The Colorado statesman., 1913-08-30
WILSON'S
MEXICAN
MESSAGE
PRESIDENT TELLS CONGRESS
THAT REBELS PRACTICALLY
CONTROL MEXICO.
HANDS OFF, U. S. POLICY
THE GOVERNMENT HAS FAILED
TO MAKE GOOD PROMISES
FOR PEACE.
western Ntwspaper Union News servlce.

Western Newspaper Union News Service.
Washington, Aug. 27. President
Wilson in person addressed Congress
today on the Mexican situation as fol.
lows:
Gentlemen of the Congress: 1t is
clearly my duty to lay before yon
very fully and without reservation the
facts concerning our present relations
with the Republic of Mexico. The de.
plorable posture of affairs in Mexico
l need not describe, but deem it my
duty to speak very frankly of what
this government has done and should
seek to do in fulfillment of it's obli-
cation to Mexico hereafter, as friend
and neighbor, and to American citi-
zens whose lives and vital interests
are daily affected by the distressing
conditions which now obtain beyond
our thouthern border.
These conditions touch us very
nearly. Not merely because they lie
at our very door. That, of course,
makes us more vividly and more con-
/ stantly conscious of them, and every
instinct of neighborly interest and
sympathy is aroused and quickened
by them; but that is only one ele
ment in the determination of our
duty
Glad to Call Ourselves Friends.
eve are glad to call ourselves the
friends of Mexico, and we shall, hope,
have an occasion, in happier times as
well as in these days OF trouble and
confusion, to show that our friend
ship is genuine and disinterested
capable of sacrifice and every gener-
GUS manifestation.
"The peace, prosperity and content
ment Of Mexico mean more, much
more, to us than merely an enlarged
field for our commerce and enterprise.
They mean an enlargement of the
field of selfgovernment and the reali-
Zation of the hopes and rights of ma
tion with whose best aspirations, SO
long suppressed and disappointed, we
deeply sympathize.
1--WE shall yet prove to the Mexican
people that we know how to serve
them without first thinking how we
shall serve ourselves.
whole world Desires Peace.
''But we are not thet only friends
of Mexico. The whole world desires
her peace and progress; and the
whole world is interested as never be-
fore. Mexico lies at last where all
the world looks on. Central America
is about to be touched by the great
routes of the worlds trade and inter
| -
ocean at the isthmus
"The future has much in store for
Mexico, as for all the states of Cen
trail America; but the best gifts can
come to i.er only if she be ready and
free to receive them and to enjoy them
honorably. America in particular
America North and South, and on both
coutinents-waits on the development
of Mexico; and that development can
be sound and lasting only if it be the
product of genuine freedom, just
and ordered government, founded on
law. Only so can it be peaceful or
fruitful of the benefits of peace Mex
leo has a great and enviable future
before her if only she choose and at
tain the paths of honest constitutional
government.
Condition Steadily Grows Worse.
"The present circumstances of the
republic, | deeply regret to say, do
not seem to promise even the foun-
dations OF such a peace. We have
waited many months, months full OF
peril and anxiety, for the conditions
there to improve, and they have not
improved They have grown worse,
rather The territory in some sort
controlled by the provisional authori-
ties at Mexico City has grown smaller,
not larger.
"The prospect of the pacification of
the country, even by arms, has seemed
to grow more and more remote and its
pacification by the authorities at the
capital is evidently impossible by any
other means than force. Difficulties
more and more entangle these who
claim to constitute the legitimate gov
ernment of the republic. They have
not made good their claim in fact.
Their successe in the field have
proved only temporary.
"War and disorder, devastation and
confusion seem to threaten to be-
come the settled fortune of the dis
tracted country. AS friends we could
wait no longer for solution which
every week seemed further away. 1t
was our duty at least to volunteer our
good offices-to offer to assist, If we
might, in effecting some arrangement
which would bring relief and peace
and set up universally acknowledged
political authority there.
Accordingly, / took the liberty of
sending the Honorable John Lind, for
merly governor of Minnesota, as my
personal spokesman and representa-
tive, to the City of Mexico, with the