The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1914-04-23

irritation and contempt
"A few days after the incident At
Tanpico an orderly froa the United
States Steamship Minnesota vas sr-
rested at Vera Crus. while ashore In
uniform to obtain the ships mail. and
was for \ time thrown In jail.
.An Official dispatch fron this gov
ernnent to its embassy At Mexico
City was withheld BY the authorities
of the telegraphic service until per-
eAptorily demanded ~ our charge
d'affaires in persoo.
so far as ! can learn, such wrongs
and annOyances have been suffered to
occur only against representatives OF
the United States. have heard Of NO
complaints from other governments OF
similar treatment. Subsequent eK-
plantations and formal apologies I'D
not and could not alter the popular
impression which 1t 10 possible II had
been the object Of the Huerista au-
thofities to create. that the govern
ment OF the United States was being
singled out, and might be singled out
with impunity, for Sights and af.
fronts in retaliation for its refusal to
recognize the pretensious Of General
Huerta to be regarded as the coasti-
tutional provisional president OF the
republic of Mexico.
The manifest danger of such . sit.
grow from bad to worse until some
thing happened of 20 gross and intol.
cradle sort as to lead directly and
Inevitably to armed conflict. 1t was
necessary that the apologies Of Cen
ersl Huerta and his representatives
should go much farther. that they
should be such as to attract the attsn.
tion OF the whole population to their
significance and to impress upon Cen
eral Huerta himself the necessity OF
seeing to 1t that no further occasion
for explanations and protested regrets
should arise. I. therefore. felt 1t my
duty to sustain Admiral Mayo in the
whole of his demand and to insist that
the flag Of the United States should
be saluted In such way as to indi-
cate new spirit and attitude ON the
part Of the Hueristas.
Such a salute General Huerta has
refused. and l have come to ask your
approval and support in the course l
now propose to pursue.
This government can, earnestly
hope, in no circumstances be forced
into war with the people of Mexico.
Mexico 10 torn by civil strife. II We
are to accept the tests Of its own con.
stitution. 1t has no government. Cen
eral Huerta has set hts power up In
the City Of Mexico. such as 1t is, with
out right, and by methods for which
there can be no justification. Only
part of the country is under his con-
troll. If armed conflict should unhap-
PLY come as result of his attitude
of personal resentment towards this
government. we should be fighting
General Huerta and those who adhere
to him and give their support, and
our object would be only to restore to
the people of the distracted republic
the opportunity to set up again their
own laws and their own government
But l earnestly hope that war is
not now in question. ! believe that I
speak for the American people when
say that We do not desire to control
in any degree the affairs Of our sister
republic. Our feeling for the people
of Mexico is one Of deep and genuine
friendship and everything that we
have 30 far done or refrained from do
ing has proceefed from our desire to
help them, not to hinder or embarrass
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 rights. The present sit
uation need have none of the grave
implications of interference if we deal
with It promptly, firmly and wisely.
"No doubt I could do what is neces.
sary in the circumstances to enforce
respect for our government without re-
course to the Congress and yet not OK.
coed my constitutional powers as
president; but do not wish to act in
matter of SO grave consequence ex-
cept in close conference and co-operar
ion with both the Senate and House.
I. therefore, come to ask your ap-
pro7al that I 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 amidst the
distressing conditions now unhappily
obtaining in Mexico.
There can in what We do be no
thought Of aggression or Of selfish ag-
grandizement. I seek to maintain the
dignity and authority of the United
States only because we wish always
to keep our great influence unim-
paired for the uses Of liberty, both n
the United States and wherever else
1t may be employed for the benefit of