The herald., 1895-05-12

Der. The lady in charge was an ex-nun
OF the Conceptionists. Dona Martina
Marin. who received a salary of $40 a
month.
Before the year was ended civil war
broke out in the peninsula between Me
rida and Campechc. which thenceforth
became a separate state.
In 1Si7 dreadful atrocities were commit
tel. the natives taking II hand in them,
for none of the grand promises made to
them in the time of need had been ful-
filled. In July OF the same year con-
spiracy anon. the natives was discov-
cred. All those connected with it, and
even suspects. were treated with most
revolving cruelty. cacique named Ay
was the first to suffer death. We are glad
to be able to say that he was only killed.
lie was shot on July 26th being then 30
years old. and highly esteemed for his
good character. In bidding farewell to
his son. u years old. he shed not Il tear.
and when the boy began to cry he
checked him, saying: Weep not; thou
seest there are people here!" He dieu
with stoical courage. Then followed Il
series of shameful deeds on the part of
the white soldiers in various villages.
Thus the war was initiated. The mezti-
! EOS sided with the whites. | cannot write
OF the in Justice done to the natives with
out painful quickening of the pulse, for
they were never the first to agrees. Yet
it is wiser to stiile anger. since sef-con-
troll and forgiveness can alone lead to a
state OF harmony. We are glad to be able
to say that in fucatan today many de-
plore the crueltes that were perpetrated
and admit that the oppressed people were
goaded beyond endurance. The horrors
of civil war were added to those resulting
from the war OF races. large body of
Indians had remained loyal to the white
population. These and the meztizos
those struggling for liberty.
At the close of the year 1877 refugees
were pouring into Merida from all over
the land. The Indians were gaining bat
tie after battle. iucatan vas without
means. and the courage Of the soldiers
was gone. They were deserting in bands.
1t was decided thar the precious objects
in the churches must be converted into
coin. \ generous act on the part of Cuba
made this unnecessary. On January 30
lS1S, the government ship Churucas,
commanded hy Don Jacobo Crespo yNilla
vicencio, cast anchor at Sisal. In an oific-
ial communication Iucatan was invited
To name her needs. Men of war were
offered To rescue families wishing to leave
the country. Forty days later a warship
brought from Cuba SD. l7l in cash; 200)
good rifles and bayoneJs; POO cavalry
sabers; Two mounted ,nortars. twelve
Founders; and other small field pieces as
well as 200 quintals OF powder. This
gave but temporary relief. In March the
governor, Santiago Mendez, appealed to
Spain. England and the United States.
without result. Mexican protect ion again
had to be accepted. In May. 1913, more
than 30 towns had been desolated; the
troops driven to the gates OF the capital;
the Mayas could float their banner tri-
umphant over two-thir Is of the land.
But at what a cost! All their best men
had pcrished. There was no leader, no
discipline. and the CRATER number were
armed only with machetes (heavy knives)
and wooden spears. Hundreds were woun-
ded, sick and emaciatcd, with no one to
give proper surgical aid.
But the people penned up in Merida
were in despair. The governor himself
broke up his household and prepared to
start for Cumpeche. while the bishop re-
solved to go to Cuba, taking the nuns out
of Merida. The abandonment of the
country was deere sd by church and state.
and in the whole city there was not u
ricce OF clean paper on which to write the
proclamation. Citizens aroused the gov
ernor to one last effort. Refugees were
sheltered in the public edifices, the home
less were led and clothed by those yet
possessing means. The population pe-
came as one family. and the panic sub
sided. In August Mexico sent help: com
bat was renewed; the tide turned White
ana meztizo fought desperately to regain
the land. Inch by inch it was contested,
the ground being soaked with blood and
strewn with heroes dead and dying.
Courage on both sides. arms and ammu-
nitlon only on one, led to inevitable re-
suits. From 1S47 to 1853 Iucatan's 5 his
tory is record of such horrors that it
were best forgotten Such Indians as
were so happy as to be condemned onlyto
death, walked from their cells, ascended
the scaffold with firm tread. placed the
rope around their own necks and waited
to be choked, without any sign of agita-
ton.
But in Novem Der. 1850. few thousand
natives had succeeded in escaping with
life and liberty to the south part of the
land. where they have since lived, indie
pendent.
These are the hostile Indians that have
not ceased to wage war upon the Mexican
subjects until quite lately. Among them
much given to intoXicants. In British
Honduras they are respected for their
rigid honesty. Unfortunate Mayas;
wretched vestige of a great nation, of "A
race that is i'll its death throes
But brighter days have dawned in Yu-
catan for the now dominant white race.
The cultivation of Sisal hemp has brought
wealth to the land. Wealth Is followed
by physical comfort and intellectual de.
sires. Educational advantages have
steadily increased until at the present
time schooling is compulsory and free,
even to the Indian. Among those who
have been active in facilitating the in
struction of the public are Eligio Ancona,
Jose Maria ltualde Manuel Romeo, Oc-
tavio Rosado and others. true friends of
the people. Boys schools were always
more or less numerous and well organized
but few wise men thought that girls
might possibly like to learn few things.
General Cepeda Peraza increased the
number of schools for both sexes. In
1868 the appropriation for schools was
raised from $4,000 TO $4,000. In 1874
Andres Aznar Perez, then mayor of
Merida. did much for girls schools. Be-
tween the years 1872 and 1876 their ad-
vantages were greatly increased. In 1873
there were 1873 schools for boys and sew
enty-three for girls, the annual expendi-
ture being $76 S52. The scholars were
1863 males, 2Gi3 females--not q good show
ing. considering that the female popula-
ton was as it now is, at least five times
as numerous as the male. In 1886 there
were 253 schools, free. for poth sexes mot
together). General Octavio Rosado was
then governor, and school teachers then
for the first time began to receive their
salaries reuglarly.
A great public 'benefactor and one fully
appreciated was General Guillermo Talo-
mino, our very good friend, elected gov
ernor of the state in 1885, and who died
in the fourth year of his term, to the pro-
found griefNof all who knew him; for to
know him was to love him. lie opened
no less than seventy primary schools. He
gradually increased the appropriation for