Omaha daily bee., 1916-09-03

was plain and II was imperative that w
should live up to It IL we were to deserve
the trust Of any real partisan Of the right
as free men see It. We have professed tc
believe. and we do believe, that the people
Of small and weak states have the right tc
Of big and powerful states would be. We
have acted upon that principle in dealing
with the people OF; Mexico.
Our recent pursuit Of bandits into Mexi-
can territory was no violation Of that prin-
ciple. We ventured to enter Mexican ter
ritory only because there were no military
forces in Mexico that could protect our
border from hostile attack and our own peo-
pie from violence, and we have committed
there no single act Of hostility or interfer-
ence even with the sovereign authority Of
the Republic Of Mexico herself. It was q
plain case Of the violation Of our own SOW
ereignty which could not wait to be vindi-
Gated by damages and for which there was
no other remedy. The authorities of Mexico
were powerless to prevent II.
Many serious wrongs against the property.
many irreparable wrongs against the persons.
Of Americans have been committed within
the territory Of Mexico herself during this
confused revolution, wrongs which could not
be cffectually checked so long a. there was
no constituted power in Mexico which was
in a position to check them. We could not
act directly 10 that matter ourselves with
out denying Mexicans the right to any revo-
luton at all which disturbed us and making
the emancipation Of her own people await
our interest and convenience.
Fighting For Liberty.
For IL is their emancipation that they are
seeking blindly. y may be. and IS yet in
effectually. but with profound and psssionste
purpose and within their unquestionable
right, apply what true AmericAn principles
you wiil--any principle that an American
wopld publicly ayow. The people Of Mexico
have not been suffered to own their own
siders, men out Of other nations and with
interests too often alien. to their. own. have
dictated what their privileges and oppor-
nunities should be and who should control
their land, their lives, and theft resources
some OF them Americans, pressing for things
they could never have got In their own couri-
try. The Mexican people are entitled to at
tempt their liberty from such influences; I;
and 30 long as have anything to do with
the aetion OF our great government shall
DO everything IN my power to prevent any
tns IN. LANDING N their way. ! know that
stand; but i is not hard for the plain peo-
pie OF the United States TO understand. It
Ia hard doctrine only for those who wish to
get something for themselves out Of Mexico.
There are men, and noble women. too, not
fortunes are invested In great properties in
Mexico who yet see the case with true
vision and assess It's issues with true Aneri-
can feeling. The rest can be left for the
present out OF the reckoning until this en-
shaved people hss had its day Of strussie
who was free from such influences propose
b. the United States with the
internal affairs Of Mexico. Certainly no
friend Of the Mexican people has pro-
posed II. ~
"Unspeakable" Huerta.
The people Of the United States are capable
Of great sympathies and noble pity IN deal
ing with problems OF this kind. As their
spokesman and representative, i have tried
e ts,,. act n the spirit they would wish me
for. the rights that are fundamental to lie
and happiness--15. 100000 oppressed men,
overburdened women, and pitiful children in
virtual bondage in their own home Of fertile
lands and inexhaustible treasured Some Of
the leaders of the revolution may often have
been mistaken and violent and selfish but
the revolution itself was inevitable and il
right. Tho uuspeakable Huerta betrayed the
very comrades he served. traitorousy over.
threw the government of which he was a
trusted part. impudently. spoke for the very
ion with which he had pretended to sympa.
hize. The men who overcame him and drove
lin out represent at least the fierce passion
i rsconstruction which lies at the very heart
u liberty; and SO long. as they represent,
lcwever imperfectIy, such a struggle for de-
iverance, am ready to serve their ends
shen / can. So long as the power Of rscos.
lltlon rests with me-. the government Of the
United States will refuse TO extend the hand
n welcome to any one who obtains power in
!, sister republic by treachery and violence.
NJ rsp"se ssp & e ,s1 ,Ss ssrs
md asssssinktion, declared that 10 .bef!!
he policy Of this administration with}hgl
hree weeks after assumed the presidency5l
here again vow II. / am more interested
n the fortunes Of oppressed men and pitifuI
lights Whatever. Mistakes / have no doubt
made In this perplexing business, but not
n purpose or object. 80
Day Of Test Has Come.
More is involved than the immediate desti-
lies Of Mexico and the relations of the |
United States with distressed and dis !
racted people. All America looks on. Test
. now being made Of us whether we be sin
,cre lovers Of popular liberty or not and
ire indeed to be trusted TO respect national
overeignty among our weaker neishbors.
'lay big brother to the republics Of this
hemisphere. i This Is the day Of our test
whether We mean. or have ever meant. to
,lay that part for our own benefit wholly |
,r also for theirs. Upon the outcome OF
hat test tits outcome In their minds, not
n ours) depends every relationship Of the
United States with Latin America, whether |
n politics or In commerce and enterprise. |
These are great issues and lie at the heart |
u the gravest tasks Of the future, tasks |
10Th economic and political and very inti-
nately inwrousht with many Of the most |
,ital OF the new issues Of the politics Of /
he world. The republics Of America have |
n the last three years been drawing to-
rether In q new spirit OF accommodation. |
mutual understanding, and cordial cooper
ltion. Much Of the politics Of the world |
n the years TO come will depend upon their
elationship with one another II 10 . bar |
en- and provincial statesmanship that loses
light Of such thlngsl
The future. the immediate future, will bring |
is squarely face TO face with many great and
,xaeting problems which will search US
through and through whether we be ahlc
md ready to play the part In the world that |
se mean to play. It will not bring US into their