The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1913-09-05
win presently be reveaIea.

must be rooted in patience and done
with calm and disinterested delibera.
ton. Impotence on our part would
be childish and would be fraught with
every risk of wrong and folly. We can
afford to exercise self-restraint of a
really great nation which realizes its
own strength and scorns to misuse 1t.
Still Hopes For Agreement.
ut was our duty to offer our active
assistance. 1t is now our duty to
show what true neutrality win do to
enable the people of Mexico to set
their affairs in order again and wait
for further opportunity to offer our
friendly counsels. The door Is not
closed against the resumption. either
upon the initiative of Mexico or upon
our own, of the effort to bring order
out OF the confusion, by friendly CO.
operative action, should fortunate &C.
caslon offer.
while we await the contest Of the
rival forces will undoubtedly for a
little while be sharper than ever, just
because 1t will be plain that an end
must be made Of the existing situation,
and that very promptly; and with the
Increased activity Of the contending
factions will come, it is feared, in.
creased 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 a whole country is upset.
Americans Must Be Protected.
I'VE should earnestly urge all Amer.
leans to leave Mexico at once, and
should assist them to get away in
every way possible-not because we
would mean to slacken in the least
our efforts to safeguard their lives
and their interests, but because 1t is
imperative that they Should take no
unnecessary risks when 1t is physic.
ally 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
uIequivocal way that we shall Wig.
llantly watch the fortunes of those
Americans who cannot get away and
shall hold those responsible for their
sufferings and losses to a definite
reckoning. That can and will be
made plain beyond the possibility OF
a misunderstanding.
No Arms to Either Side.
For the rest, deem it my duty to
exercise the authority conferred upon
me by the law of March IA, 1912, to
see to it that neither side to the
struggle now going on in Mexico re-
ceive any assistance from this side
of the border.
i shall follow the best practice OF
nations in the matter of neutrality by
forbidding the expectation of arms or
munitions of war of any kind from
the United States to any part of the
republic of MeXico-a policy suggest.
ed by several interesting precedents
and certainly dictated by mauy mani.
fest considerations of practical ex-
pediency. We cannot in the clrcum
stances be the partisans of either
party to the contest that now distracts
Mexico, or constitute ourselves the
virtual umpire between them.
Other Nations With Us.
81 am happy to say that several Of
the great governments of the world
have given this government their gen.
erous moral support in urging upon
the provisional authorities at the City
of Mexico the acceptance of proffered
good offices in the spirit in which they
were made. We have not acted in
this matter under the ordinar.' prin-
ciples of international obligation.
"All the world expects us IN such
to act as Mexico5
nearest friend and intimate adviser
This is our immemorial relation to-
wards her. There is nowhere any
serious question that we have the
moral right in the case or that we are
acting in the interest of fair set
Element and of good government, not
for the promotion of some selfish in
terest of our own.
IF further motive were necessary
than our own good will towards sis
ter republic and our own deep concern
to see peace and order prevail In
Central America, this consent OF
mankind to what we are attempting.
this attitude of the great nations of
the world towards what we may at
Tempt in dealing with this distressed
people at our doors, should make us
feel the more solemnly bound to go
TO the utmost length of patience ana
in this painful and anx.
ous business.
THE steady pressure OF moral force
will, before many days, break the bar
riers OF pride and prejudice down.
and we shall triumph as Mexico's
friends sooner than we could triumph
rs her enemies-and how much more
with how much higher
and finer satisfaction OF conscience
and of honor!"