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The border itself was still a source of irritation, but a less insistent one. At times each government showed a disposition to blame the other or to explain its own shortcomings by reference to peculiar disadvantages under which its military forces worked. By 1892, though the military measures taken had "sufficed to make . . . lawless attempts very dangerous and unprofitable to the criminal," who might or might not operate under a political disguise, there was still enough marauding to keep the discussion warm. The Mexican Minister of Foreign Affairs and the American Secretary of State continued to complain to each other against raids by groups of bandits from across the border. The Mexican statesman asserted that when the bands crossed into Mexico they were beaten back toward the border across which they fled, taking refuge in the United States, whence they could again issue as soon as the vigilance of the Mexican troops relaxed or other favorable circumstances developed. Local sentiment along the border was still declared not to be against the bandits, as was shown by "culpable connivance or tolerance on the part of certain functionaries in Texas." More federal troops should be provided for keeping the peace. The American government replied that "the efforts of the United States Government to prevent these raids from its territory into Mexico seem to receive little cooperation . . . from the Mexican side. . . ." If Mexico would only keep a force on the south, such as the United States had on the north, all would be well, Mexico apparently found it inadvisable to attempt to maintain a force of such size as was suggested by her