The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1919-07-28

NuuhlIUN UEmhNuS
v|RIlE AMERICANISM
Washington.-The Republican Pub
licity Association, through its Presi-
dent, Hon. Jonathan Bourne, Jr., to-
day gave out the following statement
from its Washington Headquarters
1.-THE Mexican situation grows daily
more threatening. Closely following
the murder of an American citizen in
the Tampico district, comes the report
of an attack on a party Of American
soldiers in uniform and occupying a
boat flying the American flag. This
latest insult took place within three
miles of the town of Tampico, where
1t is estimated 1900 Carranza soldiers
are stationed. Doubtless immediate
demands will be made by the United
States for an explanation and an apo
logy, which may or may not be forth
coming. But, in any event, these most
recent manifestations are merely two
more incidents in the ding and I'M
broken record of murders, confisca-
lions, and insults to everything Amer
lean that has marked Mexico's rela-
lions with this country since the down
fall of the Diez regime and the inau-
guration of the Wilson policy OF
watchful waiting. That policy has
been interpreted by the Mexicans as
standing invitation to commit any
excess they pleased against citizens
of the United States, and 1t will be so
treated just so long as 1t continues
to prevent retaliatory measures by
this country.
"Is It not about time to call halt,
and return to the only honorable
course that self-respecting nation
can follow, that of extending the pro-
lection of the American flag to every
citizen wherever he may be? There Is
no doubt that patriotism is decidedly
on the wane in this country. From
every side come muttearings of dis
content. Societies of various sorts
and of differing creeds on some sub
iects are united in attacks upon the
existing government and demands tor
its overthrow. The mails are hlleo
with their propaganda, and new pup
locations are springing up almost eV'
cry day for the spread of their doc
trines. Members of those organiza
tions see in our Federal Government
merely an institution for the leavyint
of killing taxes; for the commander
ling and withholding from private con
sumption of great quantities of food
clothing, and other necessities of life
for seeking to guarantee; and for aid
ing in and making certain the success
of huge loans by a combination o
American bankers to newly created
and irresponsible European states
While the Government is engaged IL
those activities the people witness TIT
wanton murder of our citizens at oul
very door, accompanied by the whole
sale destruction of American property
and repeated insults to our flag. II
there little wonder that with those
facts before them some classes of oul
people are insistent for a change?
what this country needs above any
other one thing is stimulation to Its
patriotism. Let the people see in
their Government an organization
whose sole object is the maintenance
of the welfare of the citizen and the
protection of his life and property
and it will receive ungrudging support
from the public. Let those qualities
be lacking, and in their stead appear
the interests enumerated above, and
the Government will surely lose the
support Of the people, without which
it cannot survive.
Zone of the most positive steps we
can take toward the rejuvenation OF
national pride is the adoption of a
Mexican policy that will have for Its
objects the protection of American life
and property and the establishment OF
law and order in that distracted coun-
try. We need buth to repeat our rec
ord in Cuba, where we staid only long
enough to put the country firmly on
its feet, and provide for the continu-
ance of orderly government Such an
attitude toward Mexico would do more
than any other thing to amalgamate
the varying schools of thought in this
country, and win the confidence and
respect of other nations"