Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-06-21
American Note Flady Rejects Carranza
Demands and Carries It's Threat Of War

government in circumstances which only
government imbued with unselhshness
would have Withstood, says the note
doubts and suspicious as to the motives
of the United States government are ex-
pressed in the Mexican communication of
May % for no purpose but to impugn the
good faith of this government.
If the Mexican government is unwill-
ing or unable to give this protection by
preventing its territory from being the
rendezvous and refuge of murderers and
plunderers. that does not relieve this
government from it's duty to take all the
steps necessary to safeguard American
citizens on American soil. The United
States government cannot and will not
allow bands of lawless men to establish
themselves upon it's borders with liberty
to invade and plumber American territory
with impunity and when pursued to seek
safety across the Rio Grande, relying
upon the plea of their government that
the integrity os the soil of the Mexican
republic must not be violated.
1T is suggested that if Juarez suffered
on account of the bandit raids are mat
ter of 'pecuniary reparaton' but never
the cause for American forces to invade
, Mexican soil. the precedents which have
been established and maintained by the
government of the Mexican republic for
the last half century do not bear out this
statement.
The de facto government finally argues
| that If the frontier were duly protected
I from incursions from Mexico there would
! be no reason for the existing difficulty,
thus the de facto government attempts to
absolve itself from the first duty of any
government namely. the protection of
life and property This is the paramount
obligation for which governments are in
stituted. Protection of American lives
and property then in the United States is
! first, the obligation of Mexico. and second
the obligation of the United States. In
securing this protection along the COM
mon boundary the United States has a
: right to expect the cooperation of its
neighboring republic.
I'm conclusion the Mexican government
invited the United States to support its
assurances of friendship with real and
effective acts. which can be no other
than the immediate withdrawal of the
| American troops For the reasons herein
fully set forth. this request of the de fac
to government cannot now be entertained
The United States has not sought the
duty which has been forced upon it of
pursuing bandits who. under fundamental
principles of criminal and international
law ought to be pursued and arrested
and punished by Mexican authorities
Whenever Mexico will assume and effec-
lively exercise that responsibility, the
nlted States, as il has many times be-
fore publicly declared, will be glad to have
this obligation fulfilled by the de facto
government of Mexico. If. on the contra
ry, the de facto government is pleased
TO ignore this obligation and to believe
that in case of a refusal to retire these
troops there is no further recourse than 70
defend its territory by an appeal TO arms
the government of the United States
would surely be lacking in sincerity and
friendship if it did not frankly impress
upon the de facto government that the
execution of this threat will lead to the
gravest consequences. While this govern
ment would deeply regret such a step
yet il cannot recede from its determna-
ton to maintain its national rights and
to perform its full duty in preventing fur
! ther invasions of the territory of the
United States and in removing the peril
which Americans along the international
and forbearance.
Accept, etc.
(Signed> "ROBERT IANSING"