Las Vegas optic., 1914-04-30

american invest SlIu6HIS Ill MeAlCU,
which would be multiplied in value by
being brought under the American
flag, might go toward rendering with
drawal impossible. What we do want
in Mexico. and throughout Central
America, is--order."
The trouble with Central America,
DR.. Hale anserts, is it's procliyity for
revolution. But he says, most Gem
traI American revolutions are 'promot-
ed from Europe in regular way of
business, exactly as real estate
scheme is promoted ie America The
duty of the United States is to scrutin-
ize each revolution by itself and to
Judge whether it be or be not NOR
ally justifiable"
"That duty the United States has
now assumed. When Mr. Wilson took
steps to inform himself Of the facts
regarding the Huerta coup d etat,
with view to passing moral Judge
ment upon the rightfuIness of the de
facto government in Mexico City, he
took, it seems to me, the most far
reaching and fateful step which the
Monroe Doctrine has inspired in all
the process of its evolution.
I'm the case of Mexico, Judgment
was easy The coup d'etat that over
threw Madero in February, 1913, was
in no way a revolution, It was a bar
racks plot, a conspiracy Of few army
officers, financed by cientificos living
in exile and a few Spanish reaction
aries. It was attended by circum-
stances of treachery so execrable, of
villiany so fantastic, Of cruelty so
barbarous, that the story is one which
the mind has difficulty in accepting
as credible.
"The chief actor, Huerta, an ape
like Indian, aged, one-eyed subsisting
on brandy when the moment Of his
triumph was fully come, rose from
breakfasting with the president'n
breakfasting with the presidents
arrested him, had him carried away to
be shot to death and his body thrown
into hole; went to the palace, en-
braoed the president whose chief com
mander he had become through pro
testations Of faithfulness to death, and
signalled in guards to arrest him. BY
promises of safe conduct out of the
country, the treacherous general secur-
ed the signatures of President Madero
and vice. president Pino Suarez to
deeds of resignation hastily gathered
less than quorum of congressman in
a chamber filled with soldiers and
commanded by artillery; had himself
acknowledged as president; carried
Madero and Pine Suarez out into the
night and had them shot to death be-
hind the prison.
Perhaps this is enough to suggest
that there could be no question of
recognizing Huerta as the head Of a
lawful government-once it had been
resolved to scrutinize revolutions. But
indeed it would surely have been inn
possible for tragic romance to have
imagined character so hideously vii
famous as Victoriano Huerta, or ca.
.reer so completely justifying the refus-
al to recognize him.
"Other powers made no scruple OF
giving the assassin and usurper Inn
mediate recognition. Very we'll; the
United States is not follower Of
other powers. 1t is, it has been from
the beginning Of its history, the moral
leader of the world =. 1t is
the mere fact that great powers have
no consciences-but the United States
has a conscience. We are a simple
people. unable to rid ourselves OF a
prejudice against murder. :
This is hypocrisy, sentimentalism,
Quixoticism, offensive moral superior
ity so the British journals say. NO,
it is not sentimentalism; it is a plain
sturdy morality, to which, unfortunate
ly, the foreign politics of too many
other nations are strangers.
:. q -. 49, II ~, -