Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-11-17
A DESPOTISM.
A Reign of Terror and Secret
Assassination in Mexico.
FREEDOM oETHEPREss CRUSHED
Hatred of Americans-BastileS for
Writers of Truth, the Knife and
Poison for Patriots.
Written for the DAILY HERALD

Written for the DAILY HERALD.
The mornings press advices bring the
news of the assassination by stabbing of
General Ramon Corona, Governor of the
State of Jalisco, Mexico, and the wound
ing of his wife, an Irish-American, nee
Mary McEutee, of San Francisco, Cal.
The same days dispatches allude to the
disposition to unite the entities of Mex
leo and Central America in one confed
Grafton under the Presidency or Dictator
ship of President Disz, of Mexico. 1t
would seem that the significance and the
correlation OF this movement and this
coincidence is not adequately appreci-
ated or understood in the United States,
where, surely, there should be felt an In.
innate concern for all matters relating to
Mexico. Neighbors are no less import
ant to a nation than to family, and
there is a confirmed tsndercy to under
estimate the magnitude of Mexico's in.
terest for the United States. The true
condition of affairs political in Mexico is
unknown to the outside world, as will be
set forth hereinafter. Possessing con-
stitution inferior to that of no other ma
ton, and very probably superior to our
own vauntsd article of government, aud
being nominally progressive republic,
Mexico is in fact monarchy more abso.
Lutte, despotism more terrible, than
that of Russia, as disguised are always
more powerful than declared forces. The
facts do not transpire abroad, be-
cause there is no liberty OF the press in
Mexico. First, the foreign correspond
ents in Mexico, rarely knowing we'll
relations with the people, do not get to
know things as they actually are. A few
resident foreign correspondents who are
we'll posted are subsidized to write just
such statements as are acceptable and
useful to the administration. Witness
the Spanish woman known as Baronesa
de Wilson, who, to the writer's pozitive
knowledge, based on documentary evi-
Mexican Treasury for the publishing OF
paragraphs laudatory of the powers that
be. American resident writer's might
spoken. In the case of aliens disposed
to write fearlessly and honestly OF these
matters, there is danger of having ap-
pil6U W lll6lu hrtiCio LII vi tuo OOuStltu-
ton, which provides for the expulsion
of "pernicious foreigners" A threat
OF this resource was made to
muzzle the frankness of the late Mrs.
Cornelia F. Townsend, "the mother OF
the American colony" in Mexico,
woman of high family, noble soul and
powerful intellect, who for many years
wrote Mexican letters for the Eastern
press over well-known masculine
pseudonym. The present writer also
has received, while on Mexican terri
tory, more than one adm onition to exer-
else discretion and prudence in writing.
As to native writers: There exists, first,
the certainty of the loss of government
subventions; and this is no small con-
sideration to periodicals whose circula-
ton is limited to q few thousands, par-
haps hundreds, and among which the
system of deriving revenue from ad-
vertisements is only beginning to obtain.
Beyond this there is the potent argumen.
tam ad hominem that the loathsome galsras
of Bslem, that horrible prison, yswn to
receive and buy any injudicious journal
ist who may presume to criticise or ques-
tion the actions Of the powers that be. no
matter how corrupt or arbitrary. Oh
daring, intrepid reporter. Oh, fearless
and impartial editor of these free United
States Of America Ponder and ruminate
upon the cases in point OF your Mexican
confreres.
Does President annex for his private
use the statues and ornaments from the
public parks and boulevards, bought
with the public money, cemeDted with
the sweat of groauing poems who labor
incredibly for the pittance OF eighteen to
sixty cents per diem? Does some munich
pal official 80 anoint his hands that $40 900
or $50 900 shall adhere in transit through
them? And does some enterprising and
patriotic journalist take up the lance,
and with more than mortal heroism de.
nounce and challenge the peculator?
What is the result? Naught of remedy,
naught of restitution. But the offend
ing periodical is accused before COM
PLEASANT tribunal; an embargo is laid
upon it's Issue; its patrons mulctsd of
the quad pro quo of their subscription !;
it's plant, it may be, confscatsd to gov
ernment use, and its staff immured in
the reeking, death-breathing cells of
Belem, where they may, ii it 80 please
their prosecutors, languish for weeks,
months, years, incomunicGdos, that is TO
say, cut off from all communica-
ton with the outside world, friends
or family, priest or laymar, to
mildew, rot and die in oblivion
and isolation, with no means of redress
nor appeal, to bring their cases to public
notice and trial. This is not suppositi-
tious or exaggerated illustration. The
writer has today within the walls of
noisome Mexican prisons friends, jour
nalists of ability and integrity, shut out
from intercourse with friends or kindred !;
today can site instances of foreigners inn
prisoned, having disappeared suddenly,
mysteriously, awfully, punished for no
other crime than that of having protested
against abuse and outrage OF the rights
of the public. Tie laws of Mexico are
liberal, just, impartial and Judges there
are who faithfully execute them, as the
present writer, by personal experience,
can testify. But. alas these are in the
minority; and private spite or public in
fuence make many piteous martyrs.
On arriving in Mexico, the present
writer was full of admiring en-
thusiasm over President Diaz, regarding
him as patriot, a hero, q liberator, q
demigod, adored by grateful people, as
we are told by the correspondents and
visiting foreigners, hattered by official
receptions and invitation to ball or
banquet. Through discomfort with a
superficial knowledge of affairs, and re-
searches prosecuted among every class
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