The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1913-09-05
Mexican Trouble
Like The Spanish

President is Doing His Best to
Bring About a Peaceful
Settlement
The Minneapolis journal, COM
pairing the Mexican situation with
the s tuation just proceeding the
Spanish war, has the following
very excellen+ comment:
Comparisons between the Mexi-
can situation now and the Cuban
situation sixteen years ago crop
out in comment. The resemblance
is merely superficial. War with
Spain was precipitated by the
destruction of the Maine. That put
an irresistible weapon into t
hands of those who wanted war
for selfish reasons.
The same dangerous interest ex-
lists now, but the stories of the
outrages upon Americans in Mex
leo with which it tries to excite
public feeling are largely in
vented and ineffective. The list
of Americans said to have been
killed in the Mexican disorder
does not bear examination. The
hundred victims paraded by the
war party cover the Madero
revolution, and are largely false
in fact and include many who in
vited their fate by active partici-
patton in rebellion.
Before and after the Maine
disaster, President Mckinley was
doing his best to bring about
peaceful settlement. President
Wilson is doing the same now,
but with far less opposition i'm con-
gress and the country. Not only
is the whole matter left in his
own hands, but he has the sincere
support Of his own party and
most Of the opposition. Compare
the public excitement and con-
gress onal impulse that followed
Scnator Proctor's impassioned re-
port of personal observations in
Cuba, and the flat fall Of Senator
Pentose's parade of secondhand
invention of Mexican ,utrages.
When Mckinley abandoned his
executive efforts, his message
turned an inflamatory situation
over to an excited and determined
congress. Wilson's message re-
por;s the failure of an honest en-
deavor to help a difficult domes-
tic 8 tuation by peaceful personal
meditation, and is delivered to
congress that in the main sup
plrts this policy and will con-
tinue to do so. lle whole govern
ment and people will now unite
with the president in trying to
bring about the result he has
been striving for alone.
The fundamental difference is
that this country has no inter-
national cause Of offense against
the Mexican governmnte or peo-
pie. We have only the world in
terest of helping to restore order
ard security for life and pro-
perty. The surest way to do this
is by aiding the establishment of
a constitutional government with
good legal title. Other powers in
E rope and America are fast COM
ing to our support.
Thi course can give no just
offense to the Mexican people, or
to any government with a clear
title, riga+ to foreign recogni-
t on or domestic support. Its sue
cess would provoke no resentmel
in Mexico, outside of a unsurping
government without title. It's
failure would provoke no excite
ment to Intervention in this
country, outside of a selfish
faction that would profit by war.
Every provocation that led to the
wsr with Spain is thus absent.
The whole policy Of the presi-
dent has been peaceful and
friendly. 1t has failed with a
murderous despot and a distracted
country. Now h etturns it over
to congress and people to pur-
sue by other means. There is not
q trace of natural war peril in
the situation. The whole govern
ment and people are enlisted
against q forced and selfish war.
BEEF SHORTAGE Is
SAID TO Be COMING
Minneapolis Journal: Not 60
long ago the United States was