Today -100: June 25, 1914: Merely the belated payment of blackmail with an apology to the blackmailers

Pancho Villa’s army captures Zacatecas.

At the Niagara conference, the US and Huerta delegates sign a protocol. The US waives any war indemnity “or other international satisfaction” (i.e., the stupid 21-gun salute) from Mexico, but plans to continue occupying Vera Cruz until there’s a new government. The Huerta and Carranza representatives will negotiate with each other informally.

Theodore Roosevelt is back in the US, and while still refusing to run for governor of New York, he has a few thoughts he’d like to share on national issues. He denounces the proposed treaty with Colombia for paying it $25 million in compensation for TR’s theft of Panama from it, which he calls “merely the belated payment of blackmail with an apology to the blackmailers” (he uses the word blackmail a lot. I mean, a lot.) The foreign policy of Wilson and Bryan, he says in his best John McCain mode, has made the US “a figure of fun in the international world.”

Serbia’s King Peter seems to have fled Belgrade “on account of difficulties with army officers” (and claiming ill health) and named his son regent (no jokes about Regent being a girl’s name).

A federal district judge overturns Iowa’s law providing for the compulsory sterilization of men twice convicted of crimes.

At the funeral of the nine Austrian military aviators killed in the dirigible vs. plane incident, 20 airplanes fly a guard of honor and astonishingly, none of them crash.

And German aviator Gustav Basser flies for 18 hours and 10 minutes without landing, a record, and one which will last nearly to the end of the week.

New York City Mayor John Purroy Mitchel accidentally shoots former NY State Senator William H. Reynolds, at least that’s his story and he’s sticking to it.

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