THE 8EMI-WEEKI.V TRintINF NOPTH PI ATTP mcrpaoka
WHEN THE UNITED
History That Is Not Likely to Repeat Itself if Pursuit of Villa Ex
tends to Active Intervention Conditions Then and Now Are
Far From Being Identical Texas a Source of Constant
Trouble Previous to the War With Mexico
Washington. It la seventy yearn
sinco the- start of tho Mexican war of
1846-7. History Is not going to repeat
Itsolf this year, whother there Is In
tervention or not, for conditions are
far from bolng Identical. Even If war
1b declared there will scarcely bo a
basis for comparison liotweon tho
coming conflict and that of nearly
three-quarters of a century back.
nightly or wrongly, tho war of tho
'40s has boon called ono of conquest.
By tho terms of settlement tho United
StatoB Increased Its area ono-thlrd.
Thero Is no disputed territory ovor
which to fight now, no Toxas question,
no thought of annexing any land.
Dut studontB of history, forever
searching for analogous situations,
need not despair. Mexico for many
years before tho war was as troublous
and upset, as uncongenial a neighbor
nn sho has been In recent years. Sho
witnessed the meteoric rlso of a dic
tator, tho sudden collapse of his power
and finally his exllo. Sho saw up
risings nnd embryonic revolutions
without number, each leaving her
weakor than before,
Unofficial diplomatists wero sent to
Mexico long before tho days of John
Llnd and William Bayard Halo. Nor
is a watchful waiting policy on tho
part of tho United StutoB a now thing.
As early as 1817, when tho propriety
of recognizing tho Independence of tho
former Spanish colony In Moxlco was
bolng discussed, Richard Rush, then
President Monroo's secretary of state,
said In a state paper:
Maintained Strict Neutrality.
"It seems to bo Incumbent on tho
United States to watch tho movement
(for freedom In Mexico) In Us subse
quent stops with reticular attontlon,
with a vlow to pursue such courso as
a Just regard for all thoso considera
tions which they aro bound to respect
may dictate"
In mcssago aftor message Monroo
reiterated his determination to main
tain strict neutrality and to recognlzo
tho indopondonco of tho Spanish
colonics whon, but only when, tho fact
of Indopondonco was convincingly
established. Not until 1822 did tho
United Status send a minister to tho
capital of tho now government.
For twouty years before tho war
Texas had beon n sourco of( almost
constant trouble This vast domain
had beon Included in tho Louisiana
purchaso, but tho United Statos ylold
ed Us claim In a treaty with Spain In
ordor to obtain tho whole of Florida.
Texas had been scttlod largely by
Southornors and It was Inevitable that
tho slavery question should como to
tho foro
Ab a provlnco Texas was subjoctcd
to tho hazards of an 111 dollnod and
tributary Jurisdiction by military ofll
cora, (o rulo by a govornmont which
was uttorly out of touch with tho
'wants nnd nocossltlos of her pooplo.
.Finally tho residents formed a now
constitution and In 1836 tho groat
PouthwoQtcrn torrltory seceded from,
Mexico.
Tho attitude of tho United States
toward Moxlco with relation to Texas
waB for a long tlmo exactly what It
had boon toward Spain with regard
to tho Mexican Btatos. Jackson was
known to sympathize with tho Toxas
insurgents, but a historian records
that ho avos restrained from taking
drastic action by an honorablo sonso
of what tho International obligations
of tho United Statca domandod.
Desplto his woll earned reputation
as a belligerent Bomo of Jackson's
mossagau road as If thoy had boon
written in 1916 or oven bo recently
as early In tho present yoar. In ono
In which ho called attention to claims
long hold against Moxlco by this gov
ornmont for property solzed and bod
ily injuries infllctod ho said:
Acted With Forbearance.
"I trust, however, by tomporlng
firmness. With courtesy and acting
with Great forbearance upon overy
incident thnt has occurred or that
may happen, to do and to obtain Jus
tlco, and thus avoid tho necessity
of again bringing this subject to the
vlow of congress."
Two months lator (February 0,
1837) ho wroto:
, "Tho length of tlmo since somo of
tho injuries have boon committed, the
repeated and unavailing applications
for rodress, tho wanton charactor of
somo of tho outrages upon tho prop
erty and persons of our citizens, upon
tho officers and flag of tho United
Stoles, Independent of rocont Insults
to this govornmont ami pooplo by tho
lato extraordinary Moxlcan mlntstor,
would Justify, In tho eyes of all na
tions, Immediate war."
"That remedy, howovor,' General
Jackson addod, "should not bo uaod
by Just and gouerous nations, con
fiding in tholr strength, for Injuries
committed, If It can bo honorably
avoided."
There wero fow Important develop
ments in tho administration of Van
Huron or In Harrison's ono mouth
In thi presidential chair,, but 1843
produced nn incldont of a nature with
which studcntB of rocont American
hlfitory aro familiar. Daniel Webster,
Tyler's secretary of stato, resigned
after having sorvod a little more thun
two year'
STATES il
110
IN
Ho had been out of harmony with
tho president and tile fellow cabinet
mombors. In particular ho had stood
alono In opposing tho policy of Texan
annexation, which by this tlmo had
becomo an Important Ibbuo. "How
ever," Bays Georgo Lockhart Rives,
"ho and President Tyler parted with
mutual and ovldently slncero oxpres
bIoiib of confidence and good will."
Ono can Imagine tho number of "Ood
bless yous."
Two International questions de
manded much attontlon In tho cam
paign of 1844, In which James K.
Polk and Henry Clay disputed tho
presidency. Mexico was showing a
determination to contest tho boundary
claim of Texns and meauwhllo thero
was a threat of war with Great
Ilritaln.
Tho limits of tho so-called Oregon
country, llko thoso of Toxas, had
novcr boon definitely fixed. England
claimed territory as far south as tho
Columbia rlvor, whllo tho United
States set tho parallol of CI degrees
40 minutes, passing north of Queen
Charlotto Island, as tho boundary.
Polk's party, tho Democratic, coupled
"tho reoccupatlon of Oregon" with
"tho rcannoxatlon of Texas" and
"Flfty-four-Forty or Fight!" becanfo
tho campaign cry.
Badly Muddled Problem.
So Polk, llko Wilson, not only fell
holr to a badly muddled Mexican prob
lem but was to bo threatened with
war with a nation acroBS tho Atlantic.
Notes woro oxchanged with Groat
Britain, mutual concessions wore mado
nnd In 1846 a treaty was drawn defi
nitely fixing the prcgon boundary. By
a suggostlvo coincidence tho practical
abandonment of tho claim for the
54-40 lino was contemporaneous with
tho start of tho Moxlcan war. Tho
rosolutlon of notlco to London was
passed by both houses of congress
April 23, 1846, and on tho next day
tho first blood was shed In tho contest
with tho southern republic.
Tho United Stntos had formally an
nexed Texas March 3, 184G, tho last
day of Tylor's administration. Mox
lco had given warning that 8ho would
regard such a move as an act of war
and diplomatic relations with Wash
ington woro sovered at onco.
William 8. Parrott. nn Amorlcan
dentist living In Moxlco, abandoned
tho practlco of his profession long
enough to suggest peaco terms, but
Moxlco repulsed his advnncos. Par
rott was a socrot agent of tho United
Statos govornmont. In tho samo
year John M. Sltdell, a congressman
from Louisiana, was sent to Moxlco
city as minister. Ho found a violent
factional contost raging, with no ono
In authority willing to rocolvo him,
bo ho returned to Washington.
It wsb this samo Slldoll who years
lator whllo going as a confidential
commissioner from tho Confedorato
govornmont to Franco was solzed
aboard tho British merchant ship
Trent. In a short tlmo tho United
States Burrendorod him and James M.
Mason, commUslonor to England, bo
causo tho neutral rights of England
had boon transgressed,
During tho preceding wlntor and
aprlng an Amorlcan force commanded
by Gen. Zachary Taylor had boon mov
ing westward along tho Rio Grande,
and lato In March It halted oppoBlto
Matamoros nnd orocted flold works.
Tho Moxlcan commandor, Gonoral Am
pudla. notified Gonoral Taylor on April
12 that ho must break up camp within
twenty-four hours nnd rotlro boyomt
tho Nueces river; othorwlso "arms
SPANISH BEAUTY
Mmo. Cundru, wlfo of Joaquin Cua
dra. Bocretary of tho Nlcaracunn loKa
tlon, and daughter of tho Nlcaraguan
secretary of stato, la ono of tho most
nuractivo or Washington's diplomatic
hostessoa. Her beauty is of pro
nouncod Spanish typo.
BACK
46
: f-
and arms nloni must dcldo tho quea'
tlon.' According to Mexico's per-
slstont roproflpntailojiB, tho Nuecos
was tho western boundary of Texas
and tho territory between that rlvor
and tho Rio Grando was a part of tho
Moxlcan domain. Taylor consequently
was regarded an an Invndor.
Taylor Acts Promptly.
Tho American gonoral did not reply
to tho ultimatum. On April 24 the
Moxlcan lcador advised him that ho
"considered hostilities commenced and
should proBecuto them." Almost Im
mediately Taylor sent a forco up the
RIo Grando to ascertain If Moxlcans
had crossed tho river. Thla forco was
engaged and forced to surrender.
Then tho Amorlcan congress author
ized tho president to raise a forco of
CO.O0O men "war oxlsted by tho act of
Mexico," tho preamble to tho bill set
forth and on Mny 13 the two repub
lics wore declared to bo nt war.
Taylor, advancing southwurd, won
victory after victory, tho most notnblo
resulting In tho enpturo of Montoroy,
Soptembor 24, 1846. That autumn part
of his army was taken from him to ro
enforco Gen. Winflold Scott, and Santa
Anna, commanding tho Moxlcan army,
seeing his wenkoned condition, deter
mined to annihilate him. Ho pushed
northward, and Taylor, with only 5,01)0
men, fell back to tho pass of Angos
tura, a narrow dofllo In tho mountains
directly In front of Uuena Vista.
On tho morning of Washington
birthday, 1847, Santa Anna, then
within two miles of tho United States
troops, Bent a messengor with tho
ultimatum;
"You aro Burroundcd by 20,000 men
and cannot avoid being cut to pieces.
I wish to savo you this disaster, and
herewith call upon you to surrender "
Taylors reply was characteristic In
brevity and tono: "I decllno to accede
to your request."
For tho whole of ono day tho battle
raged flercoly. Though outnumbered,
tho Americana had tho advantugo of
position and of artillery, and their bat
terlcB swept tho attacking lines from
tho field repeatedly. During tho night
tho Moxlcans retreated. Their casual
ties had numbered 2,000, whllo tho
Americans lost 700 In killed and
wounded. Buona VlBta wont a long
way toward making Taylor president
of tho United States.
In March, 1847, Scott landed near
Vera Cruz with 12,000 men. In n fow
days ho had captured tho castlo and
tho town and soon started on tho
march to tho capital over the" roads
which Cortoz had taken 328 years be
fore. Ho occupied Jalapa, Peroto and
Puobla In turn and on September 14
entered tho city of Moxlco.
Peace Terms Accepted.
President Polk had tried repeatedly
to bring nbout peace. By tho treaty of
Guadalupo Hidalgo Mexico gavo up
tho vast territory of Now Moxlco and
California. Tho cession to tho United
Stntcs added about 1,000,000 square
miles of land, with 5,000 miles of
sea coast and throe great harbors.
Tho United States paid $15,000,000
to Mexico and assumed tho claims
of Amorlcan citizens against tho south
ern republic. Polk considered tho
terms of tho treaty too lenient, but
when ho submitted the document to
tho senato It was ratified,
In overy battle of tho war tho Amor-
leans wero successful. Tho United
States forceB employed In tho Invasion
aggregated about 100,000 men, this
number Including 26,290 regulars and
56,926 volunteers. Ono hundred nnd
twenty ofllcors and 1,400 men fell In
battlo or died from woundB; 100 ofll
cors and 10,S0j0 men died of disease
Approximately 133,200 Moxlcans took
part In tho war and their loss in
killed and wounded was about 8,500.
Throe mon who fought against Mex
lea Taylor, Plerco and Grant bo
camo presidents of tho United States.
Plerco hnd answered tho call for vol
unteers Grant was a young lieutenant
In tho rogular army, only a fow years
out of West Point. Many of tho great
leadors In tho Olvll war owed their
pre eminence In skill and stratogy to
tho training received Just nftor tholr
baptism of flro in Mexico. Jofforson
Davis, who boenmo prosldent of tho
Confederacy, was colonel at tho head
of a regiment of Mississippi Infantry
nt Buona Vista, and Sherman, Thomas
Bragg and Reynolds woro In charge
of butteries.
Curious Political Result.
Tho contest with Mexico had a curi
ous political rosult. For tho first, and
only tlmo In Amorlcan history nn ad
ministration conducting a war which
wan victorious at ovory stop steadily
lost ground with tho people of tho
country. Tho houso of representa
tives which declared war In May 1846,
was Democratic by a largo majority.
Tho houso olectod In tho following No
vember, amid tho shouts of Taylor's
victory at Montoroy, had n decided
Wh.g mnjorlty.
This political revorso has boon as
cribed to threo causes tho ennct
moni of tho tariff of 1846 (thoro may
bo a tariff Ibbuo again this year)
which offended somo of tho manufac
turing IntoroBtB; tho receding of the
administration from tho ground orig
inally taken on tho Oregon boundary
question, and tho widespread appro
honBlon that tho war had boon under
taken for tho purposo of extending
and perpetuating slavory.
It was tho hero of tho war who was
olected presldont In 1848. Polk waB
riot ovon renominated by tho Demo
crats. Llko many mon slnco his tlmo
he had pursued an unwlso courso
toward tho Democratic organization
In Now York and apllt tho party.
Lewis Cass was nominated In his
stead, only to bo beaten by Taylor In
November. Singing:
Plenr tlio trnk If your totjn nro tender,
Tor Honest Zneh can never surrender,
tho Whigs marched to victory.
GOOD
ROADS
PRAISE FOR AMERICAN ROADS
Compare Very Favorably With High
ways of Many European Countries
Much Work In Progress.
"Wo Amorlcans nro prono to over
oatlmato and sometimes to boast of
that which wo have," says J. M.
Llnscott, Now England agent for a
largo motor car company. -"At least
that Is tho accusation mado by our Eu
ropean cousins. I sometimes, wonder
If It Is Just. I wonder if wo do not
more often underestimate our posses
sions and our achievements. We really
aro n wondorful country, vou know.
and with full nllowanco for our short
comings, a wonderful neonlo. too Hn
I rather think wo aro lustlllnil I n nnmn
of our boastfulness. It Ib an attri
bute of youth, and evidence nt a cnnH
healthy youthful enthusiasm.
ApropoB of what?" you aBk.
"Well, of roads, for example.
"Wo aro accustomed to aavlnir thnf
we have tho worst roads In tho world,
and to hold up as an oxamplo of model
roads' tho centuries-old highways of
Europe
"I have found In talklne with Amnrl.
cans who have toured abroad thai
mo3t cf them will glvo as examples
of model highways a few main trav
eled roads. But nsk them about tho
general reads of nny country nnd thov
will either toll you they do not know,
or it perchanco ono hna happened to
lose his way and cot on to mm nt
tho byways, ho will admit that thoy
aro nhout ob bad as has over been
soon In Michigan or Nebraska.
"Your traveled American will ex
patiate at great length on tho wonder
ful roads of France. And they aro
wonderful. That is to say, somo of
them are. At that tho total mllengo
of renlly good roads In that country
1b much less than most people Imag
ine. Wo Journeyed ovor cobblestono
roads that would shako your teeth
looso and that in romantic Nor
mandy, too.
"Tho roads in tho British Isles aro
excellent, but after all New England
has more, and they aro Just as good,
desplto tho climatic conditions that
favor tho former. Tho Rhine routo In
Germany Is all that haa been claimed
for it, but wo have our roads up tho
Hudson to match it and who shall
say whether tho scenery on tho Rhine
or tho Hudson Is moro beautiful, since
both aro mugnlflcont boyond descrip
tion? "Tho Toxas road Is mado of crushed
sea shells, which mako a perfect sur
face, whllo tho Italian road Is com
posed of powdered marblo from tho
Good Road In England.
great quarries of Carrara, Anyone
who has traveled ovor this woll knows
ho will not return that way becauso
Its beauty la deceptlvo. Tho gritty par
ticles of marblo will cut tho tread off
a Bet of tires In ono trip.
'I wondor how many peoplo realize
tho Influenco of climate on roads? I
wondor how many of thoao who ravo
ovor tho fact that tho Applan Way is
still in tolerable condition after moro
than two thousand years, havo stopped
to consldor how long that Bamo high
way would last lu Michigan, for ox
amplo? Tho altcrnato freezing and
thawing and heaving would disinte
grate and causo It to wear away Just
aa fast as thoy do our own macadam
and cement construction.
"How many of thoao appreclato how
much road-bulldlng la going on not
only in tholr own immediate neighbor
hood but throughout this country.
"How many know that Michigan will
build 800 mllea of wonderfully good
roads; that Indiana will build fully
600 miles of roads, and she already has
1,000 miles of excellent hlghwaya,
which sho is keeping In tho pink of
condition. Ohio will build fully 140
miles of roads. Somo of tho eastern
Atlantic Btatoa Massachusetts, Mulno,
Now York, Pennsylvania have thou
sands of miles of roads that aro as
flno as nnythlng thnt lies undor the
sun. And these stntos aro building
moro nil tho tlmo."
Concrete Road Costly.
It costs about $13,000 to build a mile
of good concrete road. This mukes a
road ovorlastlng, without dust, vory
fow repairs, and good in all kinds or
woathor.
Stone Houses Are Cheap.
Stono houses last much longer than
wood, requlro no paint, therefore aro
much cheaper In tho ond.
Who Is Responsible?
Who is responsible for tho bad con
lltlon of tho roads?
ASHING
1 V1
Plan Aerial Mail Service for Isolated Points-
WASHINGTON. Aerial mall scrvico to Isolated points In Alaska and
Massachusetts Is contemplated by tho post office department Bids wero
nsked tor scrvico on eight routes, seven of them in Alaka. October 1 la
named as tho dato for their starting.
THE
hail mm.
nnnounced, a gradual expansion will
follow tho other routes whero transportation is Blow nnd inadequate
Tho Massachusetts routd is from Now Bedford to Nantucket, 56 miles
nnd roturn, partly by land and partly by water. Trips would bo made 13
timcs a week during tho summer months and six tlmcB In tho wlntor. An
aoroplano would havo to bo able to carry a weight limit of 3,000 pounds. The
present cost of tho scrvico is $23,000 a year.
Tho Alaska routo forms a connecting link from Sownrd to Nome, thenco
to Fairbanks and back to Valdcz. Most of them call for a service twice a.
week throughout tho year. On some of tho routes tho cost Is as high as
$100,000 a year, and in winter bIx weeks la required to mako tho trip. The
aeroplane contracts allow two days for most or the trlpa. Tho longest routo,
Valdoz to Fairbanks, is 358 miles. Tho extreme tlmo limit of six wcoka on,
some of tho routes la required becnuao mall Eomotlmea hoB to bo routed via
Seattle.
Postmaster General Burleson haa been assured, It was said, that capital
already is considering bids and that estimates are bolng made
Is Washington a City of Snobs and Snubs?
THIS is essentially tho city of tho social practitioner, of tho climber, ot
snobs and of snubs. Everybody 1b trying, by hook or crook, to bettor his
poclal position, which is as pralaoworthy aa an effort to better hlmaelf finan
cial!" or phyalcally. And yet tho
climber 1b always a Joke
A woman whoso husband has n
Bubcablnot Job in tho presont admin
istration and who takes herself very
Beriously in conaequence, called up an
old realdent tho other day with a
"Good morning, Mrs. Jones. How can
I get people llko tho Danvora to como
to my parties?"
Tho resident lady grinned a huge
grin Into tho telephone.
"Why, I'm suro I don t know. If
you aren't acquainted with Mrs. Danvers and Bho doesn't make any overtures
to you, I don't beliovo it would be possible to get her to como to your parties."
The near cabinet woman uttored an exclamation of diagust. "I'd llko to
know what's tho good of tho position wo'vo acquired in Waahlngton if I
can't work It to get in with tho kind of peoplo I want."
A nowly rich woman In town with a whole fleet of motor care and no
need of a nervo tonic breaka Into many of tho smartest homes by a ayatem
jntlrely her own.
Sho finds out when a motorleas friend, of assured social position, however,
is inyltcd to a swagger reception or ball, to which aho herself has received nc
card.
Sho coos softly ovor tho 'telephone: "My dear Mrs. Jenkins, if you are
going to tho British embassy tonight won't you glvo mo tho pleasuro of
going with mo In my car? 111 call for you at ten."
Tho motorless matron generally falla into tho trap, all unsuspicious that
sho Is making herself socially responsible for an arch schemer who haa no
entree.
Excuses and Honeyed Words Fall on Deaf Ears
HEREAFTER It will bo a caso of "Show Mo" when society folk return from
tho fashion centers of Europe with trunks packed with all aorta of the
latest creations and Jewels and laces and othor things, and when thoy face
tho customs houso ofllcora in Now
HOHESTA
IrlAvF
tlOTWrtC
op
tion8. Every means will bo uaed to put a stop for all tlmo to practices par
tlcularly indulged in by wealthy Society peoplo to smuggle, or at least to
bring In articles on a much lower than tholr true valuation.
Tho treasury department offlciala hero and In Now York havo arrived at
thla decision na a result of tho caso of Mra. Whltnoy "Warre'n of Now York,
tho wlfo of ono oi! America's moat noted architects, who ia charged by cua
toms officials with bringing in dutiable articles undor "gross undervalua
tlons," and whoso case is bolng investigated by tho New York fedoral grand
Jury.
Whether an indictment against Mra. Warren will bo found or not, Federal
Attorney H. Snowden Marshal of Now York has been requested by the Wash
ington authorities to institute civil BUlt agulnst Mrs. Warron for tho for
felturo of tho alleged undervalued goods and for tho collection from her oi
nil penalties domanded by law. Tho department of Justlco and the treas
ury department, aro pushing tho caso vigorously and it la expected that the
investigation will bo completed In a short tlmo.
Catch Question Baffles
THE office of Col. William. A. Kroll,
hunting ground for "copy" nnd, for
hound nosing nround. This wns tho
approached tho counter and asked for
two liconsos, naming n different min
ister in each lfccnso to porform tho
ceremony. With tho departure of tho
bride and brldegroom-to-bo, tho ro
portor walked ovor to tako a look
at tho book. It Is a common occur
rence for persons desiring to bo mar
ried to havo two ceremonies per
formed, but tho nowspapcr man deter
mined to havo somo fun with tho colo
nel. "Hoy, colonel, you'vo mado a mis
take," ho said. "Horo aro two licenses, calling for two marriage ccremonloa,
for tho same couplo. In each case you have tho llcenso issued to tho Bame
oorsons."
"What's tho matter with that?"
It wna explained that, no matter which ceromony waB performed first
when tho second ceremony waa to be porformed, the persons married would
havo boon married onco already, and that, thoroforo, the record of tho license
Issued for tho Bocond ceromony was incorrect, in that it stated that both ol
tho contracting parties had never beon married before and that thoy were
Miss and Mr. , whore as tho record should havo read Mr. and
Mrs. .
Tho colonel Is still wondering whether or not ho mado a mistake. Othore
at tho city hall havo taken up tho question, and as thoy nro hopelessly
divided over tho facts In tho caso It Is posslblo Chief Justlco Covington mny
be asked, hi ono of his fow spare moments, to settlo tho argument.
MtOSSIP
Tho routes will bo established,
tho department announced, as much
to stimulate development of aviation
becauso of Its relation to military pre
paredness as to improve tho malt
service Tho department bolloves
that efforts already begun to financo
an aerial patrol of tho Atlantic coast
Indicate ready capital will bo found,
for tho mall service undertakings.
If tho service Is successful, It is-
GOIH'TO
THAT RKEPnoH
EVEN IF
DIDN T GET (
AM INVITE )
BY CUM J
York and other ports. Excuses, hon
eyed words and othor means of ullay
lug tho cu8toms nppralacrs' doubts ne
to true valuatlona of artlcloa subject
to import duties, will fall on .deaf ears
after thla. .
It Ib tho Intention of tho treas
ury department authorities to acru
tinizo cloaely ovory trunk and parcel,
no mntter how high in the soclaT
Bcalo their owners may bo, In order
to provont smuggling and undervalua
the License Dispenser
marriage Uconso clerk, Ib n fnvorltf
this roason, thero generally is n nows
enso the other day when a coupW
4w