The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1914-05-14
THE MEXICAN
SITUATION

Msdiltiun in Mexican affairs by
tn e A b c countries OF South Amer
lea is most timely and appropriate.
at issue, but that will detract moth
4 ing from the courtesy uf the attempt,
and substantial good will have been
4 accom- plished, whether or not the
mediation he successful in itself
q DESPITE the insistence of those who
have it that order cannot be restored
in Mexico except by anneXing that
4 country TO the United States or estah-
4 fishing a formal protectorate, public
4 sentiment here il adverse to any ex-
tension of our boundaries 50 as t1 in
lude Latin American people. That
is not genrally believed in South
i Ameria, but it is none the less true.
Possibly we deserve no credit Tor
it, since mixed with the idealism
that is real, though often unresard-
ed, factor in American public policy
there are many practical and self l.
motives. The sober sense OF the
American people recognizs that We
have not made conspicuous success
in handling the great race problem
that we already have, aud there is
everything TO lose and nothing To
gain by permitting another such
problem to arise. To add to our pop
ulatiun II 700, 00O Mexicans would
give US race problem of first mag
nitude, especially since the addition
would necessarily be the result nf
war and accompanied 10y much bitter
ness. Whether the Mexicans he bet
ter or worse than the people OF the
United States does not enter into
the problem: there can be no absO-
lutte stand ird for comparison of var
ious races and nations. 1t is sufflci-
ent to know that they are different;
different, as Caesar said, in insUi-
tutions, language, ard laws They
do not understand us. and we 10y no
means, as a nation, understand them.
We wish them well, but even as
neighbors the gulf between their hab-
It's OF life aud thought and ours, has
proven to be too deep for any crossing
Of the people en masse. Happily, as
always, individual MeXcians are thor
oughly liked and apprncia ed in the
United States, and, We believe, indi
vldual Americans are equally persona
grata in Mexlcn.
A democracy such as the United
States, requires for its successful
operation "a reasonable homogeneity
Of ideals on the part OF those who
compose its rank and die. Otherwise
the strong few dominate. and it be-
comes an oliarchy. We have absorbed
many alien strains and We shall
doubtless continue To do so. Men
OF any race OF people are welcome
81 long rs they do no, come Ia such
nubmers AS to constitute a threat
To our institutions. Many MeXlcans
live in the United States especially
In the Southwest, and they con-
tribute greatly to its prosperity and
are helping TO make that ptrt of the
country as thoroughly orderly and
civilized as any; but il would be a
radically different thing tn absorb
know this better than the people OF
the United States.
On the other hand. It is eq ually
out OF the question for The soldiers
OF the United States to police per-
mAnently an alien country. That is
as foreign to our ideals and purposes
as 10 take into our sisteThood OF
states Others dOminantly populated
ny another race. FROM our own
point Of view, and disregarding for
the moment all questions o.riGht,
We are not willing TO impose our
selves on an unwilling people, Such
sentiment la that direction a. was
called into being by the Spanish
American war has largely disappeared
before the actual dim ult,es OF the
situation In Cuba and the Philip
pines. AMI In Cuba at leas we were
not unwelcome Ii the American
people could be convinced that the
Fiiipinos would maintain a strong,
independent, and just government,
our forces uf1cials would be with
drawn instantly They stsV because
there is doubt on that point. In
nothing dos Mr.. Wilson better Re
fect the deep underlying sentiment
OF the average Al eriCan nome than
IN his statement that the United
states wants N conquests. We do
want peace and rder W. do Sanf
our oeople, our fHg, ami 7ur right
As strangers in a foreign cpuutry,
TO h scTupulously respected. md oUr
troops are iu Mexico q secure thsss
things. II they - beyond this sn1
inter 1ena IL must he g. secure for
Ibe MeXicans VhAt thty themselves
want. We caon0t stzy i- Mexico eN-
cspt TO execute tie MsRicans all.
aud fandAment siy snt 6raiiv. 'be
NeXicans must deterniGs slst thss