The Coconino sun., 1916-10-13

the sentiment of patriotism" call your attention to the fact that I take this statement from one of the most prominent Wilson papers. Presid
 Wilson refused to speak in Independ- ence Hall on the one hundred and twenty-eight anniversary of the sign ing of the Declaration of Independ- ence in that hall, and he so refused because inasmuch as over one hun dred of our men, women and children had just been murdered on the high seas he regarded as "the very moment when he would not care to arouse the sentiment of patriotism" Mr. Wilson has positive genius for striking when the iron is cold and fearing to strike when the iron is hot. If one hundred and twenty-eight years ago Washington and Jefferson, and the other men who signed the Declaration of Independence had felt the same way about patriotism, and the same way about fighting as MT. Wilson does, we would never have had a country. Had Lincoln felt the same way, there would be no such thing as the American republic now in exist ence.
 Most assuredly, my fellow country men, the American republic will not live, and will not deserve to live, if for the views of the men who signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, we substitute as the basis of national action the views of the president who, one hundred and twenty-eight years later, declined to speak in commemoration of the day, because in dangerous crisis it seem ed to his cold heart unwise "to arouse the spirit of patriotism"
 As to Deposed Huerta
 The other day, discussing his re- fusal to recognize Huerta, President Wilson said in his speech of accept ance that he would recognize any title based upon intrigue and assas- sination," and that he would refuse to extend the hand of welcome to any one who obtains power in a sister re- public by treachery and violence" {" Fine words; only, as usual, they are contradicted by MT. Wilson's deeds. Let this statement about Huerta be tested by MT. Wilson's record in ex- actly similar cases when dealing with other men. In February, 1914, at the very time he was refusing to recogn- ize Huerta in Mexico, President Will son recognized Colonel Benavides in Peru; although Benavides had obtain ed his power by the exact. means which MT. Wilson denounced in the case of Huerta. The government of Benavides was founded on assassina- ton, and had no vestige of constitu- tional authority back of it. It came into power in February, 1914, whc Colonel Benavides led the garrison troops against the presidents palace, imprisoned the president and assasi ated the minister of war, and various others. Minister McMillan reported these facts fully to the president. The case against Benavides was far more fragrant than that against Huerta but President Wilson boldly extend ed the hand of welcome to the man who obtained power in sister repub- lie by treachery and violence, and whose title was based upon assasina- tion and intrigue" It is absolutely impossible to accept Mir. Wilson's statement as a justification in the case of Huerta, unless we admit that that very statement irretrievably con demns him in the case of Benavides. The only other explanation is that Mir. Wilson's statement in the Huerta matter was not intended to cores pond with the facts, but merely to in. press well-meaning persons who were ignorant of the facts.
 In both San Domingo and Haiti President Wilson intervened by force on behalf of men who had obtained power precisely as Mir. Huerta obtain ed it. Indeed, in the case of Haiti President Zamor was guilty of fai worse conduct. But San Domingo and Haiti were weak and President Wilson was willing to act as regards them as he did not venture to act ir Mexico.