Germany’s first step in this direction, was, as you know, the encouragement of a Japanese-Mexican alliance, the failure of which was a vital part of her program. It was a risky undertaking, for if, by any chance, the alliance were successfully concluded, the United States might well hesitate to attack the combined forces of the two countries; and Mexico, fortified by Japan, would present a bulwark against the real or fancied danger of American expansion, that, for a time at least, would effectually allay the fears of South America. That risk Germany took, and insofar as she had planned to prevent the alliance scored a success. That she failed in her principal aim was due to the anti-imperialistic tendencies of the United States and the statesmanship of Señor Limantour, rather than to any other cause. Then came the Madero Administration with its mystical program of reform—and an opposition headed by almost all of the able men in the republic, both Mexican and foreign. Bitterly fought by the ring of Cientificoes, who saw the easy spoils of the past slipping from their hands; distrusted by many honest men, who sincerely believed that Mexico was better ruled by an able despot than by an upright visionary; hampered by the aloofness of foreign business and governments, waiting for a success which they alone could insure, before they should approve and support; and constantly beset with uneasiness by the incomprehensible attitude of the Taft Administration and of its Ambassador—the fate of the Madero Government was easily foreseen. Before Madero had been in power for three months this opposition had taken form as a campaign of obstruction in the Mexican Chamber of Deputies, supported by the press, controlled almost exclusively by the Cientificoes and by foreign capitalists; by the clergy, who had reason to suspect the Government of anti-clerical tendencies; and by isolated groups of opportunity seekers who saw in the Administration an obstacle to their own political and economic aims. The Madero family were represented as incompetent and self-seeking; and in a short time the populace, which a month before had hailed the new government as a savior of the country, had been persuaded that its program of economic reform had been merely a political pretense, and accordingly added its strength to the party of the Opposition. Here was tinder aplenty for a conflagration of sorts. Germany applied the torch at its most inflammable spot.