The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-28
RECEIVE WILSON
WITH APPLAUSE

| THE steady pressure of moral force -
! he said, will before many days break
the barriers of pride and prejudice down
| and we shall triumph as Mexico's friends
sooner than we could triumph as her enc
mies-and how much more Handsomely.
with how much more higher and finer sat,
isfaction of conscience and of honor"
The President told Congress that every
! thing this nation did in the situation con-
| fronting 1t must be rooted In patience
and done with calm, disinterested delib-
eration.' He had no word of rebuke for
| Mexico and reached the determination
to maintain strict neutrality after hay
| ing presented the whole situation to the
members of the foreign relations commit
tee in Congress. Not an essential detail
did the President withhold in his pre-
| sentation of the case for the public pub
| lishing to also the world the reply of
! the Mexican government to Mr.. Lind. in
winch Senor Gamboa refers to the Ameri-
can proposals as "humiliating," denies the
representation by President Wilson that
Mexico had not made progress toward
peace and, though expressing appreciation
of the avowed friendly intent of the
| United States, declares that 'ff such good
1 onices are to be of the character OF
| those now rendered US, we should have to
decline them in the most categorical and
definite manner" Everything that Mex.
leo has said to this government in re-
sponse TO the proposals was made public,
! including the Huerta alternative that
nothing could be welcomed except unre-
stricted recognition of his government
After he had concluded his message and
listened TO the applause which greeted
| 1t, the President turned toward the White
House TO await it's effect He believes
that it will be beneficial
| President Wilson in person addressed
Congress today on the Mexican situation
| as follows:
Gentlemen of the Congress: 1t is clear
| ly my duty to lay before you. very fully
and without reservation, the facts con-
cerning our present relations with the re-
public of Mexico. The deplorable posture
| of affairs in Mexico, 1 need not describe.
but l deem it my duty to speak very
frankly of what this government has done
and shall seek to do in fuifillment OF its
obligation TO Mexico herself, as a friend
| and neighbor, and to American citizens
whose lives and vital interests are daily
| more or less affected by the distressing
conditions which now obtain beyond our
southern border.
These conditions touch very nearly all.
Not merely because they lie at our very
gate. That, of course, makes us more
vividly and more constantly conscious of
them, and every instinct of neighborly in
terest and sympathy is aroused and quick
ened by them, but there is only one ele-
ment In the determination of our duty.
We are glad to call ourselves the friends
of Mexico. and we SHALL hope, have
many an occasion in happier times as
we'll as in these days of trouble and con-
fusion to show that our friendship is gen.
uine and disinterested. capable of sacrifice
and every generous impulse of manifesto
ton.
Importance of Peace
THE peace, prosperity and contentment
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 self govern
ment and the realization of the hopes and
rights of nation with whose best as
pirations, so long suppressed and disap-
pointed. we deeply sympathize We shall
yet prove to the Mexican people that We
know how to serve them without first
thinking how we shall serve ourselves.
But we are not the only friends OF
Mexico. The whole world desires her
peace and progress: and the whole world
is interested as never before. 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 intercourse running free from ocean
to ocean at the isthmus. The future has
much in store for Mexico. as for all the
| states of Central America, but the best
gifts can come to her only IL she be
| ready and free to receive them and to
enjoy them honorably.
America in particular, America. North
and South, and upon both sides of the
continent looks toward the development