Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1920-07-29
RECOGNITION OF MEXICO


entire propriety of Mr.. Feltcher's
warning against premature recogni-
ton of the new government of Mex
leo. That is not because of any
question of the undesirability of
premature recognition, but rather
because of the meaning which Mr..
Fletcher seems to attach to the
word spremature." He would make
even de factor recognition condi-
tional upon Mexico's granting GER
tain demands concerning the rights
of American citizens in that coun-
try, and certain claims made by
them against its government. There
can be little il any doubt that the
United States should insist upon
those demands, and that Mexico
should grant them. But it will not
escape notice that to make the
granting of them a prerequisite of
recognition would be to depart wide
ly from the traditional policy of this
government and to establish a new
precedent OF dubious propriety.
Thomas Jefferson, early in our ma
tional lie, set forth the principles
which should govern us in the recog-
milton OF new goernment in other
lands. Writing to Gouverneur
Morris at Paris in 1892, with refer
ence to recognition of the new regi-
me in France, he said: 1T accords
with our principles 10 acknowledge
any government to be righful which
Is formed by the will of the nation,
substantially declared" And again
in 1898: ''rhe will of the nation is
rho nnlv ESSENTIAL thipu RI ha
garded." That rule prevailed then,
and it has prevailed ever since, ex-
eepting under the present administra-
ton, whose rule seems to have been:
The will of the president of the
United States is the only essential
thing to be regarded"
We should, of course, greatly re-
greet to see in Mexico a government
unfriendly to the united States, or
one disinclined to treat our citizens
fairly and justly. Yet it must be
confessed that those undesirable
qualities would not disQualify it for
recognition both de facto and de
jure, so long as it was a government
formed by the will of the nation,
substantially declared" Frankly,
il the Mexicans' want a government
unfriendly to US and unjust to our
citizens, they have right to it, and
are entitled to have it recognized as
their legitimate and authoritative
government. We do not think that
their present new government is of
that kind. But II it were, so long
as it was constituted according to
their will, it would be our duty to
FnanOnfzn 10 ha dor
we were compelled to cease relations
with 1t or even to declare war against
it.
That would obviously be the
course incumbent upon US, as a mat
ter of principle and theory. 1t would
be equally incumbent upon us on
the most practical grounds, for the
reason that we cannot effectively re-
monstrate with or negotiate with a
government unless We have first rec
ognized 1t as a valid government. II
We have Legitimate claims against
Mexico, as we doubtless have, and II
Mexico in constitution, laws, or prac-
tice treats US or menaces US with in
justice, we should of course do some
thing specific, vigorous, and effective
in the matter. But in order to do
so we must first recognize some gov
eminent in that country as respon-
sible and authentic. Recognition,
1t must be remembered, does not
necessarily imply approval. All that
we need to wait for in the case of
Mexico is to ascertain whether the
new government is constituted by the
will of the nation-not the United
States, but the Mexican nation. II
We are satisfied that it is thus consti-
tuted, 1t will not be premature for us
to recognize that government as val
i'd and authoritative, and to be held
accountable to this country for any
legitimate grievances which it may
infiict upon us.