The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1914-02-26
THE NATION BROUGHT TO DIS
CREDIT.

Sht0 ~
CREDIT.
Lewiston Tribune: The national
administration is pursuing the cor
rect and responsible course in main
tanning reserve upon the tragedies
laid at Villas doors, until it has in
hand facts of sufficient fullness and
authenticity upon which to declare
a verdict and course. 1t is also,
doubtless, the approved diplomatic
procedure to express an unwillingness
to disrupt friendly relations with the
constitutionalist chief on vague or un-
proven grounds, as the dispatches
report the official view at Washing
ton to be, and to otherwise exercise
great caution in the government s
dealings toward the revolutionary fac
ton. All that seems reasonable and
customary, but, on the other hand,
1t is far from clear why so much
solicitude should be manifested for
the Villa cause, and so little for the
Huerta cause. Huerta, at the worst,
performed state act in having Ma
dero and Suarez eliminated as hope
less Instructions to the qualification
of his country, and thereafter his
accession to the presidency was by
regular processes and very generally
concurred in by his countrymen, saw
ing only by the revolutionaries.
Whether his consent to, or knowledge
of, the proposed elimination has been
established to Washington's satisfac-
ton is not known, but presumably so.
At all events, the assassinations, even
II coup d'etat, have been reprobated
by most of the enlightened world,
and refusal to recognize his govern
ment has been regarded with favor,
as progressive step In the law of
nations. Otherwise, Huerta has prov
en- an amiable despot, and has con-
tinued to grow In the general estima-
ton. But Villa is a bandit by career,
ruffian by instinct and q monster
by evolution. There is no redeeming
trait, as far as has been reported, to
mark his rise to power. Such loyalty
as attaches to his sway, the indica-
lions are, is either due to fear or
to the free hand given his followers
to prey ON all who have not the pow
er to resist. No clean thing remains
It Is given out In various ways, In
any territory once overrun by them.
There has not been anything like it
before since the dark ages.
Just why the American government
Is willing to occupy the false position
before its own nation and before
other nations of upholding, condoning
and shielding the principles for which
Villa demonstrably stands, is be-
yond understanding. OF course, a
mistake has been made somewhere
that much Is clear-and the admin
istration seems to find it hard to re-
trace its steps and get on the right
President Wilson has been his entire
willingness, even eagerness, to re-
verse or to alter his position In the
light of new facts and conditions. He
has already done so in notable in
stances, before the eyes of the whole
world, and has been strengthened,
not uooEopad In do;po oo CancdbJo
people. are concerned exclusively in
having things settled right, and not
at all In anyone's slavish adherence
to form or dogma or pride of opin-
ion. If the administration should per-
sist in its present policy of commit
ing the nation to Villaism, but which
1t Is impossible to believe it will do,
it's prestige at home and abroad will
suffer an eclipse that all its legisla-
tive achievements can scarcely re-
deem. Just what should or should
not be done 1t Is, of course, useless
to say, and for that matter ordin-
airy observers have not cared to con-
slider. One thing seems certain-any-
one wise and strong enough to be
called to the responsibilities of the
national power should certainly be
able to form some policy and some
plan more acceptable to the public
at large and more creditable to the
public at large and more creditable
to the nations responsibility and
dignity than is now the case or has
been the case at any period since the
assertion of exclusive authority was
first proclaimed.
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