The Washington times., 1902-01-19

pers down with a firm hand and they con.
tent themselves with being the seni-liter-
ary milk -watery publications that
they are.
! There is another thing which sadly
hampers the dissemination of true news
about Mexico and that is the Gems .rship
which is exercised in regard to every
thing which correspondent may try to
send by wire to the papers he represents.
III the news, no matter how true il may
be, does rot suit the Government. it
somehow never passes the border APP
peais to the telegraph companies as to
the cause fer their failure to forward
the message are useless. The news was
simply not sent and that is all there is
about it. If the corr respondent is wise he
will drop the matter there II ne isn't
he may try and may succeed in smuggling
the matter through by means of the
mails. 1t is no hard thing to do this
But the trouble will come afterwards.
The Government does not like to be
thwsrted and If the affair is of any con-
sequence ii Immediately sets its subor
dinates to work TO find out who mailed
the letter Then comes some form of
punishment perhaps merely warning
| that the act must rot be repeated; per-
haps term in prison and perhaps
| formal notice that the CORES spouient's
presence is no longer desired in the Re-
| public. When the latter comes ii means
| disappear over the border as quickly as
| possible for the Mexican constitution al
| lows the authorities to deport any OBJ
noxious person and it is better to go Of
your own accord than to be forced.
President Diaz's Health.
One of the things of which the Govern
ment has always been jealous almost be-
yond all others is any. comment as to
(. nf ~ IL ,f
| Diaz. Fortunately the President ordin-
ariiy enjoys the best of health and though
more than seventy years old looks and
| acts more like man of fifty. But the
| Government seems to think that in spite
of the peace the country has enjoyed for
mere than a quarter CT a century, there
are factions here which would. did they
have grounds for thinking that the Presi-
dents life was in danger, begin plottins
with the hope Of gaining power for them
selves. So, though the President has been
sick in the past, the secret has always
been we'll guarded.
A curious exception to this rule came
year ago. Then it was openly stated
that President DiaZ was sick; that over
work had brough, about condition of
health which might result in death. He
left his home in this city and, accom-
panied by his wife and a few of his most
trusted friends, went TO Cuernavaca.
From that place daily statements were
given cut. These announcements, though
all saying that he would undoubtedly
eventually recover. declared that his con-
dition was serious and that there was
danger of apoplexy and of the hardening
OF the arteries of the neck Either Of
these, it was said, would prove fatal.
just n Little Ruse.
The paper printed these statements
and the correspondents sent them to the
United States and wondered as they did
so why it was allowed, for all knew that
the President was taking daily walks in /
the country around CUernavaca and that |
his life was in far less danger than it had /
been before. But the cause Of the strange |
action on the part of the Government was |
a mystery and remained so for some |
time Then long after the President had |
returned to this city and had resumed his |
hard duties. it leaked cut that it was all !
a little scheme on his part to learn who !
were his real friends. His long life sur
rounded by warning factions and con-
spirators has made him more or less sus- |
picious and he had come to believe that
some of the men who professed the deep i
est attachment for him would only be |
too ready TO plot against him should they
think there was a chance OF their sue
cess. So he made the trip to Cuernayaca
and forced the papers to aid him in car
rying out his little plot. 1t is said to
have succeeded admirably for all the sus-
pected persons were closely watched.
Some of them proved themselves to be
of true metal and loyal to the core. But
others fell when tempted and, believing
that the President was likely to die, be- I
gan to plot and conspire in the hope of
profiting by his death. Their every act
was reported to the President and when
~ h.I tod ha-l -.tx hai |
came home.
The Sequel.
There was no public scandal. There
never is when the Government acts But
some of the men who had professed to
think the most of the Government and of
the President suddenly decided that the
altitude of the City of Mexico was too
great for their health. They quickly |
closed their houses and retired to distant |
parts of the Republic where they now are.
So IL is that the press, held down and
restricted in every way by the stringent
laws, is. when the Government wishes,
made tool for the carrying out of plans
of which it is allowed to know nothing.
But there are atonements for almost
everything, and one of these comes IN
financial way to all the publications. Not
one of them but enjoys a monthly subsidy
from the government. IneSe monthly |
payments range from 800 to 81 600, and
If it were not for them some of the many
publications would have to retire from
business. In return for these sums the
papers are supposed to keep their mouths
shut when the Government wishes them
to- 1t is probably because of this fact
that they are paid to be silent that the
full force of the law is employed against
the guilty editor who violates the statutes
and the subsidy.
The State Department is highly pleased |
over the reported renewal Of pleasant re-
lations between Mexican and Chilean dele
gates to the Pan American Congress.
From the first Mr.. buchanan and the
other members of the United States dele
CATION have maintained a neutral atti- |
tude. This has been assailed from both
sides, and both Mexicans and Chileans
have reported to the State Department |
that this position was equally ridiculous
and untenable. At the same time, each
side has brought pressure to bear to
secure for itself the endorsement of this
The outcome is regarded here as great
diplomatic victory for Mr.. Buchanan and
his colleagues.
AMERICAN TOBACCO WINS.