The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1916-06-22
"wATcHFUL WAITING OVER

In his dealings with Mexico Pres
dent Wilson has exercised infinite pa
tience, studiously seeking to preserve
peace and to permit the people to tn,
south OF our border to work out theh
own problems. For over three year,
he has steadily refused to listen tc
those who counseled stern measures
and nobody can fairly question the
fact that he has gone the limit in his
efforts to avoid a resort to arms, but
now, unless an signs fail. "watchful
waiting is at an end
II the president had yielded to those
who clamored for Intervention early
in his administration, he would have
been justly open to censure. II could
have been contended very properly
that il was his duty to employ all the
resources Of reason and diplomacy be.
fore showing the mailed fist and
thereby provoking conflict that
AHAf.AAt navy Utth aN0lutut IAtdllLlHS
that he was dealing with people
whose ways are not our ways and
whose ideals and habits of thought
are unlike ours weak people toward
whom it Is the duty of the strong to
manifest all possible forbearance.
President Wilson has given the Mex
lean government every opportunity to
demonstrate its ability to perform its
duty in stamping out the bandits that
have menaced our border and mur-
dered our citizens.
The final effort OF the administra-
tion to help Carranza solve the bandit
problem was the sending of the puni.
tive expedition for which there was
ample precedent and which in its in
itial stage seemed to meet with the
approval of the de facto government.
II Carranza had been willing and able
to control his own followers and had
entered into genuine cooperation with
our forces. it is highly probable that
the present situation would never
have arisen. It was evident from the
start, however that the presence of
the United States troops was resented
by the Mexican people and it is safe
70 assume that the hostile attitude
that Carranza came to occupy resulted
from popular clamor. With villa and
his followers still at large, ready to
renew their depredations upon our
border at any moment, the admins.
tration would have been subject to the
most serious censure if it had con
scented TO comply with Carranza's re-
quest for the Withdrawal of the troops
and il is practically certain that the
attendant upon such course
would have forced us to the drastic
steps which now appear inevitable.
Cali it manifest destiny or what.
not, combination OF circumstances
and forces seems to be arriving us
across the Rio Grande and, after hay.
ing done an TO avoid armed conflict,
there is nothing for us TO do except to |
face he stern duty before us. per |
forming the terrible task assigned TO
us, in the most thorough manner, what
ever the cost may be IN the face of
'epeated disayowals OF any selfish
purpose the American government
'annot be charged with having any
nercenary motives in Mexico. its sole
'blect being to render necessary
service in the protection OF its own
itizens aud to put the Mexican peo.
lie into a position To work out their
wn destiny OF course, it is possible
hat way may sull be found to Oh.
late the conflict which now seems
ertain but there is little to eneour.
ge this view a