The Washington times., 1916-01-18
STATEMENT BY KENT.

are generous and kindly, and can only
be handled by those who understand
their racial traits and their position
In the line of evolution of the races
If they are granted reasonable OPP
portunity to develop along their own
lines they cannot be considered as
hopeless. but as a people who viii
make worthy dwellers in the country
that from time immemorial they have
cultivated and inhabited.
I'm the broad, general lines indicated,
the present Administration has worked
toward the welfare Of Mexico. 1t may
be that we have placed our bets on the
wrong horse. l opposed the capture OF
Vera Cruz as an act of war. l opposed
its being given UP to Carranza, man
then believed to be inadequate to car
ry out tho burden of benevolent des-
potism. necessary in Mexico. But Of far
greater Importance than these passing
matters Is the policy. broad and ade
quate, that the Mexican people should
not only be permitted. but should be
aided in settling their own matters their
own way That Americans investing
In Mexico should take as their possible
risk the danger Of revolution. and that
/ in Mexico, that nationality shall be
permitted to work out for itself its
own destiny Just as we demand in our
own country the right to work out our
own QeSIl0y, complaints OF OIner ma
tons to the contrary notwithstanding.
When the time comes that we as
sumo the right to govern and to regu-
late Mexico, Just that moment Ber-
nardi. tha prophet OF JunkerPan-1er-
manism,' will have the right to demand
that we submit to the German idea of
| kultur,' whatever that may mean.
Like Crimes Here.
''It is natural and proper to resent the
1R
not averse to a scrap. personally feel
a desire to get into this row: but when
remember the murder OF Cinnamon in
, Wyoming, which was without cause OF
| excuse; when 1 remember other crimes
against these fnoffensive people that
wero committed in my own State: and
when remember what / considered to
be and still consider to be the justi-
fable killing of lot OF Italians Of the
Malia, in New Orleans, and realize how
our country held back and placed these
crimes on the threshold of the States,
and how angry we all were at the as
sumption of foreign governments that
our Federal Government should take
upon itself the responsibility for these
outrages, then l am compelled to re-
alize that, however horrible the offeRse
OF the irresponsible bandits in Mexico
may have been, we in our national ca
pacity, can do no more than our Ad-
ministration is now doing, and that ID
to demand of the authorities in Mexico
due diligence in the pursuit and punish
ment of those guilty of this offense
"As suggested in the telegram, have
every reason to believe what every
other person conversant with Mexican
affairs must be forced to believe, that
the murders are d deliberate attempt Ia
involve our Federal Government In q
contest with Carranza. | know some OF
| the men that were killed, and know
| that some of them were personal friends
of Villa. 1t is a matter OF common
knowledge that Villa and his friends
/ will do anything in their power to in
volve our Government In a struggle
against CarranZa. For the reasons
above expressed, and from knowledge
/ of the situation, / would ask the Ameri-
can public to refrain from a course that
! is in the obvious interest OF trouble
makers in this country, whether they
! agree with William Randolph Hearst
with his millions invested in Mexico
that will be vastly multiplied should in
/ tervention occur, or With Theodore
Roosevelt, who Is opposed and always
will be opposed to any one who occupies
/ the Presidential chair, which he be-
lieves to be his peculiar perquisite.
| WILLIAM KENT"