The Courier. (Genoa, Nev.) 1899-1904, 1901-08-23
HOW DIAz TREATED REBELS.
Successful Policy of Mexico's Presi
tent In Dealing with Rec llcitrauts.


tent In Dealing with Rec llcitrauts.
when President Diaz originally took
hold of the reins of government" said
A gentleman from Mexico there were
a lot of disgruntled aspirants in the
field, each of whom promptly became
the center of one of those mysterious,
complicated, semi-theatrical consplrs.-
cies, so dear to the heart of the aver
age Latin-Ameriean. These cabals had
headquarters in dozen different
cities; 1t was fashionable for even
wealthy ladies to pose as their parti-
sans, and the army especially was dis
affected to the core. The plain truth
is that the government would undoubt-
eddy have been oyerthrown If the plot
tiers had been able to unite on any def
mite course of action, but no leader
was willing to give an inch to another,
themselves Diaz quietly rounded them
up, one by one, and crushed them out
of existence. 1t was In that long, hard
fight, conducted with consummate gen.
eralship and covering a number of
years, that the secret service develop
ed, and I've heard great many re-
markable stories of the dramatic fash
lon in which it was frequently put to
use.
"a white-haired infantry colonel,
who Is an old friend of mine and fine
type of the professional soldier, told
me that nine officers of his regiment
were arrested simultaneously one night,
charged with treason and conspiracy
against the government. Two of them
IA major and captain-were seized
at the colonePs own supper table, and
the entire party emphatically protested
their innocence. They were all mem
bers of good families, and several were
connected with some of the greatest
houses in the nation: so nobody dream
ed that anything like summary action
would be taken on the charges. In less
than an hour, however, the colonel was
called to the barracks and found, to
his horror, that all nine prisoners had
confessed their guilt. 1t seemed that
report, unfolding the plot with such an
intricate wealth of detail and following
the proceedings of the conspirators
from day to day with such absolute
precision that they were unable to
make a stand against it and immedi-
ately broke down. Their written dee
larations were secured, and they were
then taken at once into the barrack
yard and shot. The tears rolled down
the weather beaten cheeks of the old
colonel as he told me the story, but he
admitted that the effect upon the regi-
ment had been most salutary. 1t put an
abrupt end to all whisperings of trea-
son. Not the slightest clew to the spy
who furnished the information was
ever discovered, and that of itself had
a daunting influence. Men were afraid
to join secret circles for fear of hob
nobbing with the unknown Judas.
'"rhis is merely one story out OF
scores, all substantially alike, and each
emphasizing the Importance of the role
that has been played by the secret SER
VICE III SudplllS tie utSllHicS VI ulOu-
ern Mexico. In the early days it GER
tainly enabled the President 70 stamp
out an opposition that seemed absolute
ly deadly, and In later times it has been
equally potent In keeping tight rein
on the turbulent element of as restless
and mercurlal a population as one can
find on the hemisphere. As | remarked
at the outset, Diaz has always kept the
control of the bureau strictly In his
own grasp, and | doubt whether it
would be anything like as effective in
other hands. Its strong point has al
ways been the profound mystery that
invested its operations. Nobody knew
who belonged to it, how it was conduct
ed or by what methods 1t obtained its
information. 1t was never heard from
until the blow fell. | believe the sys-
tenn has been absolutely necessary I'M
der existing conditions, but its records,
IL it has any, would doubtless make
rather hair-lifting contribution to his
tory."-New Orleans Times Democrat.
Novel Parishes.
80 -l,.x L.