Say Mexico Is In The Plot.

New York Times 100 years ago today, March 12, 1913:
Reports In New Orleans That Its Object Is to Distract Our Attention.
Special to The New York Times.
    NEW ORLEANS, March 11.— Impelled by memories of the loss of Texas, the Provisional Government of Mexico is believed here to be supporting a plan to start revolutions in each of the five Republics of Central America, Venezuela and perhaps other Republics of South America.
    This is to be done, it is said, to distract the attention of the United States from the struggle between the Huerta-Diaz Government and the States of Sonora and Coahuila. which have seceded from Mexico and hope to establish independent republics.
    That this movement is receiving aid in the United States is the sincere belief of many prominent men of the Nation. They foresee in it a repetition of the events which resulted in the acquisition of its largest State by the northern Republic. The revolts in other parts of Latin-America will keep the United States busy elsewhere, it is believed.
    Eulogio Gillow, Archbishop of Antequera, one of the most noted prelates of the Catholic Church in Mexico, is credited with being the brains of the movement, in which, of course, the Government is to have no apparent connection. Archbishop Gillow is an Englishman, and has great influence over the Mexican people, among whom he has lived since early manhood. Guatemala will probably be the first place where the revolution will be started. By recruiting forces from among the Zapotecan Indians of the Oaxaca Mountains the best fighting men in Mexico can be hurried southward to the border. It is asserted that plans have developed to the extent of providing for one attacking party to enter Guatemala from Yucatan and another by way of Tapachula. and Ajutla.
    The latter town is in Guatemala across from the Mexican frontier town of Mariscal, terminus of the Pan-American railway. This is in the heart of the great coffee belt and is well away from the sea coast.
    There is little doubt that an inkling of the plan has already been carried to President Cabrera of Guatemala, as it is known that soldiers are being hurried into the Department of San Carlos, which is bounded by the State of Chiapas, Mexico. After the Guatemalan revolution is started, it is believed that other revolts will break out in other parts of Central America.
    Money will be supplied to the right interests in Nicaragua, Honduras and Salvador. This alone is being relied upon to start the trouble for the present Governments and incidentally for the United States. Even if this should not succeed, it is thought that only a short time would have to pass before Guatemala would be so aflame with revolution that bodies of insurgents would be detached and hurried southward.
    Money and a few agitators are all that will be needed in Venezuela and Colombia, Mexicans believe, to start revolutions. In the meantime Mexico will be sending her regular army against the rebels in Coahuila and Sonora. The general scheme is for Porfirio Diaz to play no little part.