The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-06-15
MIR. JAMES NOTABLE ADDRESS.


In the address that he delivered at
ST. Louis today as permanent chair
man of the Democratic national con-
vention Senator Ollie NJ. James. of
Kentucky, did little better in one
important particular than his prede-
cessor on the presiding officers job.
Governor Glynn. Mr. James did men
ton the Mexican situation, and the
attitude of the Democratic admins
tration towards it.
But he didn't wax either very long
or very enthusiastic about these prop
ositions and what he did have to say
on them, the evident soreSt thumbs
that the Democrats possess was in the
nature of an apology or an excuse,
and it wasn't a very substantial one
either.
Mr.. James labeled the Mexican sit
nation as being an inheritance for the
Democratic party from the admins
tration of President Taft. He de-
clared that the Taft administration
had refused the recognition of Hurta,
and the same policy was followed by
President Wilson. And he added that
MT Wilson had dealt with the Mexi-
can situation and his policy has been
the same as that of Abraham Lincoln
under like conditions more than half
a, century ago.
Just what the Mexican situation was
during the Lincoln administration is
probably not very readily recalled by
many people. So Mr.. James was
pretty safe with that comparison.
There are no pages in the ordinary
American histories, though, which
show that while Lincoln was president
the then troublous times in Mexico re-
suited so disastrously for American
lives and property as has been the
case during the past two or three
years. But this is matter that will
have to be investigated more carefully
before the contentious of Mr.. James
on this little point are disputed more
decisively.
However, this inheritance from
Taft business, that has lately become
to be a popular excuse for the defend
ers or the apologists of Mr.. Wilson's
Mexican policy, is a horse of another
color. and when it is placed alongside
the facts in the case, it becomes the
most finsy of things.
1t would have all the earmarks of
being a joke were the question at issue
not such serious one.
And besides, even if Mr.. Taft had
been guilty of error in the handling
of his end of the Mexican situation,
surely that is no valid reason why
Mr.. Wilson should have continued the
error.
But Mr.. Taft made no mistake in
the handling of the Mexican situation,
and for the simplest and best possible
reason. He didn't have the time to
make one.
When was Francisco I. Madero as
,sassinated and when did Victoriano
Huerta usurp the functions that cold
hlooded murder had stripped from
Madero. and declare himself to be
provisional president of Mexico?
1t was on February 10, 1913, or .ex-
actly thirteen days before Woodrow
Wilson was inaugurated as president
of the United States.
In the ordinary practices of diplom-
acy, even if President Taft had been
of mind to take a hand in the Mexican
situation in the last few days of his
presidency that was thus developed
by the killing of Madero and the as
L
Mexico, it would have been several
of the United tates would have been
the chief of Mexico. There was no
evidence that he would continue in
that role long. Indeed, if memory
serves, he announced that he merely
intended to take charge of the govern
ment of Mexico until a president sat
isfactory to the Mexican people or the
several Mexican factions could be
named.
And here over and above all, was
g Mexican situation that developed at
the eleventh hour of Taft's incum-
bency in the presidential office, just
thirteen days, to be exact-and Mr..
Wilson's lucky number, by the way
before Woodrow Wilson became the
chief magistrate of the nation.
Would it have been anything short
of discourtesy. and a discourtesy OF
a rather unpardonab1e degree, had
William Howard Taft taken advantage
of his opportunities, and outlined OF
created a United, States attitude to-
wards the new Mexican situation for
his successor in office, of only few
DAYS away, to follow: and especially
as that successor happened to be of q
different political faith.
| Such a move on the part of Mr. Taft
would have bordered on the presump-
tuous.
And it would have been so charac-
terized by the very Democrats who
today are trying to cover up the
Democratic Administrations failure ir
respect to the Mexican situation by
asserting that it is a legacy from the
| Taft administration
Again in his address Mr.. James
! remarked that Mexico and Germany
and England and Austria look alike tc