Huerta and Blanquet. It is suspected that his efforts are being continued with a view to bringing Felix Diaz into harmony with the new Administration, but there is no official acknowledgment to that effect.
    Within a week, at the longest, the new Mexican Congress should be in session, in conformity with the call just issued by the Commander in Chief. Upon the extent to which Gen. Huerta and his group transfers to the Congress the powers of Government will depend the attitude of the United States toward the de facto Government of Mexico.
    In a way the situation in Mexico now approaches that in China, where the State Department has withheld formal recognition of the new republic until the Provisional Government has been replaced by a permanent Constitutional Government.
    Two factors that must be taken into account are the probable course of the Orozco-Salazar revolutionists in the north and the Zapata rebellion in the south of Mexico, for if the leaders of these movements, as threatened, hold out against the new Huerta, régime, another period of disorder and suspense is expected.
    The cost of the rapid military movements of the last week has been considerable. The demands upon army funds will probably involve an appeal to Congress in the closing days of the session for an urgent deficiency appropriation.
    The American Red Cross to-day cabled $500 to the United States Consul at Vera Cruz, to be used for providing food and shelter for the refugees there from Mexico City.
    Few Army officers would discuss the events in the Mexican capital during the past twenty-four hours without denouncing the unmilitary conduct of Gen. Huerta in betraying President Madero, his superior officer, as the Commander-in-Chief of the military forces of the Republic.
    When Major Gen. Leonard Wood, Chief of Staff, was asked to express his views on the situation and the part played in it by Gen. Blanquet and Gen. Huerta, he begged to be excused. Among the scores of army and navy officers in Washington not one to-day expressed anything but contempt and horror for the acts of the two Mexican Generals in arresting President Madero and his brother and causing the execution of Gustavo Madero under "the fugitive law."
    No announcement was made as to the length of time the warships now at Mexican ports on the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts would be kept there. It is understood that they will remain as long as there is any likelihood of relief being required for American residents in Mexico City elsewhere in the Republic.
    Rear Admiral Fletcher, who is in command of the special squadron, consisting of the battleships Vermont, Nebraska, and Georgia, at Vera Cruz, is still receiving refugees who fled from the Mexican capital and giving them food and shelter on shipboard.
    Consul Canada telegraphed the State Department this afternoon from Vera Cruz that many Americans were canceling their engagement of passage on steamships to the United States and would return to Mexico City if quiet was restored. Admiral Fletcher has over 1,200 Americans under his care at Vera Cruz.