The log cabin Democrat., 1916-04-08

tervention or not, for conditions are far from being identical. Even if war is declared there will scarcely be basis for comparison between the coming conflict and that of nearly three-quarters of a century back.
 Rightly or wrongly, the war of the '4Os has been called one of conquest By the terms of settlement the United States increased its area one-third. There is no disputed territory over which to fight now. no Texas question, no thought of annexing any land.
 But students of history, forever searching for analogous situations, need not despair. Mexico for many years before the war was as troublous and upset, as uncongenial neighbor as she has been In recent years. She witnessed the meteoric rise of dic- tator, the sudden collapse of his power and finally his exile She saw up- risings and embryonic revolutions without number, each leaving her weaker than before.
 Unofficial diplomatists were sent to Mexico long before the days of John Lind and William Bayard Hale. Nor is watchful waiting policy on the part of the United States a new thing. As early as 1917, when the propriety of recognizing the independence of the former Spanish colony in Mexico was being discussed, Richard Rush, then President Monroe's secretary of state, said in a state paper:
 Maintained Strict Neutrality.
 'It seems to be incumbent on the United States to watch the movement (for freedom in Mexico) in it's subse- quent steps with particular attention, with view to pursue such course as a just regard for all those considera- tions which they are bound to respect may dictate"
 In message after message Monroe reiterated his determination to main tain strict neutrality and to recognize the independence of the Spanish colonies when, but only when, the fact of independence was convincingly established. Not until 1922 did the United States send a minister to the capital of the new government.
 For twenty years before the war Texas had been source of almost constant trouble. This vast domain had been included in the Louisiana purchase, but the United States yield ed it's claim in treaty with Spain in order to obtain the whole of Florida. Texas had been settled largely by Southerners and it was inevitable that the slavery question should come to the fore.
 AS province Texas was subjected to the hazards of an i'll defined and tributary jurisdiction by military off, cers, to rule by government which was utterly out of touch with the wants and necessities of her people. Finally the residents formed new constitution and in 1886 the great Southwestern territory seeded from Mexico
 The attitude of the United States toward Mexico with relation to Texas was for a long time exactly what it had been toward Spain with regard to the Mexican states. Jackson was known to sympathize with the Texas insurgents, but a historian records that he was restrained from taking drastic action by an honorable sense of what the international obligations of the United States demanded,
 Despite his well earned reputation as a belligerent some of Jackson s messages read as if they had been written in 1915 or even so recently as early in the present year. In one in which he called attention to claims long held against Mexico by this gov ernment for property seized and bod lily injuries inflicted he said;
 Acted With Forbearance.
 'I trust, however, by tempering firmness with courtesy and acting with great forbearance upon every incident that has occurred or that may happen to do and to obtain jus tice, and thus avoid the necessity of again bringing this subject to the view of congress-"
 Two months later (February 6 1S37) he wrote:
 The length of time since some oi the injuries have been committed, the repeated and unavailing applications for redress, the wanton character oi some of the outrages upon the prop erty and persons of our citizens, upon the officers and flag of the United States, independent of recent insults to this government and people by the late extraordinary Mexican minister would justify, in the eyes of all na tions. immediate war"
 That remedy. however" Genera Jackson added, should not be used by just and generous nations, con fiding in their strength, for injuries committed. if it can be honorably avoided"
 There were few important develop ments in the administration of Var Buren or in Harrison's one month in the presidential chair, but 1S4; produced an incident of a nature witt