The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-11-01
Will SONS MEXICAN POLICY IS
BACKED UP BY SIMILAR ACTS
OF ALL PRECEDING PRESIDENTS
Vance Mccormick Chairman of National Democratic
Committee Attacks COP. Chairman Wilcoxs State
ments and Produces Presidential Records From Lin
coin to Taft.

and scattergun statements with re-
spect to Mexico and say something
definite, tangible and Ineligible as to
what he would do, or what the Will
son Administration should have done,
in handling Mexican affairs.
Mr.. Hughes does not know what he
I would have done had he been in
President Wilson's shoes, or he pre-
! fers conf1ding such information to a
few chosen friends and advisers for
he has. never given the information
to the people of this country; he has
not taken them into his confidence as
yet.
But there is one Republican who
I has said something definite on the
/ subject; Mr.. Wilcox, Chairman Of
the Republican Campaign Commit
tee, who issued a statement regard
| ing Mexico on Monday, October Is,
and to that statement 1 now address
myself.
Chairman Wilcox among other
things said: UNLESS the Mexican
policy is changed now, the only alter
native will be for this country to take
control Of Mexico's affairs, defray her
debts and establish in Mexico City a
sound and enduring government; fur
Their, that it was impossible to look
/ ahead and "see anything but war
either with Mexico because necessity
compels this country to intervene, or
with her European creditors because
this country will neither itself COL
lect nor permit them to collect by
force what is due them"
If Chairman Wilcox speaks for
Candidate Hughes and for the Re-
publican party, he definitely commits
the Republican candidate and the
fRepuhlican party to war in the event
of Republican success in the Novem-
! Der election In effect he says if we
{ do not fight Mexico we must fight
someone in Europe, and therefore we
must get busy and fight Mexico first
by intervening.
/ Chairman Willcox,s position is con-
trary to the policy of every Republi-
j can President, beginning with Lin
coin. and is contrary to nearly 100
years Of American policy of non-in-
tervention in the affairs of Mexico.
! The great Lincoln repeatedly declin-
! ed to intervene in Mexican affairs
I during the occupation Of the Arch
duke Maximillian, even though a for
/ eign power, under pretext Of securing
/ satisfaction for debts due and injuries
done French citizens, was endeavor-
ing to substitute monarchical for Re-
publican government in Mexico. To
intervene would be only "to reverse
our own principles said Lincoln. He
instructed his Secretary of State not
TO fail "to assure the government of
Mexico that the President neither
has, nor can ever have, any sympathy
with such designs Gntervention), in
whatever quarter they may arise or
whatever character they may take
on
President Andrew Johnson follow
ed Lincoln's policy of strict non-in-
tervention with respect to Mexico. He
declared Intervention would render
all sovereignty and independence
'.fallacious." -
President Grant outlined a policy
of non-intervention in the affairs of
any and all Latin or Spanish-Ameri-
can countries on this hemisphere, and
said we took no interested part in
Quarrels between nations and their
-tsubjects without invitation"
President Hayes said he was reluc-
j taht to assume 'any action or atti
.tude in the control of these incur
Isions by military movements across
the border not imperatively demand
led for the protection of the lives and
property Of our own citizens"
President Arthur, on account of
fthe serious trouble which was mar
srowiy averted during President
Hayes Administration, when two ex-
i petitions went across the border, had
la protocol signed with Mexico pro-
viding for reciprocal crossing Of the
,xr in
i of maraudere and bandits. The two
I expeditions. known as the shafter-
& Bulls and Ward expeditions, went
lover in the Hayes Administration five
years before the protocol or agree
s1nent for BOZ der crossing was signed!
1t will thus be seen that it was thG
Republicans who set the precedent
flor sending an expedition into Mex
|ico, not for intervention, but in pur-
isuit of bandits.
t Roosevelt had a chance to 'inter-
tvene" in Mexico. In June, 1906
There was a murderous outbreak at
1.-THE Cananea Mines. Several Ameri-
icaIe were killed The lives Of the
{remaining Americans were imperil1-
led They sent an urgent telegram
Ito Washington through the Ameri-
lean Consul. calling for help. Even
1.-THE Mexican government Of Sonora
twas reported as asking the United
Estates government TO send q mill
ttary force. What did Roosevelt do1
Nothing. Secretary of State Root
consulted the Chief Of Staff and the
Law Officer Of the War Department
land decided that American troops
Unjust not cross the line. Later, Mr.
Root In a speech ON the Mexican
fsftuation, said:
"Grantfng that injuries have beer
Edone to American citizens that ough'
to be redressed. that wounds have
kbeen inflicted. that lives have beer
taken = it does not follow. str
THAT ws should begin the process Of
SECURING redress for those injuries b5
q threat Of force on the part of &
great and powerful nation against 6
smaller and a weaker nation. That
sir, is to reverse the policy Of the
limited States and to take stef
backward in the pathway of eivi1iza-
)tiOn."
! President Taft firmly declined tt
intervene in Mexico after the Dia,
regime had collapsed and revolution
and chaos feigned in that country
even though Americans were being
killed on each side of the border BY
Mexicans. He said he would not in
5tervene, without express Congress
sional approval He termed the as
sumption OF the press that he weul6
bintervene as "ef course, gratuiteus.'
He even declined and So told Con.