The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-08-24
American border. The Mexicans say the Amer
leans are nation Of shop-keepers and won't


| travelling in Mexico, from which the Journal is
permitted to make the following extracts
You can readily imagine that among the
Americans in this country the absorbing topic OF
the DAY Is the threatened rupture between Mexi-
| co and the United States, growing out of the
Cutting affair at Paso del Norte In this slow
| country news travels at snaiPs pace, and what
/ may be old toyou Is with US possibly the earnest
| topic OF the hour That the affair has been
| serious there can be no doubt; what may be its
/ present status is unknown to at this point.
notice that some of the papers have been
hunting up the past record of Cutting and find
| ing It not perfect one, have made it the sub
/ Ject OF severe comment. In the pending ques-
ton between the United States and Mexico
neftner Cutting nor his record are entitled to any
consideration 1t has only happened that the
complication occurred with Cutting as the
central figure. The principle involved is just
the same as II the name OF the person" had
been Brown, Smith or Jones. The whole affair
| hinges upon the question whether as claimed
| by Mexico a citizen of the United States may
be punished in the Mexican courts for an offense
committed on American soil against citizen of
Mexico 1t will be we'll to remember that the
| law under which Cutting was arrested, prosecu-
| ted and sentenced, is not a general or federal
statute, but simply an act passed by the Legisa-
ture of the State of Chihuahua, and the prosecu-
| tion OF the defendant was conducted IN the name
| OF that State. Whether the general government
will sustain the State in the attempted enforce
| ment OF such monstrous law is not yet known,
and we must wait for the decision. That the au
thorltles at Paso del Norte are determined to
force it, to the full limit of their power, is shown
by the proceedings at the time of passing sentence
upon the prisoner, when the following colloquy
occurred: After the reading of the sentence,
Judge Brigham, United States CONSUL addressed
the judge thus. MAY it please the Court. let
us understand just what this is for2" To which
| the Judge replied ut is for the publication, on
the other side of an article which is held to have
vitiated reconciliation made on this side"
take 1T that the foregoing is correct version of
the question and answer in court, they beng re-
ported, substantially in the same language. not
only In the American papers, but also in two
Spanish papers printed III the City Of Mexico,
which have carefully read and compared with
the former. So, you see, the judge plainly and
defiantly declared from the bench that the pen
atty imposed upon Cutting was for an act com
mitted on the American side of the Rio Grande,
contrary to the statute of the State of Chihuahua
To admit the right of any government to enact
and enforce such law against citizens OF
other government would be simply monstrous!
If Secretary Bayard is correctly reported, he has
stated the point very plainly:
1T makes difference whether Cutting is
pardoned or not The whole point in the affair
Is that the United States has courts for the trial
of its citizens, and cannot tolerate such
thing as the trial, on foreign soil. by foreign
courts. of American citizens for offenses or al
legged ioffenses committed in the United
any government if we are to suffer
anything of the kind. The whole point is that
this country is entirely able to deal with it's own
citizens"
There cansbe no question of the justice of the
proposition that offenses must be tried upon the
soil where the same were committed Any
nation which attempts to usurp the functions of
the judiciary of another, as has been ATTEMPTED
in the case of Cutting, must be made to recede
from the untenable position, even if war be nec-
essary to secure that result
What is the feeling here? That is a difficult
matter to ascertain The newspapers are so few,
and so'iittle read by the people. that but small
minority know that any difficulty exists. The
newspapers as yet say but little-that little, of
course, being very patriotic. They will all wait
to receive their cue from the government before
ventIgslg to discuss the question in anything
like stfious way 10 understand just why this
delay In the discussion should occur, it is only
necessary to state that within the past few
months, over forty editors and newspaper men
have been fined and imprisoned for being ''too
previous in publishing opinions which had not
passed under the scrutiny of government off
Gals. Prison life in any country-but especially
in Mexico-is not pleasant picnic, and
people here generally prefer to say
but little and be at liberty. The
independent American citizen fatters
himself that, under all circumstances, he would
declare his opinions of public officials and their
conduct of governmental affairs, without regard
to consequences. With the conditions surround
ing him at home, yes. If he lived in Mexico,
official or other prominent person in this coun-
try means Imprisonment in an indiscribably
filthy jail, with an allowance of three cuartillas
lnine cents) day to provide food and sll other
needs OF lte To an American it has in the past,
as rule, meant IMPRISONMENT during the pleasure
of those who secured the conviction, as tseems to
be the settled policy of our government to aban
don its citizens the moment they place their feet
on foreign soil, and to take notice of outrageS
committed upon its subjects until some fiagrant
yVr hQ mi int afi i1oG Gent.
ting was in Jail the Governor made him a special
allowance OF thirty cents per day. This,
of course, not sufficient to permit an in
dulgence In many luxuries, but was far better
than the usual pittance allowed by law to pris
oners. In this country the jailors do not acquire
wealth by keeping a clearinghouse, as each
prisoner is his own commissary, and from his
daily allowance of nine cents must provide his
daily supply of food Even in the army the COM
missary department is unknown. The soldier is
paid thirty-seven cents each morning and
skirmishes for provender to the best of his
ability
The people of the lower class in this country
even if informed of the probability of
with the United States-are not intelligent
enough to realize that il could bring them no
harm, as any change that might result could
scarcely make their condition worse. 1t seems
almost impossible for them to imagine state of
affairs by which their condition might be i'm
proved, or, to form an idea of a government
which cares for takes the slightest interest in
the welfare of the common people. the ruling
classes are, of course, opposed to any change.
They now control everything and the ignorance
and helplessness of the masses is their profit.
This dominant class will advocate war if thereby
they think foreign influence can be prevented
from gaining an ascendency. The ''peons,'
whom they regard as fit only for servants in
time or peace and food for powder" in time of
war. will be sent to the front, where, if they but
knew it, the best thing that could happen them
would be instant and absolute defeat.
THE ARREsUREs MURDER.