Mexico Promises Reply To Lind Note.

New York Times 100 years ago today, August 17, 1913:
Abandonment of Hostile Attitude Shown in Minister Gamboa's Announcement.
BASIS FOR FINAL PROPOSAL
Mexico City Intent on Secret Negotiations - Washington Much Encouraged.
    MEXICO CITY, Aug. 16.— Federico Gamboa, the Mexican Minister for Foreign Affairs, grave out to-night the first statement made by any Mexican official regarding the message sent to Provisional President Huerta by President Wilson through his personal representative, ex-Gov. John Lind.
    The Foreign Minister said that the Mexican Government would give consideration to the communication, and after fully discussing it would make a reply.
    This view is contrary to the opinion held generally here the past week regarding the Mexican Government's attitude, it being assumed in view of Gen. Huerta's note of Aug. 6, in which he characterized Mr. Lind as being persona non grata unless he brought proper credentials and recognition of the Huerta Administration, that any message the ex-Governor brought would be ignored.

Special Cable to The New York Times.
    MEXICO CITY, Aug. 16.— A Minister of the Mexican Cabinet close to Provisional President Huerta admitted to-day that ex-Gov. John Lind of Minnesota, President Wilson's personal emissary to give advice to the United States Embassy, had presented the American President's note in relation to the proposal to restore peace in this country to Federico Gamboa, Minister of Foreign Relations, at a private conference.
    The Cabinet Minister who made that admission was not willing to talk about the text of President Wilson's note, as he said it was not the property of officials of the Mexican Government, but was merely a private communication from Mr. Lind to Minister Gamboa.
    Officially, the member of President Huerta's Cabinet explained, nothing had happened in the way of diplomatic negotiations between the United States and Mexico. No note had been received by the Mexican Government. If the communication, handed to the Minister of Foreign Relations by Mr. Lind should be answered, the reply must come from Señor Gamboa as a private citizen, and not in his official capacity as Chief of the Mexican Cabinet.

May Tell Huerta's Views.
    The Cabinet Minister added that it was possible the answer which Minister Gamboa might make would reflect the views of President Huerta in regard to President Wilson's peace proposal. It was also possible, he said, that the reply would merely embody the personal opinions of Señor Gamboa.
    In either event, he asserted, the answer would not be binding on Mexico as a country nor on the Huerta Administration.
    The comment was made by the Cabinet Minister, who admitted the delivery of the note to Señor Gamboa by Mr. Lind that as far as the effect of the letter was concerned the communication might as well have been handled through the columns of the public press, as from the "mystery" that had surrounded Mr. Lind's mission there had resulted loss of time.
    It is believed generally in this capital that the exchange of notes between the representatives of the American and Mexican Presidents will avail nothing except to acquaint President Huerta with the personal desires of President Wilson in regard to conditions in Mexico and to warn Gen. Huerta how to act when a possible official note is presented. Another result which the exchange is expected to have is to make preparation for possible consequences of the negotiations.
    Ex-Gov. Lind was questioned by newspaper men to-day in regard to the progress of his mission, but declined to talk about the note sent to the Mexican President through Minister Gamboa.
    It is the general opinion in the Mexican capital that the Wilson Administration does not expect an answer to the note handed to Señor Gamboa by Mr. Lind which will settle anything in regard to the situation in this republic, and that the United States Government merely is playing for time and for the ability to say afterward that it gave a warning to Gen. Huerta and the officials of his Administration.

Rebel Plot For Intervention.
    An American, who arrived in this city to-day from Durango said that the rebels, following their defeat at Torreon, told him they intended to try to bring about intervention on the part of the United States by making a direct request to Washington to take a hand in the situation.
    Col. Venustiano Carranza, rebel Governor of the State of Coahuila and Commander in Chief of the Constitutionalists, is moving toward Sonora with a few men. It is said that he threatens that if the American Government refuses to intervene when the revolutionists petition Washington to become active in the settlement of Mexico's troubles, then acts will be committed along the international border that will force action by force of arms on the part of the American Administration.
    Newspapers in Mexico City made a violent attack this morning on Dr. William Bayard Hale, who is said to be one of President Wilson's informants as to the state of affairs in this country. They asserted openly that Dr. Hale was the power behind ex-Gov. Lind, who was practically taking orders from Dr. Hale.