Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-08-01
HUGHES IN ACCEPTANCE SPEECH NM
RAPS POLICIES OF WILSON

!
| formed; that the lives and propert
Of American citizens would hav
proper protection. To attempt, how
| ever to control the domestic concern
Of Mexico was simply Intervention no
| less so because disclaimed.
The height of folly was to have
vaciilatinS and ineffective interveE
ton, which could only evoke bitter
ness and contempt, which would fai
to pactfy the country and to assur
peace and prosperity under a stabl
government. If crimes were com
! mitted. we do not palliate them. w
| make no defense of Huerta. But TIL
administration had nothing to d.
with the moral character o. Huerta
II in fact he represented the govern
ment Of Mexico, We shall reve
worthily prosecute our unseltisn aims
or serve humanity, by wrong headed
ness. So far as the character o
Huerta is concerned, the hollownes
of the pretensions on this score is re-
tealed by the administra tons sub
sequent patronage Of Villa (whos,
qualifications as an assassin are in.
disputable). whom apparently the ad
ministratiOn was ready to recognize
had he achieved his end and fulfilled
what then seemed to be its hope.
Lind's Mission Offensive.
The question is not as to the non
recognition of Huerta. The administra
ton did not content itself with refus-
ING to recognize Huerta. who was rec
oSnized by Great Britain, Germany
France, Russia, Spain and Japan. The
administration undertook to destroy
Huerta, to control Mexican politics
even 10 deny Huerta the right TO be a
candidate for the office of president al
the election the administration de-
manded. With what bewilderment must
the MeXiCans have regarded our denial
OF their right to manage their own af-
fairs. In the summer of 1913 John
Lind was dispatched to the City OF
Mexico as the presidents personal
spokesman and representative" to the
unrecoSnized Huerta in order to de-
mand that the latter eliminate himself
1t was an unjustifiable mission, most
offensive to a sensitive people. John
Lind fingered irritatingly. The admin
istTation continued to direct its efforts
at the destruction of the only govern
ment Mexico had.
In the spring of 1911. occurred the
capture Of Vera Cruz. Men from one
OF our ships had been arrested at Tam
plco and had been discharged with an
apology. But our admiral demanded a
salute. which was refused Thereupon
the president went to congress. asking
authority to use the armed forces of
III tot ~;,l
for the passage of the resolution. Vera
cruz was seized. 1t appeared that a
shipioad Of ammunition for Huerta was
ABOUT to enter that port. There was
natural opposition to this invasN,n
anC a battle occurred in which nine
teen Americans and over a hundred
MeXicans were killed. This. OF course.
was war. Our dead soldiers were
praised for dying like heroes in a war
OF service. Later, we retired from
vera Cruz giving up this noble war
fare. We had not obtained the salute
which was demanded. We had not OBJ
tanned reparation for affronts. The ship
with ammunition which could not land
at vera Cruz had soon landed at an
other port and its cargo was delivered
TO Huerta without interference.
Recently the naked truth was adj
mitted by a cabinet officer. We are
now Informed that we did not go to
vera Cruz to force Huerta TO salute
the flag. We are told that we went
there to show Mexico that we were
IN earnest in our demand that Huerta
must go. That is, We seized Vera
Cfuz 10 depose Huerta The question
OF the salute was a mere pretext
Failed in Obvious Duty.
Meanwhile, the administration ut
terly failed to perform it's obvious
DUTY to secure protection for the
!lres and property of our citizens 1t
IS most unworthy to slur those who
nave investments in Mexico in order
10 escape a condemnation for the non
performance of this duty. There can
De no such escape, for we have no de-
hate, and there can be no debate. as Ia
the existence Of this duty on the part
Of our government.
Let me quote the words of the dem
ocratic platform of 1912
The constitutional rights ~
lean citizens should protect them on
our borders, and go with them thru
out the world, and every American
cltlZen residing or having property in
any foreign country is entitled to and
must be given the full protection of the
United States government both for
himself and his property The bitter
hatred aroused by the course of the a d
mlnlstration multiplied outra ges while
our failure to afford protection to our
citizens evoked the scorn and content u,
Of Mexico
consider the ignominious incident
at Tampico in connection with the cap
ture Of Vera Cruz. In the midst of the
greatest danger to the hundreds OF
Americans congregated at Tampico
our ships which were in the harbor
were Withdrawn and our citizens were
saved only by the Intervention of Ger.
man officers and were taken away by
British and German ships. The officia
excuse OF the secretary of the navy is
an extraordinary commentary. Gu,
ships. 1t seems. had been ordered tc
Vera Cruz; but, as it appeared that
they We're not needed the order was
rescinded. Then, we are told, our ad
miral was faced with this rema rka BILE
dilemma. If he attempted to go III
the river at Tampico and take our citi-
zens on board, the word of aggressive
action as the secretary called it
would have spread to the surrounding
country and it was almost certain thai
'reprisals on American citizens would
have followed, and lives would have
been lost We had so incensed the
Mexicans that we could not rescue ou1
own citizens at Tampico, save at thu
risk Of the murder Of ethe-s. We NUS
take Vera Cruz to get Huerta out Of
office and trust to other nations to ge
our own citizens out of peril. VIVA,