Huerta Would Quit To Pacify Mexico.

New York Times 100 years ago today, April 4, 1913:
Offers to Let Lascurain as Provisional President Finish Madero's Term.
CARRANZA SAID TO APPROVE
Possible New Ruler Was Foreign Affairs Minister in Slain Executive's Cabinet.
    EL PASO, Texas, April 3.— To satisfy all factions in the Mexican Republic, Gen. Victoriano Huerta has agreed to the naming of Pedro Lascurain as Provisional President, according to advices received here to-day directly from Mexico City. Señor Lascurain would serve out the unfinished term of the late President Madero. As the mail who was Minister of Foreign Relations in Madero's Cabinet, Lascurain is entitled to serve as next in line, in view of the deaths of Francisco I. Madero, Jr., and Vice President Suarez. The Huerta Cabinet would be retained by the compromise.
    That arrangement, it is said, has been offered to the Constitutionalistas now fighting the Huerta Government in Northern Mexico. It is asserted that Col. Venustiano Carranza, rebel Governor of Coahuila, has agreed to it and that the Sonora insurrectionists will fall into line. The decision of the present Provisional President is said to have been occasioned by the recent uprising of Emiliano Zapata in the south, which placed the Huerta forces between two fires.
    Mexican military men here estimate that Gen. Huerta has not more than 14,000 troops in all Mexico with which to meet the insurgent situation. That is an even smaller force than Gen. Porfirio Diaz, then President, had when combating the Madero revolution. Madero on taking office began recruiting volunteer troops, with the ex-insurrecto corps as a basis. In the mean time, the regular army was not recruited to normal strength. The desertion to the opposing side of the majority of the volunteer commands has left the actual Government forces far below par.

Special to The New York Times.
    WASHINGTON, April 3.— The relations of the United States Government to the de facto Government of Mexico hardly would be changed by the ascendency of Lascurain as a compromise with the factional opposition to President Huerta. Diplomatic relations have been maintained throughout the disturbances in Mexico. Only yesterday, the Mexican Charge d'Affaires was invited to the State Department on the occasion of the notification to the powers by this Government that the United States intended to recognize the Chinese Republic. But recognition of any Government in Mexico depends on more than de facto conditions.
    This Government will wait until there is a constitutionally elected President of the Mexican Republic before formal recognition of the Administration succeeding the Madero Government is undertaken. That was indicated by a high official to The New York Times correspondent to-day. The present American Administration has taken no step that could be construed as recognizing the Huerta Government. It probably will avoid any act that might be taken to mean such recognition was intended. It is for that reason that Henry Lane Wilson, the American Ambassador to Mexico, remains at his post and probably will be kept there to avoid sending a new Ambassador, who would have to be accredited to the present Provisional Government of Mexico. Presentation of a new Ambassador's credentials might be construed as official recognition of the present Mexican regime.

Lascurain a Peace Advocate.

    Pedro Lascurain, Mexican Minister of Foreign Affairs under Madero, on his visit to this country last December was the guest of Henry Clews, President of the International Peace Forum. Señor Lascurain was recognized then as one of the friends of peace in Mexico. A dinner at the Lawyers' Club was given for him as a compliment for his efforts to establish peace in Mexico on a permanent basis under the rule of Madero.
    Señor Lascurain spent several weeks in Washington. It was said his mission was to obtain assurances from President Taft that the United States did not intend interference in Mexican affairs. A further object was to discuss the problems arising on the Mexican-Texan frontier.
    The Mexican statesman also had a conference with Dr. Woodrow Wilson. He asked of the present American President, by special instructions from Señor Madero, that Ambassador Wilson be removed as soon as Dr. Wilson was inaugurated.
    Señor Lascurain is a very wealthy real estate man. He never was in politics until he was appointed to the Cabinet by Madero. He is in Las Palmas, in the Canary Islands, on his way to France, where he intended to make his home. He is 50 years old, is married, and has several children.