Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-08-28

into consideration the government Of
the United States cannot conceive OF
any reason sufacient to justify those
who are now attempting to shape the
policy or exercise the authority OF
Mexico in declining the ofices Of
! friendship thus offered. Can Mexico
| give the civilized world satisfactory
reason for rejecting our good Offices?
tn Mexico can suggest any better way
! in which to show our friendship,
serve the people OF Mexico and meet
our international, obligation we are
more than willing to consider the sug-
gestton.
Mission 10 Failure.
"Mr. Lind executed his delicate and
sdificult mission with singular tact,
.firmness and good judgment and made
Iclear to the authorities at the City of
Mexico not only the purpose OF his
visit but also the spirit in which It
had been undertaken. But the pro-
posals he submitted were rejected,
in note, the full text Of which take
the liberty of laying before you.
II am led to believe that they were
rejected partly because the authorities
at Mexico City had been grossly mis-
informed and misled on two points.
They did not realize the spirit Of the
American people In this matter, their
earnest friendliness and yet sober de-
termination for some Just solution for
the Mexican difficulties; and they did
not believe that the present admin
istration spoke, through Mr.. Lind, Tor
the people Of the United States.
e The effect OF this unfortunate mis-
understanding on their part Is to
leave them singularly isolated and
without friends who can e1ectually
aid them. So long as the misunder-
standing continues We can only await
the time OF their awakening to reali-
cation OF the actual facts. We can
not thrust our good offices upon them;
the situation must be given little
more time to work itself out in the
NEW circumstances; and believe that
|onlv little while will be necessary.
For the circumstances are new. The
rejection OF our friendship makes them
new and will inevitably bring Its own
alterations in the whole aspect Of at
fairs. The actual situation Of the au-
thorities at Mexico City will presently
be revealed.
Must Not Do Impatient.
Meanwhile, what is 1t our duty to
do? Clearly, everything that we DO
must be rooted IN patience and done
with calm and disinterested delibera-
ton. Impatience on our part would
be childish and would be fraught with
every risk Of wrong and folly. We can
afford to exercise the self-restraint OF
a really great nation which realizes It's
own strength and scorns to misuse 1t.
It was our duty to offer our active as
'sistance. It is now our duty to show
what true neutrality will do to enable
the people Of Mexico to set their az
fairs in order again and wait Tor 9
further opportunity to offer our friend
ly counsel. The door Is not closed
against the resumption, either on the
initiative Of Mexico or on our own,
Of the effort to bring order out of the
confusion by friendly cooperative &C
ton. should fortunate occasion offer.
.While we wait the contest Of the
rival forces will undoubtedly for
little while be sharper than ever. just
because 1t will be plain that an end
must be made of the existing situar
ton. and that very promptly; and with
the increased activity of the contend
ing factions will come, 1t is to be
feared, increased danger to the non
:combatants in Mexico as we'll as to
those actually in the field Of battle.
The position Of outsiders is always
particularly trying and full OF hazard
where there is civil strife and whole
country is upset We should earnestly
urge all Americans to leave Mexico
at once and should assist them to get
away in every possible way-not be-
cause we would mean to slacken In
the least our efforts to safeguard their
lives and their interests but because
It is imperative that they should take
no unnecessary risks when 1t Is
possible for them to leave
the country. We should let every one
who seems to exercise authority In any
part OF. Mexico know in the most un-
equivocal way that we shall vigilantly