Bryan Resents Mexico Rumors.

New York Times 100 years ago today, May 18, 1913:
Issues Statement Denying That Ambassador Wilson's Acts Are Under Scrutiny.
REPORT ENVOY IS IGNORED
Secretary Refers to Situation as Difficult — Offer of Free Transportation for Americans to Quit Mexico.
    WASHINGTON, May 17.— At the end of a long conference between the President and Secretary Bryan late this afternoon Mr. Bryan gave out a statement in which he denied that the State Department was investigating the official conduct of Henry Lane Wilson, the American Ambassador to Mexico. But Mr. Bryan declined to say where the report that he denied had been published in this country or to furnish any information concerning it. He indicated that the press should be satisfied with his typewritten announcement. This is Mr. Bryan's statement:
    My attention has just been called to a statement to the effect that the Department of State is investigating the official conduct of Ambassador Henry Lane Wilson, who represents this country at the Mexican capital. I understand that these reports have been republished in Mexico. I hasten to deny the same. They are entirely without foundation.
    The department is not conducting and has not conducted any such investigation, and in denying the statements and all inferences which have been built upon them, I desire to add that I cannot understand why any American newspaper would give circulation to such misstatements, knowing, as the newspapers must, that they would embarrass a representative of the United States in the performance of official duty while he is dealing with a difficult situation.
    In giving out his statement Mr. Bryan took occasion to say — after he had declined to answer questions — that he thought the Secretary of State should not be asked in regard to every statement affecting his department that appeared in newspapers. When it was pointed out to Mr. Bryan that the usual purpose of these inquiries was to guard against giving publicity to false impressions, he said the newspapers should know that whenever the State Department believed a matter was of sufficient importance to warrant publicity the department would notify the press without being importuned to do so.
    This attitude was demonstrated to-day by Mr. Bryan in connection with questions put to him in regard to other phases of the Mexican situation, which he admitted in his statement was "difficult." He did indicate, however, that there was no truth in a report that the State Department had not communicated with Ambassador Wilson for the last ten days, but he declined to make any direct reply on the point. It is gathered from Mr. Bryan's statement that the first knowledge of the report that the Department of State was investigating the official conduct of Ambassador Wilson came from the Ambassador himself, following its publication in Mexican newspapers. The Ambassador, it is inferred, telegraphed Mr. Bryan that the publication of the report in Mexico was causing serious embarrassment to him in the performance of his duties.
    The denial issued by Mr. Bryan caused some surprise, as it was believed that the State Department had been inquiring into charges against Mr. Wilson, some of them seeking to implicate him in the events that led to the accession of Gen. Huerta to the Presidency. Mr. Bryan's statement is important in the fact that it indicates that there is no intention to disturb Mr. Wilson. This agrees with the knowledge that the Administration is anxious to avoid giving recognition to the Huerta Government, as it would be obliged to do if it accredited a new Ambassador to President Huerta.
    Nothing has come to light to shatter the belief that a new Ambassador will not be sent to Mexico until a general election has been held in October and a President elected in accordance with the provisions of the Mexican Constitution.
    The Mexican Embassy announced tonight that it had received word from its Foreign Office that Russia and Japan had sent letters of recognition to the Huerta Government. This, the Embassy said, left only Italy, Germany, and the United States of the great powers to be heard from.