The facts being as they are, the only rational course is to appeal over the head of the Wilson Administration to the American people—to appeal to public opinion to pronounce against the purely imperialistic policy which is being followed with regard to Mexico.
Not that this is peculiarly a policy of Wilson, or of the Democratic Party. It is a policy that has taken hold of the dominant element in both parties. Were a Republican Administration in power, the situation would be much the same; the danger would be as great provided the Republican Administration concealed its real purposes as well, which is unlikely. Attention is directed here to what a Democratic Administration has done because a Democratic Executive still holds the reins—and of the three Departments of Government, the Executive happens to wield overwhelmingly the decisive power, especially in the choice of foreign policy.
Against the terrific forces that are bent upon Mexican aggression, public opinion, unorganized and inarticulate, would have a faint chance indeed, were the enterprise a less ambitious one. Were the Mexican "job" as small as the Santo Domingan "job" it would have been well under way long ago. But Mexico is one of the strongest countries ever to be threatened with purely imperialistic conquest. The probable cost in men and money alone is sufficient to cause any but madmen to hesitate. But it appears that Wall Street has gone quite mad with a lust for spoils, and our politicians quite mad with serving Wall Street.
To "straighten out" Mexico we would probably have to clap on conscription again, float more bond issues, set again in full swing the vast machinery of war-time restriction. The practical difficulties in the way of launching the enterprise are such that it is not Utopian to hope that public opinion may yet be decisive to prevent it.
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