File No. 812.00/2318.
The American Chargé d’Affaires to the Secretary of State.
Sir: I have the honor to refer to my recent telegrams2 relative to the situation confronting the central Government in the State of Morelos, where Emiliano Zapata, a self-instituted revolutionary chief, whose following consists of several thousand outlaws, criminals, and other undesirables, persists in keeping his men under arms [Page 514] in defiance of constituted authority, his purpose, if he can be said to have one, seeming to be to establish a band of outlaws such as existed in Morelos and Guerrero from 1840 to 1870 to prey upon the people and property of those States and to force his election as governor of Morelos at the next election. * * * Zapata has been an element of unrest since last spring. When Mr. de la Barra assumed the presidency he found he was not in a position to put a term to Zapata’s activity and so bided his time, determining to ignore Zapata until he was in a position to deal with him once for all. Recently he felt that he was in such a position, had the power he needed, and that the moment had come, and accordingly Gen. Huerta’s and various other commands were ordered into the State of Morelos for the purpose of disarming all of Zapata’s followers still under arms. It was understood that no conditions were to be made and nothing but complete compliance with the Government’s requirements was contemplated. The embassy does not know to just what extent the Government thought it necessary to take Madero into its confidence, but it seems clear that after its plans had been formulated he was advised of them and indicated that he would not interfere. At the last moment, however, he suddenly departed for Cuautla, the headquarters of the Zapata forces. * * * My colleagues and various members of the American colony, while admitting that politics may have had some influence upon him, see, rather, in his ill-judged action a touch of fanaticism and the work of an extremist. * * *
Mr. de la Barra, by his initiative, energy, and good judgment, has in a few months set the feet of the nation in the path of peace and normal conditions, and has by his rectitude won the confidence of all foreign representatives here and of the entire country. Confident in the essential rightness of his efforts to sweep away the last vestiges of disorder, his surprise and chagrin at seeing Madero in his capacity as private citizen calmly assume to step athwart the Government’s path, take matters into his own hands, and treat with men known to be among the worst criminals in the Republic, can easily be imagined.
It is now generally conceded that Madero will be elected. * * * During my last conversation with the President I asked him what sort of a President he thought Madero would make. After deliberating a long time he said that he thought he would get along all right (irá bien) if he surrounded himself with able advisers. More than this he would not say.
I have [etc.],
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