Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1916-07-06
forces Of military W which are az.

ioitSS VI LliiildEy power WHICH are eA-
hibited in Europe from laying hold
upon the vast territory and practically
u~ndefended wealth of the new world?
Have we still national ideals? VIII
anybody live for them? Would any
body die for them? Or are VIC ali for
ease and comfort and wealth at any
price? Confronted by such questions
as these and the practical situations
which give rise to them, is the coun-
try satisfied to trust itself again In the
hands Of the Democratic party?
Inpotent Interference In Mexico.
The United States had rights and
duties in Mexico. More than 10000 of
our citizens had sought their fortunes
and made their homes there. A thou
SAND millions of American capital had
been invested In that productive coun-
try. But revolution had come, and
fractional warfare was rife. Americans
had been murdered, American proper
ty had been wantonly destroyed, the
lives and property of all Americans In
Mexico were in danger. That was the
situation when Mr.. Wilson became
president In March, 1913. His duty
then vas plain. 1t was, first, to use
his powers as president to secure pro-
lection for the lives and property of
Americans in Mexico and to require
that rules Of law and stipulations of
treaties should be observed by Mexico
toward the United States and its citi-
zens. His duty was, second, as the
head Of a foreign power to respect the
independence Of Mexico, to refrain
from all interference with her internal
affairs, from all attempt at domino
ton except as he was justified by the
law of nations for the protection Of
American rights. The president Of the
United States failed to observe either
of those duties. He deliberately aban-
doned them both and followed an en-
tireiy different and inconsistent pur-
pose. Hc interviewed in Mexico to aid
N faction in civil strife against an
other. He undertook to pull down
Huerta and set Carranza up in his
place. Arms and munitions OF war
were freely furnished to the northern
forces and withheld from Huerta.
Finally the president sent our army
and navy TO invade Mexico and cap
ture Its great seaport, Vera Cruz, and
hold it and throttle Mexican commerce
until Huerta fell.
Americans Outraged In Mexico.
The government of tina United States
interviewed in Mexico to control the in
ternal affairs of that Independent couT-
try and to enforce the will of the
American president in those affairs by
threat, by economic pressure and by
force of arms. Upon what claim of
right did this Intervention proceed?
Not to secure respect for American
rights, not to protect the lives or prop
erty of our citizens, not to assert the
ance of the law of humanity. On the
contrary, Huerta's was the onlyspower
in Mexico to which appeal could be
made for protection Of life or property.
That was the only power which, in
fact, did protect. either American or
European or Mexican. It was only
within the territory where Huerta
ruled that comparative peace and or
der prevailed. The territory over
which the armed power of Carranza
and Villa and their associates extended
was the theater of the most appalling
crimes. Bands Of robbers roved the
country withsunbridled license. Amer
leans and Mexicans alike were at their
mercy, and Americanamen were muir
dered and American women were, out
ragged with impunity. Thousands were
reduced to poverty by the wanton de
%struction Of the industries through
which they lived. Yet the government
Of the United ssttasttes ignored, con-
doned, the Murder Of American men
andsthe rape Of American wonderland
destruction Of AmericanApropertyfan Band
fnsult.to American officers and defle-
ment Of American dag and joined
itself to the who were guilty of
all these thingsto pull down the pow
er OF Huerta. Why? The president
himself has told us. It was because
he adjudged Huerta toSbe a usurper,
because he deemed that the common
people Of Mexico ought to have great
er participation In government and
share In the land, and he believed that
Carranza and villa Would give them
these things. We must all sympathize
with these sentimehts, but there is
nothing more dangerous than mis-
DIaced sentiment.
When U array landed at Vera Cruz
Garranza himself. who.was te be the
chief beneficiary Of the act, publicly
protested against It So strong was
the resentment that he cQ1ld not have
kept his followers otherwise. When
Huerta had fallen the new government
which for the day had succeeded TO
his place peremptorfly demanded the
withdrawal Of the American troops.
The universal sentiment OF Mexicans
required the peremptory demand. and
the troops were withdrawn. san
worse. than that, the taking 81 Vera
Cruz ,de:srsyed confldencetin the SIN
.erity OF thesAmercan governmentssin
Mex 40. lecause evecy Intelligent man
ia Mexico believed that the avcwsd
70. @MA