Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-05-14


they satisfied with themselves with their policies
in Mexico
When Congressman Barthodt held the policy of main
tanning ships of in Mexican ports to be the ultimate
of the trouble while seeking to make Admiral Mayo
bear full responsibility for the clash of he really ar
ragned the administration AS long ago as the middle OF
April the democratic Brooklyn Eagle sought to Classify,
catalogue card index the sending of the baeshp fleet to
Mexico that shall fall into its proper place in the foreign
policies of the government. After devoting than
column to the discussion of the subject of the why and the
wherefore of the sending of the fleet Mexican waters the
Eagle said:
"There a strong opinion that some diplomatic difficult
ty difficulties have been removed that the road for
airy action has been cleared of obstacles known only to the
President and whoever be in his confidence such mat
ter For many months there has been Impotence in Con-
gress and elsewhere the waiting policy with satisfy
ing explanation from the administration of why it waited
Now waiting abruptly at end and succeeded by
startling. if generally appauded, policy of quick action
The administration cannot visit whatever may be I'M
toward and questionable commander carrying out the
orders of the United States government and take to itself
credit for whatever good flows from such action Any other
naval commander in Admiral Mayos position would have
been forced to do the thing he did fall under the
dspeasre of the American nation if not the government it.
self Having been put ION the firing line, Mayo did his
duty and followed both precedent and regulations In the
words of the Eagle he road for summary action had been
cleared and Mayo the first called upon to act
The truth of the matter that the troublesome Mexican
question presented FORM and
is wobbng woefuy in its efforts to Justify it's
changing situation.
In first with Mexico the prime considerations
political and territorial In present Mexican
bogo have added to politics and the possibility of ter
rtora acquisition the serious problems of relations to
other LatinAmercan republics well the possibility of
the radical modification of the Monroe doctrine result of
the mediation Of the A. B. c. powers. One moment
told that the administration opened the for mediation
The next moment military made that would imply
the Impotence of the administration with the mediaors for
placing obstacle the of immediate action and put
ting the administration in the position of mperling of
the cherished traditions of the American nation.
One party in Washington tells that the sending of the
American fleet to Mexico where it next door to trouble
in reality political to divert attention from the
administrations bunder in questioning American sovereignty
the Panama canal in it's attempt to repeal of free
tolls for American coaswse ships and thus dividing it's
party Another faction bames the administration for
not acting before and thus averng trouble One
Ego to Mexico but and stay there thus assuring
permanent law and order in Cuba and the Philippines
Another says it would be criminal to make intervention
for virtual annexation of weak neighbours terri
tory
In all this we have striking parallel to the agitation and
debates which preceded our first war in Mexico The
proposition having been made to incorporate into the Union
by virtue treaty of remuneration of Texas all the Mexican
provinces lying the left bank of the Rio Grane Senator
Benton his famous speech the United States Senate
May g. 1874 almost exactly seventy years ago, used this
striking language:
wash my hands of all attempts to disnember the
lean republic by Selling her dominons in New Mexico, Chi
chuahua, Coahua and Tamaupas. The treaty in all that
relates to boundary of the Rio Gande act of unparae
ed outrage Mexico It is the seizure of two thousand
miles of her territory without word of explanation with her
and by virtue of treaty with Texas which she
party"
Al the time OF the passage of the Joint resolution of
neXaon Of Texas in March, 1915 which promoted by
President Polk, the whg leaders had predicted
suit Just republicans have predicted that of inter
venor would be the direct and final outcome of the
of the Wilson administration in seeking to overthrow Huera
and Villa other rebel leader in his stead in the
of constitutional government"
Instead of strengthening his party President Wilson has
weakened by his Mexican Instead of entrenchng
his Panama canal policy he has shown by the close proximity
Of that would be almost act of treason to give bat
tleships nations the rights own. In
stead OF ming the Monroe doctrine and defining
relations in-America and the rest of the world the
adminst more hopelessly at sea internationally
than
Our at Vera Cruz have pushed TO point where
pull back without exciting the laughter of the
lions. We stand still without rskng disaster for the
few forces already the ground We not ahead
the face of the armistce without being charged with vioa
f,llr No