The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1916-07-12
PRESIDENT WILSON'S.
MEXICAN POLICY

The Star has been denounced as a
jingo and accused of being false to
the democratic party because it has
criticised President Wilson's Mexican
policy.
Democratic papers are very much
given to abusing republicans because
they stand by their party leaders
thru thick and thin; therefore it is in
consistent in a democrat to criticise
another democrat for opposing or de-
nouncing what he believes to be
wrong.
The other day, friend said to rs
that President Wilson knew far more
what was going on in Mexico than we
did; therefore it was our duty to SUBJ
Z ordinate our judgment to that of the
president and back him up in what
ever he did.
No doubt that President Wilson
knows far more about what is going
on in Mexico than we do, but there
are some things man does not need
to go outside his own voting precinct
to know.
Among them is the world-establish-
ed fact that it is wrong to permit
crime when it is in our power to pre-
vent it.
During Mr.. Wilson's administration
the crimes of murder, rape and rob-
berry have been committed on our peo-.
pie in Mexico. 1t has been in Mr..
Wilson's power to prevent such
crimes, or most of them, and he has
not done so.
Mr.. Wilson has taken the highly
moral ground that an American who
goes into a foreign country must
abide by its laws, and take his
chances, and if he gets into trouble he
mustn't expect to involve his country
in trouble by taking the risk and ex-
pense of getting him out of trouble.
We have no doubt that Mr.. Wilson
IL conscientious in this view, but it
seems to us as cold and selfish policy
and one that can meet the unqualified
approval of only man with wide
streak of yellow running down his
back 1t might work in Britain,
France or Germany, but we do not
think it is honest or brave to let it APP
ply in country that even Mr. Wilson
admits is ruled by brigands.
Our people who have suffered in
Mexico went to that country under
the guarantee of it's de facto govern
ment that their lives and property
should be safe. They went encouraged
to make investments and the Mexi-
cans were only too willing to take
their money. They were filling that
country with prosperity and enter
prise, and all the world seemed to
think they were doing a meritorious
thing.
Then came the revolutions, but at
first Americans We're not molested,
for it was believed their government
would protect them. But some more
than usually daring villain perpe-
trated an outrage, and got away with
it. and then they followed thick and
@f@oey 6AAtiA INV oii <1uICIlCdQ III MEX
leo has no more rights than pariah
dog.
How can any American, whether
his sires fought at Yorktown or New
Orleans, Buena Vista or Cerro Gordo
or came to this country of later years
because they wanted to be free men
be comfortable when he knows his
own people are SO outrageously treat
ed?
There are among US men so lost to
decency as to claim that these Mexi-
cans who have prosecuted our coun-
trymen and countrywomen are ami
mated by patriotic motives, and what
they have done has been with the in.
tent of freeing their land from op.
pressors.
Any man who has common sense
and ordinary information knows thai
Americans have been oppressed il
Mexico because they had property
that Mexicans wanted to take ava,
from them; knows that Mexicans have
committed crimes against American.
in Mexico that they would be hung o.
jailed for in America.
Every American has been brouaht
up In the belief that it was praise
worthy enterprise for an American tt
20 into another country and Their,
build up legitimate business. Ever,
American has been brought up to be
ljeve that an American, no matte
where he was, was entitled to help ant
protection from his country Ant
such is the policy and belief of ever.
self-respecting country in the world.
This nation cannot live and remain
great under any other policy If w
let people of other nations rob GU
men and outrage our women abroad
we will soon begin to let them do tn
same things to US at home. Then W
will be at the level of the Chinese.
The other. day, Mr.. Wilson made
speech at Detroit to the assemble,
statesmen of the country. He wante,
America, he said, by Justice, fai
Healing and enterprise to build up
great trade with all the world.
That is all very well If this countr,
n -