The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-09-08

of the relations of the United States |
with Mexico during President Wilson's
administration is contained in the Mex
ican chapter of the Democratic Ma
tional Text Book.
= President Wilson's faith in dem
ocracy, and the unselfishness of the
United States in international deal |
ings," says the Text Book, have been
so strikingly expressed in his Mexican |
policy that they may be said tc con-
stitute the greatest contribution which |
the country has made in many years |
to the progressive thought Of man
kind"
The keynote Of Woodrow Wilson's |
endeavor throughout the long-varied !!
and difficult course of Mexican affairs |
is summed up in the chapter-heading:
Wilson's demand for Mexico is-Jus-
tice"
The larger phases OF the whole ques-
tion are treated in part as follows:
Two considerations nave animated
the President in the formulation of his
Mexican policy and have compelled
his adherence in it throughout his ad-
ministration, namely:
"The firm conviction that all nations,
both the weak and the powerful, have
the inviolable right to control their
internal affairs.
"The belief, established upon the his
tory of the world, that Mexico will new
er become a peaceful and law-abiding
neighbor of the United States until
she has been permitted to achieve a
permanent and basic settlement of
her troubles with outside interefer-
ence.
THE Wilson Mexican policy is of
piece with the new craftsmanship
which will regulate the international
affairs of the world when the lessons
of the European war have been learn
ed and applied. One of the safeguards
which civilization is sure to set up
against a recurrence of such a war as
is now being waged, is an instrumen-
tality to protect the sovereign rights
of weak nations. :"
"All Latin America looked on in
tently as the United States dealt with
Mexico. Suspicion, which had been
engendered by the long years of mis-
understanding and mistrust, preceding
Mr.. Wilson's administration, made the
Mexican policy in the eyes of our
neighbors a real test of the sincerity
of the friendly protestations the Unit
ed States was making to all the gov
ernments of America. The more for
tunate Republic of Central and South
America clearly were of the convic-
tion that they could expect no better
treatment for themselves in less for
tunate circumstances than the United
States would mete out to Mexico. -
ut is impossible to grasp the vital
significance of President Wilson's
Mexican policy without a broad
knowledge of conditions which had
prevailed in Mexico before President
Wilson was inaugurated. The Mexi-
can problem in it's present form had
existed for the American Government
ever since our frontier was extended
to the Rio Grande. There had been
peaceful periods, in which for the most
part order had been maintained and
international obligations fulfilled. but
intermittently there had arisen provoc
ative circumstances similar in charac-
ter to those with which President Will
son has had to deal. The peace and
order which was thus capable of being
interrupted was a superimposed peace
and order, and not the normal express
sion of the contentment of self-regu-
lated people. When the people main
tained the peace it was because' they
were forced to do so, and not because
justice reigned in the land. Thus it
was that the history of Mexico, like
the history of every aspiring people,
pressed upon President Wilson's con-
sideration the truth that no permanent
good relations could exist between this
great Northern Republic and the one
Immediately South of us until she had
been left free to put her house in or,
der, however painful that process
might be and whatever the demands
1t might make upon the forbearance
of the United States. :"
when Huerta ignored the American
ultimatum demanding salute to the
flag, President Wilson ordered the seiz
ure Of the Port of Vera Cruz by the
American naval forces then in Mexi
can water. The seizure occurred or
April 21. 1t was accomplished after
the death of 10 American sailors ant
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