Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Mr. Lind's Mission.

New York Times 100 years ago today, August 20, 1913:
    At every stage of intercourse or negotiation between our Government and that of Mexico it is necessary to take into account the qualities of the official Spanish American mind — its sensitiveness, its pride, its peculiar sense of national honor and dignity. It is necessary to understand also how a Mexican might put trivial things above things of far graver moment, as in exhibiting resentment at a slight informality of address or procedure at the risk of sundering relations or bringing on war. The peoples to the south of us have a different perspective, exaggerating matters immediately in view and paying little or no heed to ultimate consequences. The surprising news that an ultimatum had been sent to our Government demanding recognition of Huerta within twenty-four hours on pain of severing all relations gave rise to the fear, that in some way we had ruffled Mexican sensibilities, and that a situation had been created from which extrication for them or for us would be very difficult. Fortunately the ultimatum was not sent, or the intention to send it was reconsidered, and President Huerta and Mr. Lind are reported to have had a conference characterized by cordiality.
    There is not the slightest reason for the sending of an ultimatum one way or the other. It is understood that Mr. Lind presents no demand to President Huerta, he goes with a tender of friendly counsel and suggestion. President Huerta's pride and Mexico's national honor will not suffer if what Mr. Lind has to say is considered in an amicable spirit. The American people are still hopeful that President Wilson's method of proceeding will have a good result. That the Huerta Government is in straits appears from the derangement of Mexican finances and the rate of exchange. The fall of Huerta, however, would hardly relieve our anxiety, for it may be supposed that some pretender would appear offering resistance to the leaders of the Constitutionalist Party, and confusion would then become worse confounded. So long as Mr. Lind is able to have conferences with the Mexican President, however, there will be ground for confidence that serious trouble involving ourselves may be averted.

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