Arizona republican., 1916-09-16
MT. Bryan and Mexico

MT Bryan is honest man except when he is a politician and then he is apt to be disingenuous In his brief discussion of the presidents Mexican policy last Wednesday night, Mir. Bryan took the ground that he had early his administration of the state department that American citizens who entered republic of Mexico and acquired property there had done at their risk that their government was bound to protect either their lives their property in Mexico That a single phase of the Mexican question touched upon by Mir. Bryan and in that he was wrong, both in international law and in the practice of nations. But MT Bryan omitted men, tion of the outrages committed by Mexcans against American life and property this side of the line
 After the administration had permitted these out rages against Americans in Mexico; after it had allowed the shipment of and ammunition the Mexicans in unlimited quantities, and after the Mex jeans armed and had vast armies in the field. a question of policy might have presented itself It might then have been asked whether in almost defenseless state should go and sacrifice American life to American property in Mexico. But the administration answered that in the affirm ative whenever the Standard Oil properties Tampico threatened The landing at Vera Cruz on a pre- text of enforcing salute of the American flag. undertaken because the oil properties Tampico again threatened In that landing the lives of twenty-one American marines sacrificed
 We do think MT. Bryan was in any way responsible for the Vera Cruz fiasco. He probably opposed the expedition contrary to his well known convictions the subject of peace. Nor do we imagine that he felt any for Standard oil properties at Tampico. But Mir. Bryan was secretary of state only in name.
 As to his theory that the government is not bound to protect it's citizens in other lands There a treaty between this country and Mexico guaranteeing to the citizens of each, who happened to be in the other country, certain rights and privileges But for such treaty suppose only the adventurous Americans would have entered Mexico. Certainly those peaceful citizens who went there to engage in the mild and peaceful occupations of farming and stock raising, would not have gone. They would have emigrated to the Cannibal Islands with which we have treaty relations And it turned out they might well have been in the Canniba Islands in Mexico, with the treaty of no effect
 It is the practice of all self respecting nations to protect their citizens abroad against injustice regard less of treaty relations which Bryan both secretary of state and as democratic campaign orator ought to be aware.
 In the speech MT. Bryan eulogzed himself and the president for the of their efforts negotiating treaties which would make impossible. In 500 he thought, their would be Passing abundant proof that treaties only long there is power to enforce them, we have the Mexican treaty which neither MT. Wilson nor MT. Bryan even invoked in behalf of American citizens in Mexico.
 In some parts of the country, though do not know where, MT. Bryan's peculiar views this phase of the Mexican question may be popular but we think he is making a mistake when he presents them anywhere in border states The people of Arizona New Mexico and Texas have some very pronounced opinions this subject, formed first hand nfor- nation.