Cabrera's address and his knowledge of parliamentary rules won the day for the government, and the speaker escaped without a challenge to a duel.
He has been challenged more than once; but his opponents know that he is a crack shot at ducks.
The visit of this American commission and the growing tendency among officials to be more friendly to the United States are the hopeful signs in Mexico to-day. The financial experts were charged with the duty of investigating the receipts and expenditures of the government departments, with the object of making recommendations to establish efficiency and honesty. A giant's task it was.
By many this was interpreted as the initial step by the government in a new policy toward America and outside interests. Be that as it may, the Carranza Government was much more friendly to the United States than it had ever been. The Chief Executive time and again had ignored the protests of the German Minister because American warships were in Mexican waters at Tampico. This form of friendly neutrality was not agreeable to Herr von Eckhardt. What friendship there is today is due to Ambassador Fletcher. He was hissed on May first, 1917, when Carranza took the oath of office, and Von Eckhardt was applauded. If there were a celebration to-day the honours would be reversed. That much the ambassador did in four months. He may yet have the Mex-
