The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-05-24
A NEW ROOSEVELT PERIL.

A NEW ROOSEVELT PERIL.
A new Roosevelt peril is developed
in the fighting campaign where Prcsi
dent Taft was forced TO defend him
self against the malignant personal as
saults Of Col. Roosevelt. That perl
arises in connection with story told
in New York to the effect that when
the President massed tho division OF
L. >. troops on the Mexican border =
wear ago. col. Roosevelt importuned
President TAFT To give him command
Of a regiment of cavalry and let him
invade Mexico. The story goes that
Roosevelt S impetuositv was such that
he wanted the President to make him
ma ior general at once, and give him
practically n free hand in any dealing
with Mexico. supplying him with such
force as he might call for, and letting
him do as he would in military com
mand.
But it was no part of President
| Taft s programme TO invade Mexico.
| He concentrated the division Of the
| u. S. army on the Mexican border, not
TO trouble Mexico. but TO protect our
own citizens on that border who were
threatened with pillage, wounds, aud
death at the hands of fighting brigands
and the regular fighting forces of Mex
leo. Madero. who is now President Of
Mexico, was in general command of the
insurgents; but many of those insur-
gents were then, as they arc now,
merely brigands and irresponsible
thieves and murdcrers. There had been
shooting across the border, and Amerl-
can lives had been imperiled; there
had been raids into American terri
tory. and military supplies and herds
OF cattle had been seized and driven
across for the use of the forces at war.
1t was necessary that the American
neutrality and integrity should be pre-
served, and President Taft ordered the
troops there for that purpose. He at
all times disclamed all idea of inter
vention or of any form OF interference
in Mexico IS local affairs
But that was not Roosevelt S idea at
all He wanted TO begin an offensive
warfare al once upon Mexico, with the
idea undoubtedly Of Selling large
portion of Mexican territory The diff
ference In views between the two men
was lust as pronounced on this qucs-
ton as on any other. It was out of
the question for President Taft to
make Roosevelt major general or to
give him a command of the kind which
he sought But Roosevelt had no scru.
ple about invading friendly neighbor;
he never stopped TO consider what the
laws or the Constitution had to do with
his desires, nor why any one should
claim that it was Illegal to do what
he wanted to do 1t was impossible
under the laws for President Taft to
comply with Roosevelt S desires; it
was impossible under the constitution
and laws. as well as under international
comfy and international obligations,
for the President to allow United
States forces, either under command
of Col. Roosevelt or anybody else, to
invade Mexico. There was no law un-
der which the President could appoint
Roosevelt major general or give him
military command OF any kind
1t is stated that the Roosevelt desire
was prompted bv belief that japan
was about 10 obtain Magdalena Bay
from Mexico, and that il was the duty
of this country to strike first and par.
alyze Mexico so that the deal could
not be carried ont But here also Pres.
ldent Taft s calm Judgment was SUI
preme. and Roosevelt's impulsive de. |
sire was dead wrong. Japan had no
designs upon Magdalena Bay, as has
been abundantly proved since.
But those who trace Roosevelt $ DO
ltieal action date from the refusal of |!
the President TO make him a major
general and give him a free hand in |
Mexico. his hatred for President Taft |
and his determination TO beat him for |
reelection if he could.
IL is curious story, bnt there il so |
much plausibilIty about it in connec- |
tlon with Roosevelt s wel-known i'm
petuositv. that good many people be.
heve that story TO be true 1T follows |
that with Roosevelt as Presiden; we |
should probably Join in the Mexican |