Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1916-04-14

upon TIC vast territory Hf
uudcfended wealth oi iae
Have we still national M
anybody live fnr .cu. s,4
body die for them: Or afv H
ease and coi1.srt ul Wc-ia
price, Confronted iy sGel le-il.
as these aul the practical lH
which tite lisc 10 Them. j., @ unuA
try satisfied 10 trust Itself ae ia in fhe
hands ~ the Hcrrltir lmrigt
Inrpotcns Interference in mosi=o.
The United States bad rights and
duties in Mexico. More than i0Dl of
our citizens had sought their fortunes
and made their homes there 4 thod-
sand millions Of American capiinl had
been Invested IN th1t productive com
try. liut revolution lad come, ami
factionai 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 dangcr. That was the
situation when Mr. Wilson became
president IN March. 1913 His duty
then was plain. It 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 aud stlpulati0ns OF
treaties should be observed by Mexico
toward the United States and its clti
zens. His duty was. second as The
head Of a foreign power to respect Che
Independence Of Mexico. 10 refrain
from all Interference with her internal
Affairs. from all attempt al domna
tion 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. lie deliberately ahau-
doned them both and followed an en-
tirely different and Inconsistent pur
{ pose lie intervenel In Mexico to aid
one faction in civil strife against an
other He undertook TO pull down
Huerta and set CarWnZa un 10 lis
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, and
hold 1t and throttle Mexican commerce
until Huerta fell
Americans Outraged In Me~ieo.
The government of the United States
interyened in Mexico to control the il-
ternal affairs of that independent coin
try and to enforce the viii Of the
American president In those affairs by
threat, by economic pressure aud by
force Of arms. Upon what claim Of
right did this Intervention proceed!
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 be
made for protection Of life or property
That was the only power which. in
fact, did protect either American or
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 unbrldled license. Amer
| leans and Mexicans alike were at their
mercy. and American men were mnr-
| 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 men
and the rape OF American women and
destruction of American property and
4 insult to American officers and deiile.
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
Carranza and Villa would give them
these things. We must all sympathize
with these sentiments, but there is
nothing more dangerous than mis-
| placed sentiment.