San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-09-03
THE MEXICANS' LEADER.
THE LIFE AND STRANGE ADVEN-
TURES OF MANUEL LOPEZ.
Living Humbly as Shoemaker, He
Works to Release the City Mexi-
cans from Political Bondage
and tn Elevate Than

| tNOlg vi saiu
Lopez to the LIGHT peripatetic, ais an
eventful one, but doubt whether 1t will
interest the public. Ii Is briefly told !
was born at Cardenas, in Cuba, on New
Years day, 1884, and am therefore only
44years of age, though look much older.
My parents were too poor to send NE to
the schools, which were then few and
expensive, and whatever education l
possess | have gained on my way
through life. When very young began
to earn my bread as a cabin boy on a
fisher boat. When boy | saw my uncle,
General Lopez, land at Cardenas and
raise the revolutionary flag in the first
Cuban rebellion Of 1850. and it was then
that was first inspired with he
GREAT IDEA or LIBERTY.
A few years later was a carrier, one of
the first, on the Bulletin Mercantile
that was then published in my city.
| The Cuban rebellion failed, and my I'M
Gle, General Lopez, and many Of his
brave companions were taken prisoners.
| Fifty of those revolutionists were shot,
and my uncle was garotted In Havana
on September !, 1851. Ii was not safe
for Lopez to be there, so went to New
Orleans. Whilst there supportedm yself
| quietly by my labor as shoemaker, and
studied the labor movement. In 1861 |
went to Spain, and was employed as a
| steward under the war department dur
| ing the Spanish war with Morocco. In
1858 entered the University OF BARGE
Iona to study medicine. Whilst so en-
gagged | organized cooperative society
in that city known as 'El Inoveta,' and
in support of the movement wrote sew
eral articles for the republican paper.
The government took those articles up
on the ground Of their
REVOLUTIONARY TENDENCY,
and arranged to arrest and prosecute
me; SO l fled to France. | returned to
Spain and Joined the army as assistant
surgeon, and was among the troops sent
to Cuba In 1868 to quell the
Creole insurrectlon, headed by Carlos
Manuel de Cespedes. On arrival In Cuba
l deserted the army, and joined the
revolutionary forces. did my duty for
my country, and am proud of 1t. In
1871 the revolution failed, and was fol-
lowed by horrible massacres. l escaped
with my life to New Orleans, and went
to work at my trade. Seeing the state
Of the working men | endeavored to
organize a labor union there. Capitalist
and monopolists then controlled the
papers. l was reviled and abused by
them so that
LIFE BECAME lNTOLERABLE,
and came to Texas in 1881, settling at
Houston. Here raised $1,000, and pur-
chased a grand scientific panorama. |
came to San Antonio In 1881 and at
tempted to exhibit my panorama in
the Ole building, then Mexican shanty
at the corner OF Commerce and PasO
street. | got no patronage, and was
broke up. then went to work for Joe
Beckmann. Subsequently opened my
little cobler stand near the bridge, and
did very well, until 1883, when my
brother in Houston induced me to visit
Cuba again. Here my heart bled for
my countrymen and 1 wept bitter tears
at the misery and degradation l found
around me. 1t was worse than ever. 1
could not bear it. then went to Mexi-
CO, but the abject slavery and misery Of
the people was such that could not
stay among them. l returned to San
Antonio in 1888 and had a little stand
on the East side Of the Alamo plaza,
where the Maverick building now stands
and l made my
LIVING BY CoBBLING SHOES.
When they built the bank had to move.
then rented part of shop at the lower
end Of Houston street, and then moved
here In part Of Strives building. am
poor man, and live by my scanty
earnings. am Interested In the labor
movement. and desire 10 see the Mexi-
can released from the pernicious politi-
cal thraldom that binds them For
| this end. 1 and nv friends are working
| When the "rinpn men approach me I
| tell them, ave shoes and leather to sell
but not my principles" Our movement
| has been an uphill struggle. but we are
progressing slowly. IL may be, but sure
~. Each Gay adds materially 10 our
strengtn' ann 10 tne emo we must WIN,
ior Ilgnt WIN preVai.
manuel Lopez ltis true ls only q mum
piS shoemaker, put ne Is man ID the
Iuii sense Oh tne word having tne OUT