Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 September 1916 — OUR MEXICAN POLICY BASED ON HUMANITY [ARTICLE]

OUR MEXICAN POLICY BASED ON HUMANITY

How the President Has Upheld a Small Nation’s Right to Control Its Affairs. RESISTED WAR PRESSURE » ' - • ", Determined That America’s Sister Republic Shall Be Permitted to Work Out Its Problem of Freedom and Self-Government. “President Wilson’s faith in democracy, and the unselfishness of the United States in international dealings, have been strikingly expressed in his Mexican policy. “The President’s demand for Mexico is—Justice." The larger phases of the relations of the United States with Mexico during President Wilson’s Administration as well as an interesting and complete narrative of events are presented authoritatively in the Mexican chapter of the Democratic National Text Book, from which these quotations are made: “Two considerations have animated the President in the formulation of ids Mexican policy and have compelled his adherence to it throughout his Administration, namely: “The firm conviction that all nations, both the weak and the powerful, have the inviolable right to control their internal affairs. “The belief, established upon the history of the world, that Mexico will never become a peaceful and law-abid-ing neighbor of the United States until she has been permitted to' achieve a permanent and basic settlement of her troubles without outside interference

“The Mexican problem in its present form has existed for the American Government ever since our frontier was extended to the Rio Grande. When the people maintained the peace it was because they were forced to do so, and not because justice reigned in the land. Thus it was that the history of Mexico, like the history of every aspiring people, pressed upon President Wilson’s consideration the truth that no permanent good relations could exist between this great Northern Republic and the one immediately Soijth of us until she had been left free to put her house in order, however painful that process might be and whatever the demands It might make upon the forbearance of the United States.” “There was a powerful pressure for war—a terrible war—by a well-armed powerful nation against an unarmed, bankrupt people exhausted by five years of civil strife, but who still retained enough of patriotic feeling to unify them against an invader. It was the old, old question whether the United States should impose a peace on Mexico; whether, for the sake of the Interests of a few of its citizens, it should permanently suppress Mexico’s upreaching toward freedom and self-government.”

Small Potatoes (By Walt Mason) The man who has a patch of beans, or succotash, or other greens, believes the gods would make a hit if for that patch’s benefit they regulated wind and rain; and when they don’t, it gives him pain. If from his little sooty field he thinao he’ll have a bounteous yield, he doesn’t seem to care a rap how it may fare with t'other chap. Destroying hail may fall and beat the stuffing from a neighbor's wheat, a cloudburst spoils some fellow’s oats, and drowns another’s shorthorn shoteS; or, maybe, just across the way, the lightning hits a stack of hay; and he will view his littlestretch of artichokes, and say (the wretch!), “The climates perfect, 1 maintain; there’s just enough of wind and rain; no man could aak a better show than we are getting here below!” But if his little patch of rape he finds is in unthrifty shape, the fact that neighbors' J ‘crops are fine will not prevent his doleful whine. He is a small bore skate, you say; ah, well, we all are built that way.