Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-04-20
! President Wilson
Outlines Cause of
Trouble in Detail
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

himself. General Huerta urged that
martial law obtained at the time at
Tampico; that orders had been issued
that none should be allowed TO land ns
lturbide bridge and that our sailors
had no right to land there
Apologies Not Satisfactory.
Our naval commanders at the port
had not been notified of any such
prohibition and even il they had beer,
the only justifiable course open to the
local authorities would have been 70
request the paymaster and his crew to
withdraw, and to lodge protest with
the commanding officer of the fleet.
Admiral Mayo regarded the arrest
as so serious an affront that he was
not satisfied with the apologies Offered
but demanded that the flag of the
United States be sa!uted with special
ceremonies.
| therefore felt it my duty to sustain
Admiral Mayo in the whole of his de-
mand and insist that the flag of the
United States should be sauted in such
a way as to indicate new spirit and
attitude on the part of the Huertaists.
Such a salute General Huerta has re.
fused, and | have come to ask your ap.
proval and support in the course now
propose to pursue.
Hopes for Peace.
This government can, L earnestly
hope, in no circumstances be forced in.
to war with the people Of Mexico.
Mexico is torn by civil strife If we
are to accept the s,ests of its own
constitution it has no government.
General Huerta has set his power up
in Mexico City, such as it is, without
right and by methods for which there
can be no Justification Only a part
of the country is undir his control.
If an armed conflict shHid uiahappily
come as result of hi attu tude Of
personal resentment towa1 mis- gov.
ernment, we should be figFEhg only
General Huerta and those who adhere
to him, and give him their support, AMI
our object would be only to restore TO
the people of the distracted republie
the right to set up again their own
laws and their. own government.
But | earnestly hope war is not now
in question. / believe | speak for the
American people when / say that we
don t 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 so far
done or refrained from doing has
proceeded from our desire to help them,
and not to hinder or embarrass them
Leave Strife to Mexicans.
We would not wish even to exercise
our good offices of friendship withou.
their welcome and consent. The peo-
pie 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 Implications of interfer-
ence If we deal with it promptly, firm
ly and wisely.
No doubt | could do what is neces.
sary in the circumstance to enforce
respect for our government without re-
course to congress and yet not exceed
my constitutional powers as president;
but | don't wish to act, in a matter
possibly Of so grave consequences, ex-
cept in close conference and coopera-
tion with both senate and house.
| therefore come to ask your ap-
proval that should use the armed
forces of the United States in such
ways and to such 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
distressing conditions now unhappily
obtaining in Mexico.
Will Maintain Dignity.
There can, in what we do, be no
thought of aggression or Of selfish az
grandizement. We seek to maintain
the dignity and authority of the Unite1
States only, because we wish always
to keep our great influence unimpaired
for the uses of liberty, both in the
United States and wherever else it may
be employed for the benefit of man
kind. slIAxglIl