Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1916-04-27

IOICCS VI biAhAAiJ PCFNs
hibited In Europe from laying hOiu
upon the vast territory and practcaily
undefended wealth Of the new world!
Have we still national ideals? VIII
anybody live for them? Would any
body die for theml Or are we all for
ease and comfort and wealth at any
price? Confronted by such questions
as these and the practical situations
which give rise to them, is the coun-
trv satisfied to trust itself again In the
hands of the Democratic party?
lmpotent Interference In Mexico.
The United States had rights and
duties In Mexico. More than 10000 or
our citizens had sought their fortunes
and made their homes there. A thou
sand millions OF American capital nad
been invested in that productive coun-
try. But revolution had come, and
factional warfare was rife. Americans
had been murdered, American proper
ty had been wantonly destroyed, the
lives and property Of all Americans In
Mexico were In danger. That was the
situation when Mr. Wilson became
president In March, 1913. His duty
then was plain. 1t was, first, to use
his powers as president to secure pro-
lection for the lives and property OF
Americans in Mexico and to require
that rules of law and stlpulations OF
trpates should be observed by Mexico
toward the United States and its citl-
zens His duty was, second, as tne
head Of foreign power to respect the
independence of Mexico, to refraln
from all interference with her Internal
affairs, from all attempt at DONNA
ton except as he was justified by the
law OF nations for the protection OF
American rights. The president OF the
United States failed to observe either
Of those duties. He deliberately aban-
doned them both and followed an en-
tlrelv different and inconsistent pur-
nose He interviewed In Mexico to AID
one faction In civil strife against an
other He undertook to pull down
Huerta and set Carranza up In bis
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 and cap
ture its great seaport, Vera Cruz, ana
hold it and throttle Mexican commerce
until Huerta fell.
Americans Outraged In Mexico.
The government of the United States
interviewed in Mexico to control the In
ternal affairs of that Independent coun-
try and to enforce the will OF the
American president in those affairs BY
threat, by economic pressure and by
force of arms. Upon what claim OF
right did this intervention proeeedl
Not to secure respect for American
rights. not to protect the lives or prop
erty of our citizens, not to assert the
laws of nations, not to compel obserV'
ance of the law of humanity. On the
contrary, Huerta's was the only power
in Mexico to which appeal could DC
made for protection of life or property
That was the only power which, IL
fact, did protect either American oil
European or 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 theil
mercy, and American men were muir
dered and American women were out
ragged with impunity. Thousands were
reduced to poverty by the wanton de
struction of the industries through
which they lived. Yet the government
of the United States ignored, con
doned, the murder of American mer
and the rape of American women ano
destruction Of American property and
insult to American officers and detile
ment Of the American flag and Joined
itself to the men who were guilty OF
all these things to pun down the pow
err of Huerta. why? The presiden
himself has told us. 1t was because
he adjudged Huerta to be usurper
because he deemed that the common
people of Mexico ought to have great
err participation in government anC
share in the land, and he believed tina
| Carranza and villa would give then
these things. We must all sympathiz'
with these sentiments, but there i
nothing more dangerous than mis-
placed sentiment.
When our army landed at Vera CRU
Carranza himself, who was to be thu
chief beneficiary Of the act, publicl.
protested against 1t. SO strong wa
the resentment that he could not hav'
kept his followers otherwise. Whei
Huerta had fallen the new government
which for the day had succeeded +
his place peremptorily demanded tn
withdrawal Of the American troops
The universal sentiment Of Mexican
required the peremptory demand, an