Grand Forks daily herald and the evening times., 1914-07-09
ONE STATEMENT, TWO INTER-
PRETATIONS.

A writer in a current magazine, who
evidently doe not like General Villa,
in the course Of an article which
dwells on the lawless character of the
rebel leader, say that it is lot on
record that he has done an honest
days work since he took to the noun
tains at the age Of sixteen with the
blood OF an officer Of the law on his
hands. It appears to be a fact hat
Villa did take to the hills in his
youth, and that before doing so he
had killed, or caused to be killed, an
officer Of the law. That is the bare
statement Of fact. But, as an illustra-
ton Of the different conclusions which
can be reached with reference t the
same fact. we may note the different
tr%eaternent given to this fact by the
enemies and the friends of Villa.
His enemies give the fact a literal
Interpretation, drawing from it the
same conclusions that would be drawn
If, in a civilized, orderly American
community, a young man had run
amuck and shot the sheriff and then
taken to the woods to maintain himself
thereafter by highway robbery. Villa
is therefore classified as a generally
tough character, a wilful murderer,
and a man who preferred to gain his
living. by robbery rather than by hon
est labor.
Villas friends have a different in
depreciation to place OF the same
story, Oh, rather, they tell somewhat
more of the story. They point out, in
the first place, that Villa was a peon,
living, like other poems, in a state of
subsection which was virtual slavery,
a condition which he did not enjoy,
and Of which he did not approve. One
a scarcely blame him. They say
that the "oficer Of the law who later
lost his life was a local functionary
who held Office as the appointee Of
President Diaz, who exercised arbi-
trary authority over the villagers and
peasants Of his district, and who car
ried of and outraged Villas sister.
Possibly, in one Of u more orderly
communities, a young man in Villas
position might have possessed his
soul in patience and sworn out a war
rant for the offender before the near
est Justice Of the peace. Then, again,
he might not. At n rate, Villa did
not. Even II he had been SO disposed,
thsrs would have been small change
Of Justice from the little magnate's
superaors for such a trifling oftense.
villa did not make the attempt. He
gathered a few Of his friends and
started after the villain, caught him
ana shot him to death. It is cited az
IN illustration of the sentiment in that
~ooGnnnunity that, though all the cir
cumstances YER known to hundreds
% people, II was months before Diaz
knew that anything had happened to
his subordinate. When he did learn
he sent an expedition after Villa, fol-
whom there was no safety except in
tho mountains.
This story, like many others, Illus
Mstes the unwisdom Of drawing con.
clusions from q few bare facts with
ont understanding their setting and
THAR relation. The statement has oft
~ been made that may md in
thss bt1le suthnrtty for the commits
To- D any crime, no matter how hor-
sx1baey if he simply uses isolated sem
$780, b fragments. without regard
~ jt1s1tr context. 30 m act may be
sts1nan snfireiy false Interpretation
16o6ee the circumstances under
Ext&s 80 "a EH5&