Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1916-05-18

United states rallied IL observe euuer
Of those duties. He deliberately aban-
doned them both and followed An Ell
tirely different and Inconsistent pur-
pose. He iatervened In Mexico to aid
one faction IN civil strife against an
other. He undertook to pull down
Huerta and set Carranxa up III 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 aud cap
ture Its great seaport. Vera Cruz, ana
hold II aud throttle Mexican commerce
until Huerta fell.
Americans Outraged In Mexico.
The government Of the United States
Interviewed In Mexico 10 control the In
ternal affairs of that Independent coan'
try and to enforce the will OF the
American president III those affairs by
threat, by economic pressure and by
force ~ arms. Upon what claim OF
right did this Intervention proved:
MOL 10 secure lcSlSNt "
rights. not to protect the lives or prop
erty Of our citizens, not to assert the
Ia VS. Of nations, not 10 compel oosefN'
ance OF the law Of humanity. On the
contrary. Huerta's vas The only power
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 OF Mexican. 1t 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 with unbridled license. Amer
leans and Mexicans alike were at their
mercy, and American men were mur-
dered and American women were out
ragged with IMMUNITY. Thousands were
reduced to poverty by the wanton de
struction Of the industries through
which they lived. Yet the government
of tho United States ignored. con
doned, the murder Of American men
and the rape Of American women and
destruction Of American property aud
insult to American officers and detle.
ment Of the American flag and joined
itself to the men who were guilty OF
all these things to pull down the pow.
er Of Huerta. Why? The president
himself has told us. 1t was because
he adjudged Huerta to be 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
Carraliza aud Villa would give them
these things. We must all sympathize
with these sentiments. but there Is
nothing more dangerous than mis-
placed sentiment.
When our army landed ut Vera Cruz
Carranza himself, who was to be the
chief beneficiary Of the act. publicly
protested against 1t. SO strong was
the resentment that he could mol have
kept his followers otherwise. When
Huerta had fallen the new government
which for the day had succeeded Il
his place peremptorily demanded the
withdrawal of the American troops
The universal sentiment Of Mexicans
required the peremptory demand, and
the troops were withdrawn. Still
worse than that, the taking OF Vera
Cruz destroyed confidence In the Sill
cer1ty Of the American government IN
Mexico, because every intelligent man
in Mexico believed that the avowed
reason for the act was no the real
reason. The ayuwed purpose was t.
compel n salute to the American flag,
Three hundred Mexicans We're report
ed killed; seventeen United States ma
rtnes were killed aud many were
wounded. At that very time Mr.. Bry'
an, with the presidents approval. was
signing treaties with half the world
agreeing that II any controversy should
arise it should be submitted to A join
commission and no action should III
taken until after a full year had elaps
ed. This controversy, slight as it was
arose on the 9th Of April, and on the
Dist of the same month Vera Cru;
WAS taken. With the occupation %
Vera Cruz the moral power Of thu
United States in Mexico ended. W.
were then and we are now hated TO
what we did to Mexico, and we wer'
then and we are now despised for on
feeble and irresolute failure to protee
the lives and rights OF our citizens. NJ
Tag Is 30 dishonored and no Citizenship
% little worth the claiming In Mexico
a. oun. And that Is why We hav'
failed in Mexico.
Policy Of "Watehful WaltIns.s
Incredible as 1t seems, Huerta hat
been turned out by the a%ssistance o
tho American government without ali.
guarantees from the mel who were u
b set up In his place, and 30 the muir
dsring and burning and rayishing hav'
gone On to this day. After Huert,
had fallen and the Vera Cruz expedi
ton had been withdrawn Presiden
Wilson announced that no n wa
entitled to interfere In the affairs o
Mexico: that she was entitled to settl
them herself. He dhclains all re
sponsibihty for what happens In Mex
leo and contents himself with a pol
icy of watchful waiting. And for tn
death and outrage, the suffering AM
ruin Of our " brethren, the hatre'