Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 240, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 October 1916 — WILSON'S PERU PROTEGE IS WORSE THIN HUERTA [ARTICLE]

WILSON'S PERU PROTEGE IS WORSE THIN HUERTA

Recognized Benavides as President After He Had Obtained Power In a Sister Republic by Treachery and Violence. ACT DOES NOT SQUARE WITH SMUG DICTUM IN HIS SPEECH Latin American Diplomats Amazed When They Road the President’s Explanation of His Mexican Policy—lnformed Their Governments That Mr. Wilson's Psrsonal Whims Doubtless Wore to Be His Guides In Conducting This Government's Latin American Policy. Latin American diplomats are arnuz ed at the statement in President AV.Uson'a speech of acceptance: “So long as the power of recognition rests with me, the government of the United States will refuse to extend the hand of welcome to any one who obtains power In a sister republic by treachery and violence.” This Is the president’s explanation of his refusal to recognize Huerta and of his Mexican policy. Yet the records show that President Wilson has deliberately violated this dictum in several Instances since the casex>f Huerta arose.

The most flagrant example was the president’s recognition extended to Colonel Benavides, head of the revolutionary government in Peru, in February, 1914. His government was founded on assassination, established by assassination and had no vestige of constitutional authority back of it. It came into power on Feb. 4, 1914, when Colonel Benavides . led the garrison troops against the national palace at Lima, imprisoned President Billinghurst and assassinated the minister of war and all others who opposed the coup d'etat More Flagrant Than Mexico. Minister McMillin reported these facts fully to Washington and assumed A that this government would decline to sanction the newly established regime. The case was identical with the Huerta case in Mexico, except a much more flagrant violation Of the spirit of popular government Huerta had Madero and Vice President Suarez Imprisoned, but he became president of Mexico under provisions of the constitution providing for the succession of the minister of foreign atialrs upon the disability of the president Huerta’s accession to the presidency was confirmed by the Mexican congress.

Benavides came into power simply by killing those who opposed him. His acts had no basis whatever in the constitution of the country and werenot confirmed by the Peruvian congress. His sole backing was a junta of conspirators, which forced their will on the unapproving people by means of ready rifle bullets. Under these circumstances Minister McMillin naturally assumed that President Wilson would have nothing to do with Benavides and his junta. The president shortly before this had stated Ut a speech at Mobile, Ala.: "We must follow the course of high principle, not expediency, no matter what the pressure. To do otherwise would be untrue to ourselves.” . Envoy Is Surprised. Mr. McMillin was therefore mildly surprised when he was Instructed by President Wilson to call on the newly established Benavides and graciously confer the recognition of the United States Government upon him. In explaining this the President simply said that "expediency dictated the recognition of the revolutionary government of Peru." He told his advisers that he had not liked the personality of Billinghurst fie was chagrined also with the news that Billinghurst bad intended to dissolve the Peruvian congress, which the President said would have been an unconstitutional l act lAtin American diplomats at the time were astounded to learn of the President's action in Peru. They found that it was impossible to know where the president stood on any matter of prindple and Informed their governments that the President’s personal whims doubtless were to be his guidance in conducting this government’s—Latin American policy.