The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1916-10-20


occurs, in preference to that of hui
manity.
Much has been said touching the
Presidents foreign policy. There were
times when / was somewhat uneasy
and thought things were moving too
slowly, but the President was engaged
in keeping US out Of war. In so far as
the foreign policy as to Germany is
concerned, the President won his
point. The submarine warfare was
finally discontinued, and l am free to
acknowledge that whatever ! may
have thought on the subject, l was
wrong and the President was right.
He steered the Ship Of State safely
through, kept us out of war with Ger
many, and preserved the peace with
honor. The only way we may say
whether or not we have been dishon-
hored and as to whether we hang our
heads in shame, as Mr.. Hughes says,
Is to consult our own consciences
touching the matter. | believe | am
an average citizen. feel no dishonor
in the least from the fact that my
country has enjoyed profound peace
while the larger portion of the world
was at war. 1t was said that some
Of the Germans who sympathize as is
| proper enough, with the Fatherland,
feel unfindly toward President Will
son, and why so is something more
than | could understand. II America
had become involved in war with Ger
many, as many would have us, this
| fact alone, added to the present stu
alton, would certainly overwhelm and
crush the German empire. 1t is due
to President Wilson alone and his high
and noble efforts to keep us at peace
that we have not been plunged into
war with Germany, and for this rea-
son every German sympathizer should
feel grateful to him. But this matter
Is beside the case for satisfactory
agreement appears to have been reach
ed between the administration and
Germany as to the submarine warfare
and 1t has ceased.
Much is said of the Mexican situa-
ton. When the facts concerned are
analysed 1t seems to me to be pre-
posterous to talk about our interven.
ton there.
President Wilson has sought to keep
this country at peace with Mexico, and
has sought at the same time not to
interfere with the rights of the Mexi-
can people, to overthrow the govern
ment which exploits them and to es-
tablish new constitutional govern
ment which will insure them the pro-
lection Of property and the fullest
measure Of life, liberty and the pur-
suit of happiness. Certain large inter-
ests in this country have for a few
nnltTU tbnngonde NJ
concessions and property rights In
Mexico, and these insist upon our gov
eminent intervening there to protect
their property. President Wilson
has Justly assumed the Progress
sive side, for he says he will not deny
the right Of the Mexican people to
revolution with view of throwing off
an oppressive government and estab-
fishing one on constitutional lines in
favor Of the whole. fully agree with
his position. But it is said that
the President should have recog-
nized Huerta. Huerta was the gen.
eral of the constitutionalists in
the army, and under the laws of Mex
leo he succeeded to the presidency on
the death of the President and Vice
President. It stands conceded that
Huerta occasioned the assassination
and the murder of those between him
self and the presidency so he could
succeed to the office. This being true,
President Wilson declined, as the rep
resentative Of hundred million Cod
fearing people here, to recognize him.
He felt such course to be an immoral
one and not representative of the high
and holy thought of his country. In
this / agree. But, 1t is said having
sent the fleet to Vera Cruz to enforce
a salute Of our flag, he Inundated us
in withdrawing it without enforcing
the salute. When the facts are exam
ined it seems to me that this is almost
ridiculous.
Much complaint is made as to the
bandit raids across our borders. These
bandits are not representing the Mex.
lean government in their raids, but
rather they are representing them
selves as our bandits in Missouri-the
James boys, and the Youngers, and
others did after the war. Wherever
a condition of war obtains, as in Mex
leo, the rules Of conduct and law and
order are ipso facto suspended so that
vicious characters may rule with a
hI6h MANU- we huOW l0lS from our
own experience In this state. We
know that after the Civil War was
settled for nearly rs years we were
infested with bandits here, who ma
rauded generally, robbing banks and
trains, and all the powers Of the state
Of Missouri, though often employed,
were unable to suppress them. These
are the conditions that obtain In Mex
leo. 1t Is certain that President Wilson
has had more difficult problems to con-
front him, and with which to deal,
than any President we have ever had
from the days of Washington until the
present time, save Mr.. Lincoln alone.
Notwithstanding this, he has steered
The Ship Of State safely mid the tur-
noil Of the warning nations of the
world, and has kept us at peace.
There are but two sides to this ques-
ion. Mr.. Wilson and his party stands
or peace. Those who take the other
side essentially stand for the only op-
oosite, and that is war, or interven-
ion In Mexico. which means war.
Tonight we have the family circle In
tact. There is around the table the IA
her, the mother, the three sons and the
NAu Il. &c., n