El Nuevo mexicano., 1916-05-04
Our People Firstl

Our People Firstl
The most degenerate and vicious man
killer that ever lived never lacked the sym
patty and compassion eand sentimental
tears of some weak-minded individual. We
are familiar with the quirk in human ma
ture which sometimes brings flowers and
chocolate caramels to some condemned
brute who has committed an un~speakable
crime and for which the law has ordained
be must be removed from the opportunity
Of further menacing society and order. HUI
man perversity, in this connection, is often
demonstrated further by the fact that the
sympathizer with the callous criminal de-
votes little thought to the victim Of the
crime.
1t is not surprising. perhaps, that some
individual seeking notoriety should appeal
TO the president to save the lives of de-
generate Villa bandits now awaiting the
hangman's moose in the state prison here.
1t is surprising, however, and rather pain
ful, to find a New Mexico newspaper avail
ing itself of the opportunity to bring sweet
violets and salty tears to the feet Of these
stolid murderers.
The Albuquerque Morning Journal makes
the astonishing statement that the people
Of New Mexico and the Southwest owe a
debt of gratitude" to the FL Paso attorney
who has seen fit to interest himself IN the
case Of the bandits. The Journal then goes
on to hold that:
There was no evidence aside from that o.
defendants that they took part in the villa
raid on Columbus.
Their confession was through Ignorance
OF our laws and they "fell into a trap"
They were in the raid, but did so under
order of Villa.
1t is not known that one of the condemned
men killed an American or attempted to
kill an American.
Their sentence should be committed to life
Imprisonment, or they should be sent back
into Mexico to be executed by Mexicans
"who dearly love to infict the death penalty
without inquiry as. to its Justice"
The ignorant poems convicted at Deming
were ordered to accompany the raid and
would have been promptly shot If they re-
fused
The status Of the seven Mexicans is the
same as that of the crew of the German
submarine that SANK the Lusitania.
: A careful look at the foregoing shows
that the Journal admits the seven Mexicans
were in the Villa raid.
We believe the law holds that every one
Of a band which attacks and kills a man is
guilty of his murder.
We believe that at least two men have
already been convicted Of the murder of
Sheriff Stephens, Of Luna county, who was
killed by one bullet.
II is plain, then, that every Mexican who
took part in the Columbus raid was guilty of
the murner Of the Americans.
The absolute and unquestionable justice
Of this viii not be denied by any reasoning
man.
Granting they killed Americans, the Jour
nails next defense is that they had to, on
pain of being shot by Villa. The general in
PRODUCTION OF this principle Of law in this
country would be rather startling. The ne
gro who ravished a woman could bring wit
threatened to kill him if he didn't and he
would thus be proven innocent Of any crime,
The anarchist who blew up the president
could show conclusively that the o~rganizas
ton had decreed his death If he failed in his
mission-and go scot free. Such a plea is
too prerosterous to talk about. It is rank
absurdity to declare that the Villa raider |
who disguised his voice to lure an American
Of a Columbus hotel, deliberately shot
him down and then burned his corpse II
the flaming building, was a victim of d1ress
These men knew what they were doing;
butchering and burning is their business
the only trade they know, learned under a
past master; human life they regard as no
more important than the life Of a rabbit
To compare them to the crew Of a German
submarine is purest balderdash. ~
The New Mexican refuses to admit that
should excuse one Of these ~degenerates
for killing and mutilating the dead bodies
Of our people on the plea that he had to do
Il to save his life. We do not believe that
persons in this state viii place the
lives of Villas thugs above those of our own .
innocent, law-abiding citizens, slain in cold
on their own soil and in their own I.
homes by foreigf murderers. These men
should hang as high as Haman TO show
Mexican re~yoIutionaries that we protect our
own; and that the United States and the
state Of New Mexico believe that Humanity :
Regins at Home. :
The Columbus raid was on a par with a !,
b~ullight for these poems. They would gladly 4
in the same entertainment again. !
fhey are OF the lowest order of intelligence, ;
only one degree removed from the brute. :
anguish at the prospect OF death is !
lar beyond their capacity. J
So far as humanity is cobcerned, to put :
hem quietly and promptly out Of the wayl \
would be far better than to pen them up for !
.fe in prison, at an expense of $4,000 10 :
100000 to the state, or to turn them loose Z
~ Mexico, as the Journal so mereifully sug :
sests, there to be slaughtered by fellow :
Nexicans in the humane Mexican way. We 2
repeat that to seek to make martyrs Of these !,
is to condone, even if unthinkingly
he murder Of our own people and to adVo, I
the g%rossest miscarriage of justice. 2
And. furthermore, it might be better UNI 7
Ter the circumstances for their defender
apply his admitted talents to a protest z
against the punishment Of the murderers Of I
Ysahel =
Humanity Begins at Homel z