The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-11-29

ington authorities to tho last argument Of ma
TONS" but the effect they produce is due largely
to the fact that they carefully refrain from re-
vea.ing the other side of the picture: The mag
nitude OF the task they would impose on the
present scant military establishment. the
enormous drain the treasury of merely put
ting tho army war footing, the indefih TO
character of the objects to be sought by inVa-
sion: the Sisyphean work of pacifvtng the
country and regenerating the political health
after the comparatively easy job of overthrow
ing the organized forces resisting invasion had
been accom- plshed: In short, all other consid-
erations which should impe American states
manship to take a long look ahead before en-
barking on an undertaking of which In all hu-
man probability our childrea's children would
not know the end In such situations, as we
should have learned from Philippine ex-
perience. it is the first step which counts. III
the dispersion of Huertas forces, the seizure
Of hts fortified stronRholds. the ousting of him
self and co-usurpers from rulersh'p would sdf-
flee to solve the situation, then the argument
might be sustainable that the shortest and
cheapest way to meet these seas OF trouble
would he to take arms against them and by oe-
posing disipate them. But all these things sue
cessfully done. the vast undertaking by the
United States would be but the beginning for
we should then have become responsible for
the peace and order OF he territory occupied
and on what existing material in the distracted
country could be buded civil establishment
of n representative nature to which might be
safely relocated the government? No! once
being in Mexico. .e should be com PEELED to stay.
A the very outset for the adequate policing OF
the immense area, an army would be requisite
many times the size Of that which would be
adequate to the initial purposes above set forth.
To what good should have marched into
Mexico II only with the purpose of marching
out again leaving the land to relapse speedily
into conditions hold to be so perilous
to its neighbors to Justify foreign interven-
ton? Occupation would enevtably entail the
asse rtion and exercise of the right to remain
certainly untiI pacifcation of the warning ele-
lnents had been temporarily effectuated, and
industry and commerce were replaced on a safe
fotfng; but almost certainly, there would be a
repetition of the policies which have kept us
in the Philippine islands for fifteen years with
the prospect OF stlll being there in loco PARENTS,
as teacher guardian and discipEnarian when
as many more lustrums shall have rolled
around. And the problem for preparing the
Mexicans for selfgovernment as to that OF quail
flying the Philippines for political autonomy Is
vastly more abstruse and Will prove incalcuably
hafder TO solve. The OF the islands Is
$4,000 square miles; that of Mexico proper
/ 765 900. five times SIS large. as great indeed as
all Of the United States East Of the Mississippi
river, emitting New York and the New England
States The population of Mexico is twice that
Of the Philippines, and of the sixteen millions
of souls less than one-fifth of white races
and more than half of them live In practical
savagery and are grossly illiterate. The tutelage
of such a people the point of competent
direction OF their political destinies is ar
endeavor which may we'll stagger the optimism
a philanthropy itself; and for the period OF
4ie,se-4q44lefs fefer+-tfr4st ri
/ truistic object could be even mrasurahly
Iachieved tho most pessimtstic estimate would
probably nearest the fruth-Norfoll
2 V!rginian-Pilot.