The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-09-22
TIE INVL-.oI OF l.1.1L-10
III LII InO uJA0N-LS

Col. II. l.. Anderson, CT Jackson
Vile, FloliGa's lcadins Bull-,@ooscr,
resents on" criticism OF his recent
attack en- President Wilson'S MeXi-
can diplomacy and we publish his
letter to tie TELEGRAM in this issue.
We beg to say to The colonel that we
always speak in respectful terms Of
the Proeressiyes for We believe
them to be clean party with a
clean purpose, its capital mistake
being that it did not throw its
strength to the Democracy in the
late election instead of wasting its
force in futile effort to orranize a
victorious party. AS consequence
it has no strcI"th now and hardly
the semblance of organization.
Claim all the credit you like, Col
onel, for your new brand of De-
mocracy," but the brand that won
out was net yours; it was ours, and
it is incarn"tnd in the White House
In the gentleman you refer to as
CDR. Wilson. Neither Roosevelt nor
his party is entitled to any gratitude
from the Democracy, for they gave
us no intentional assistance in win
ming our victory but were the I'M
willin2 instruments by the grace CT
God in hclping out the great con-
summation.
Colonel Anderson says, referring
to the llucrta government and the
failure Of the Washington admins
tration to recognize it, that "diplo-
matte usage. following international
law, requires RECOGNITION of de
facto government. Why. Colonel, we
are surprised at you. The history
of nations in their diplomatic rela-
tons to each other give many in
stances to prove just the contrary :.
RECOGNITION depends altogether upon
the title and character Of the par
ticular de facto government in ques-
ton, and it is exclusively within the
discretion Of other governments as
to whether they shall recognize it i.
To maintain otherwise-in our case
for instances to deny the sover-
eighty of the United States and its
control over its own policies.
Huerta's title is founded in cold.
blooded, cruel assassination of his
predecessor, with lIuerta's own re.
voting treachery to his lawful chic
standing out as one of the most
prominent factors in the case. Tt
recognize such title as that woult
be to condone and approve the crime
Why is it weak" for our govern
ment to advise the withdrawal o
Americans from Mexico and to pa.
for the cost of such withdrawal
There is only handful, compare
lively speaking, of our countrymel
in Mexico, and it would be a mon
strous crime for the administration
to preaiHitate the horrors of wa
upon both countries for the beneti
of those few americans after the
had disregarded ample warning t
get ont at the expense of the Unite
States government. Huerta is d
facto today; the other fellow ma
be de facto tomorrow, and the ad
ministration has acted wisely an
with becoming dignity to suspen
recognition until the Mexican
themselves have found out "wher
they are at" and who. what or whic
is their own government.
The leading governments of Euror
have approved our policy towar
Mexico; the public sentiment of TIL
eountry has done likewise ~ III
voice of the press, regardless Of pa
ty, speaks the truth, and Colon,
Anderson must stand alone unless h
can convert Colonel Roosevelt to h
warlike attitude. The two colone
marching en- Mexico, armed cap;
pie, booted, spurred, mounted G
prancing stccds, and doomed to &c
tain slaughter in the cause of the
exiled countrymen, would be an h
roic spectacle worthy of anciel
Rome. It would be magnificent
but not war.