Evening star., 1895-09-16
INDEPENDENCE DAY IN MEXICO.
Story of Hidalgo's Futile Fight 4
Freedom.

Story of HidalgO's Futile Fight for
Freedom.
Independence day in Mexico will be cele-
brated today.
The idea of independence for Mexico had
been conceived when Hidalgo was but a
student. In the meantime the United
States had obtained freedom from Great
Britain, and this example famed the faint
light in the priests mind into a flame.
While working among his flowers and
vegetables in the little garden at Dolores
he dreamed of Mexico as Mexico, and no
longer a helpless dependency of a rapidly
deteriorating Spain.
Hidalgo, on Saturday night, September
15, 1910. with few chosen spirits OF his
own way of thinking, liberated few pris-
oners in Dolores and armed them The
the independence of Mexico and made a
passionate appeal to his parishioners to fol-
low his leadership and fight to free the
country from the hated Spaniard. This
was Sunday, September 16
A new viceroy-Don Francisco Javier
Venegas-had just taken up the reins of
government in Mexico when this move
ment occurred. The imperial troops were
sent against the priest, and were complete
ly routed at Monte de la Cruces. near Mex
leo city. Hidalgo. instead Of inmedia tely
pressing forward into the city with his
victorious patriots, withdrew to the city
of Queritaro. new force of Spanish
troops was massed in the meantime, and
the Independents were disastrously routed
at Aculco. But one more stand was made
by Hidalgo at Puente de Calderon, near
Guadalajara, and, again meeting defeat,
the patriots fled toward the northern from
tier
At Las Norias de Bajan, near the Rio
Grande, they were captured, and Hidalgo,
Allende, Aldama and Jimenez, the four
leaders, We're shot in the city Of Chihua-
hua, June 26, 1911. Thus ended the
first effort made by Mexico for freedom.
But the cause lived The Mexicans were
aroused. The country was but a sleeping
volcano, and Spain knew 1t well, but still
continued the system of misgovernment,
which had but the one result-independ-
ence. The heads of the patriots We're ex-
posed for days on poles at Guanajuato.
In later years they were buried with great
pomp in the cathedral at Mexico city.
The Celebration.
Every town and city from the lowlands
on the Pacific coast and along the Gulf
ly seven thousand feet above sea level, will
put on its gayest attire today and make
merry in commemoration of the event.
Not with the boom of cannon and the
cracking of firecrackers. as Americans
celebrate Fourth of July, will the day be
ushered in, but rather by music, which
MeXicans enjoy more than any nation on
earth, save the Italians, and the sports
peculiar to Spain and Spanish-America
In many modest hostleries where the poems
congregate will be held cooking MAINS
Military bands stationed In the 'por-
tales" or the plaza will play with finish
and precision the most difficult airs by
foreign or native composers. Such band
music cannot be heard anywhere else In
the world. The Mexicans of both the high
er and lower classes will congregate around
the music stands and fairly drink in the
very soul of the melody.
Within a very few hours these selfsame
individuals will revel in a bull fight and &c
mad with delight at some feat Of daring
by the fighter in the arena.