Page:Mexico under Carranza.djvu/250

234. But surely, before the lives and rights of so many American citizens were risked, our officials should have made a careful effort to judge whether or not there was any reasonable indication that the element in Mexico which they were indulging, at so much cost to American citizens, could reasonably be looked to for the accomplishment of the humanitarian desires which inspired them. If those officials had realized that the element to which they were extending an indulgence so costly to many of our people had been responsible for Mexico's misgovernment for nearly a century, they certainly would have hesitated before staking so much upon the possibility of this element giving to Mexico a better government than it had ever before given.

It will not do to say that the Carranza revolutionists expressed aspirations and intentions for the government of their country of the most exalted kind. History shows us that nothing is more characteristic of the Latin-Mexican element than the use of high-flown language in the declaration of their intentions where the government of their country is concerned. And the same history shows us that, during the ninety-eight years of the control of popular government by this same element, more than a hundred leaders of revolution have pledged their duty to their country in language as fervent and eloquent of patriotism as any