Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-12-05
The Danger on The Mexican Border.

1t is evident that an element of
great danger in the present complica
tions on the Mexican border is the
hope of war which exists Oh both
sides of the line. We should be sorry
to learn that any considerable portion
of the substantial citizens of Texas
could look with complaeency upon a
possible war with Mexico. Neverthe-
less, it is undoubtedly true that there
is on our side of the Rio Grande a
widespread desire for a war which
might terminate in an acquisition of
more territory to the United States
from Mexico. In any Of the newer
Western or Southwestern States there
will always be found enough uneasy,
venturesome aud lawless spirits to en-
gage in any illegal undertaking which
promises possible rewards, and entices
by certain spice of danger. Numer-
Gus Texans who have looked with
longing on the mineral and agricultur-
al lands of our neighbor just across the
Rio Grandc have brought themselves
to belief in the manifest destiny Of
the Mexican Republic. They see
that the country, languishing, as it is,
under the unprovident Government of
of Mexico, could be made productive
and rich if it were in better hands.
And they believe that it will certainly
be in our hands. sooner or later. It's
manifest destiny is to be governed by
Americans Naturally enough, this
feeling has been deepened by the
outrageous conduct of the Mexicans.
The raids which have harrassed the
border, and the failure of the Mexican
authorities to punish brigands on their
own soil, have exasperated the. Texans
to such degree that they would re-
joice to see tho unfrieDdly territory
captured by force of arms and annexed
to the United States. We do not now
need to recall the fact that our own
people have too often provoked the
retaliations which they have endured
from the Mexicans. For is it neces-
sary to argue that even the bitter pro-
vocations which we have suffered are
any adequate excuse for war, much
less conquest.
On the other hard, as recent dis
patches fully show, there is in Mexico
a deeply-seated feeling of hostility to
the United States. 1t is difficult to say
how general that feeling is. Public
opinion does not manifest itself in our
sister Republic as it does in ours. The
newspaper in that illiterate and sparse
ly-settled country does not reflect the
various changing phases of the popular
mind as it does 10 the United States.
The worst is to be feared from priest.
ridden and blgoted race. And it is
notorious that the Church party in
Mexico is active in fomenting enmities
toward the United States. and that the
hostility which such reactionary par
ty instinctively cherishes toward a
Government like ours will manifest it.
self in all sorts Of intrigues which have
for their end the alienation of the two
Republics. In Mexico, too, there has
always existed a class of soldiers to
whom war is at once trade and pas
time. These fellows concoct revolu.
tions plot conspiracies and generally
delight in mischief. Since their own
Republic is in state Cf tranquility
they would like nothing better than ;
foreign war. They rust out in idlenes
in time of peace; they have no field o
activity, except one in which they ma,
gallop about the country in an atmos
phere of "vi!lainous salt-peter," shout
| ing vivas for somebody or something
Like certain of their compeers on th
American side of the boundary, the
| take no thought whatever of the tragic