Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-04-24
REAR ADMIRAL MAYO AND SCENE ON HIS FLAGSHIP.
only to occur against Representatives of
the United States. l have heard of no

only to occur against Representatives of
the United States. l have heard of no
complaints from other governments of
similar treatment. Subsequent explain
ations and formal apologies did not and
could not alter the popular impression
which it is possible it had been the OBJ
ject of the Huertista officer to create,
that the government of the United
States was being singled out and might
be singled out with impunity for Sights
and affronts in retaliation for it's re-
fusal to recognize the pretenses OF
constitutional provisional president OF
the republic of Mexico.
"The manifest danger of such a stu
alton was that such o~ffenses might
grow from bad to worse until some
thing happened of so gross and intoler-
inevitably to armed conflict. 1t was
necessary thai the apologies of Cen
eral Tiuerta and his representatives
should go much farther, that they
should be such as to attract the atten-
ton of the whole population to thei-
significance and such as to impress
on General Huerta himself. the neces-
sity. of seeing to it that no further
occasion for explanations and profess
sed regrets should arise
II therefore felt it my duty to sustain
Admiral Mayo in the whole of his de-
mand and to insist that the flag of the
United States should be saluted in
such Il way as to indicate a new spirit
and attitude on the part of the
Huertistas.
Such a salute General Huerta has
refused and l have come to ask your
approval and support in the course /
now propose to pursue.
Fight Only With Huerta.
This government can, | earnestly
hope, in no circumstances be forced
TITO war with the people of Mexico.
Mexico is torn by civil strife. If we
are to accept the tests of its own con-
stitution, it has no government. Cen
eral Huerta has set his power up in
the city of Mexico, such as it is, with
out right and by methods for which
there can be no justification. Only
part of the country in under his con-
troll. III armed conflict should unhap-
PLY com as a result of his attitude
OF personal resentment oward this
government, we should be fighting only
General Huerta and those who adhere
to him and give him their support, and
u object would be on1y to restore
to the people of the distracted repub-
their own laws and their own gov
eminent.
But 1 earnestly hope that war is
not now in question. | believe tina /
speak for the American people when
l say that we do not desire to ON
troll, in any degree, the affairs of our
sister republic.
Our feeling for the people Of Mexi-
co is II of deep and genuine friend
ship and everything that we have so
far done or refrained from doing has
proceeded from u desire to help them.
not to hinder or ~e,nbarrass them. We
would not wish even to exercise the
good offices of friendship without their
welcome and consent. The people of
Mexico are entitled to settle their own
domestic affairs in their own way and
we sincerely desire to respect their
right. The present situation need have
none of the grave complication, Of in
reference if we deal with it promptly,
firmly and wisely.
NO doubt l could do what is neces-
sary in the circumstance to enforce
respect for our government, without
ecou to the congress-, and yet not
exceed my constitutional powers as
president; but I don't wish to act in q
matter personally Of SO grave imports
ance except in cooperation with both
the Senat INK tie House.
Il therefore come to ask your ap-
prevail that ! should use the armed
forces of the United States in such
ways and to such an extent as may be
necessary to obtain from General
Huerta and his adherents the fullest
recognition of the rights and dignity OF
the United States even among the dis
tressing conditions now %unhappily cb-
tanning in Mexico.
''There can, in what we do, be no
thought of aggression or of selfish
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. We seek to MAIN
air the dignity and authority Of the
United States only because we wish
always to keep our great influence UNI
impaired for the uses Of liberty, both in
the United States and wherever else II
may be employed for the benefit of
mankind