CURRENT TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 33, 29 June 1914, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

AMERICAN'S IN 'MEXICO. There are, it is -said, nearly 100,000 Americans in Mexico, They are engaged in various industries!—principally gold, silver, rue copper mining, lint lumbering, live -stock ami hides, rubber, railways, oil, .manufacturing, commercial, and agricultural enterprises. According to the statement of Mr Letcher, Consul at Chihuahua, American interests- ,i ( Mexico exceed l,0.j0,000,0l)0 doKursV according to ot-Jer observer*, the sum oi American investments in Mexico reaches 1,200,000,000 dollars. This sum is several hundjed million dollars greater than the investments of the Mexicans themselves in their own country. It is at least twice as great asi the investments .of Great Britain, the Foreign Power coming next in material slake in that country. Thousands of Americans have been reduced to a state of poverty owing to t-he ci..ios which has existed, as millions oJ dollars worth of their property had iboen destroyed. They ihave repeatedly demanded some measure of protection from our Government, since they have been able to obtain none from the Governments succe-sivcly instituted in .Mexico.

MODAL COURAGK The win Id owes much to its men and women of courage. We do not mean physical courage in which a man is at least equalled by the bulldog;; nor is the bulldog .-misidiTcd the wisest of his species. The courage that displays itself is silent effort and endeavourthat dares to endure all and suffer all , for truth and duty—is more truly heroic than the achievements of py-hsical lalour. which are rewarded by honors and titles It is moral courage that characterises the highest order oi

manhof/ n( l womanhood—the courage to seelM B P ca k the truth; the couri age to| ust > t' le courage to be honest; the e/s e to resist temptation; the eouraf° one ' s duty. If men and " woraJ o n °t possess this good virtue, theyA" e no security whatever for the p res /tion of any other. Every step ' 0 i in the history of our race l ;as fcn made in the face of opposition mjjfficulty, and been achieved and se--3 ~u / by men of intrepidity and valor _/ leaders in the van of thought—- ' jgreat discoverers, great patriots and 1 fit workers in all walks of life. There ■ /scarcely a great truth or doctrine i t has had to fight its way to public 3 (Cognition in the face of detraction, ftlumny, and persecution,— Samuel 'kniles.