The Indianapolis journal., 1895-07-07
INDIANS OF YUCATAN
THEIR STRUGGLE FOR INDEPEND-
ENCE MAKES A HEROIC RECORD.
Their Manner Of Living and Method
the Use Of IntOxicnnts.

Alice d. lie Plongeon. in New York Post.
A Mexican dispatch printed last week
announced that the War Department
there was making active preparations
for another campaign against 1.-THE re-
bellious Yucatan Indians" To most read
ers this announcement contained little
native Americans. none have more
heroic record than those of Yucatan.
They are descendants of the once power
full Maya people, and are exceedingly in
teresting for many reasons.
From the year 1912 to 1922 Yucatan was
under Spanish rule. and throughout that
period the natives were cruelty abused
slaves. After that time they were called
free citizens. In 1922 Mexico became in
dependent. and Yucatan agreed to recog-
nize the republican government as its
own, provided it was always liberal and
Yucatan was regarded as free state In
the confederacy, with the privilege of
forming its own constitution and estab-
fishing such laws as it might deem ad-
vantageous for it's welfare, Mexico
granted this, but failed to abide by the
agreement. Consequently, in May. 1889.
Yucatan revolted, and the fatal step was
taken which led to the war Of races. The
downtrodden Indians were provided with
arms, taught their use, and persuaded
by promises Of an improvement in their
own condition to fight on behalf of their
masters. At the end of nine months
Yucatan was independent. But the
promises made to the natives were not
kept, though the victory was largely due
to their valor.
In 1912 civil war broke out in the pen
insula, and again the Indians were
armed and called upon to fight. In that
struggle they behaved with such valor.
also generously giving the little they
possessed in support of the cause, that
the periodicals Of the capital were loud
in their praises. making promises. not
one OF which was kept. In 1S43 Mexico
made new treaties with Yucatan. Nom
compliance with these caused another
rupture and separation in 1886. Mexico
had failed to keep her agreements with
Yucatan, while the authorities had
| broken all the promises made to their
worse, a conflict began between the peo-
pie of Merida and those Of Campeche,
which finally became, and has remained,
a separate state. AS If this were not
enough, the people Of Valladolid, city
| in the east of the peninsula, began to
| fight among themselves, the aristocrats
| against the~plebeians, the latter being
| 5000 strong against party of 3OO The
result was a hideous slaughter. Mean
time the natives had hoped and waited
| in vain for any amelioration of their
| own condition. They were paid laborers,
| but taxes of church and state absorbed
| the miserable wages doled out to them.
| and their backs smarted under the lash.
| Incited by the carnage and discOrd sur
| rounding them, they planned to strike a
blow for liberty. An accident brought
| the conspiracy to the knowledge of the
| authorities. The leader of the move
ment was at once ARRESTED and shot.
| The mans name was Ay; he was thirty
years old, and was universally es-
teemed for his nobility of character. His
| son, twelve years old, wept when
brought to bid his father farewell, but
the condemned man said: Weep not;
there are people here" Ay's execution
was the first step in that war of races
which Mexico now seeks to bring to a
| close.
HORRIBLE CRUELTY.
| The authorities and soldiery followed
| up that execution with course Of dia-
bolical cruelty and injustice. meted out
almost indiscriminately to the helpless
Indians; neither infancy nor old age
were spared. After all, the Mayas were
only human, and SO they retaliated, al
| though in cruelty they were outdone by
their opponents. To-day the best people
| in Yucatan regret the crimes then com
mitted, and ESPECIALLY in view of the
modest demands made by the natives in
letters addressed to priests. The follow
ing is one extract:
'sThese people would not have uprisen
| but to defend their lives. If the taxes
are reduced, they will be pacified. 9th
| erwise, only life or death can decide the
question. Let the cost of baptism be
reals (the real is 121s cents). marriage II
| reals.
'(SigneD JOSE JACINTO PAT"
The men for whom Pat asked this re-
duction of fees were receiving only one
real for long days work.
Battle after battle was fought, and the
white troops were SO frequently defeated
that at last written proposals of peace
were sent to the Indian leaders. The re-
ply was eloquent and defiant, as may
| be Judged by two or three lines:
| why did you not protect us wher
Father Herrera put his horses saddle
on one of our people and rode on hin
and whipped him, wounding his belly
with the spurs? You had no pity for us
| When you were killing us in the dark
ness of night at the whipping-post die
you not know that there was a true
God? Now you have not the courage t.
receive the return of your lashes If We
are now killing you, you first showed
us the way. Twenty-four hour,
we grant you to give up your weapons
. Otherwise, what the white peo
pie have done to us we will do to them
.Yucatan was reduced to a deplorabl,
state, lacking means. arms and men
Cuba sent generous aid in money and il
ammunitions, and in March, 1S4S, Yuca
tan appealed for help to Spain. England
and the United States; but finally wa'
obliged again to enter the Mexican con
federacy.
BY the month of May. in that sam'
year, the troops had been forced bacl
to the very gates of the capital. Th
abandonment of the country was de
clared by church and state, but ther
did not exist piece of clean paper II
possession of the government on whicl
to write the proclamation. The leading
citizens then induced the bishop and tn
| governor to remain The public edifice
| were utilized as shelters for the refugee
escaping from the advancing Indians
| ,od tboSo xvho were less badly off shar re,