Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-28
BR|GANDS ON GUARD
Thieves Set to Catch Thieves
in Mexico.
MAINTAINING ORDER
THE METHODS EMPLOYED By
PRESIDENT DIAZ.
Justice Administered and Respect for
the Law and the Authorities
Engendered.
MAINTAINING ORDET

the Law and the Authorities
Engendered
ORIZABA, Mexico, February 20, 1908.
Snow-capped Orizaba towers far above
the clouds, grand and majestic, a landmark
to the sailors far beyond the port of Vera
Cruz, eighty miles distant. The little town
Of 5000 under its shadows has strange
mixture of ancient architecture and mod
ern invention. Street cars, electric lights
and a mammoth brewery and ice plant at
test the American invasion. Its elevation
makes 1t delightfully."- cool. and 1t is a pop
ular resort for foreigners seeking to es-
cape the sultry atmosphere of Vera Cruz.
The hotels are filed with Americans, and
there is English as she is spoken by
Mexicans in most of the stores.
Out of the turbulence of revolution into
twenty-four years Of peace and prosperity
Mexico has come under the rule Of Porfrfo
Diaz. Naturally the most interesting ques-
ton in the country Is, after Diaz what7
He Is seventy-one years of age and may
live and rule many years, but some time
change must come, and then what? He
restored order after years of revolution
and maintained peace, with strong anti
of people, 10000 of whom today are Pro-
testants and the remainder zealously or
nominally Catholic. His organization OF
the judiciary and the police Is remarkable.
1t seems to accomplish its object and to
satisfy the demands of the people in the
matter OF justice. Foreigners commend
it as just instrument of justice while ad-
hitting that 1t would not succeed in any
other country. 1t results in the arbitrary
exercise Of power. even in matters Of life
and death, by the police authorities, and to
maintain the strength Of the system the
police authorities are always sustained in
their action. To turn an officer down or
punish him for an official act would weaken
the courage and warp the judgment Of the
entire force rurales and all, and the sys-
tenn would fall.
Brigands Made Rural Guards.
The history of his organization Ia in
teresting. When Diaz became president
brigandage was the order Of the day. Ban
dts infested the haunts Of men and life
was not safe in any province The lead
ers Of these bands were sought out and
one by one invited to the capital, pro-
lection going and coming being assured.
Diaz had an interview with them separate
ly, and made them Guardias Rurales, rural
guards. The interview was opened by the
president. He was accustomed to say:
"They tell me you are a brave man, but
tudC you nave peen DAD man. we are
anxious to restore peace and maintain or
der; how much do you make in a year
as bandit?" When a reply was made the
president stated a sum per year which
would be paid as salary and said: II want
you to serve az captain Of the rural guard.
The past will be forgotten; I want your
assistance in restoring peace"
The offer was invariably accepted. The
bandit chiefs became conservators of the
peace; they knew their followers and their
ho. 70 o,,1 %Io~
bandits were disposed of and peace off,
GERS procured, every one Of whom had been
the terror Of the community in which he
resided. Naturally. officers thus selected
were not restrained. They used their
power arbitrarily and became rulers Sec
ond only In power to Diaz. And while they
were not graduates Of law schools. they
tried to punish crime zealously and sell
dom erred in judgment. There does not
seem to be any complaint of Injustice nor
OF the use OF the power given for personal
gain or revenge.
Power Of the Jefe Politico.
Next to the governors Of states the jefe
politico seems to be the most important in
dividual. He Is a Justice Of the peace and
the ex.ofticio mayor Of the mayorless
towns He is supreme in his right, has DO
lice powers and Is practically chief of the
community, with the law largely In his
own hands. Preponderance of evidence is
not considered. He believes what witnesses
he pleases and rejects all Of the testimony
If he has convictions of his own. It is his
mission to deal out justice, which he does
according to the workings Of his own mind.
And here also honesty prevails and In the
general roundup strong article of Justice
Is furnished. He accomplishes under form
OF legal procedure what the rurales bring
about without resort to law and there is
seldom conflict Of authority
1t Is very much the strong, rude Justice
OF the western mining camps of the United
states. though the occasions for Its invok-
Ing are not SO numerous Good order IA
preserved and life and property are safe
IN nearly all parts Of the country There Ia
less disorder than in communities of the
same size IN the United States. The Mex
leans as a rule, however, have no use for
dead man, and II the wong man Is killed
sometimes, 1t is apparently matter Of in
difference, and no complaint is made,
AS an instance Of this system, the gov
ernor OF one Of the states was recently
the president Of the prevalence of crime
in this territory, and that he must purify"
It. Not long afterward~ he made a report
that all the bad men had been put to death,
SO we'll restored that a citizen could leave
his money on the street in front of his
door all night and not lose cent Of 1t.
Respect for Rural Captains.
Recently the owner Of a plantation In
southern Mexico found that the advance
camp Of a railroad construction crew had
been located on this land Three cantinas,
or saloons. were features Of the camp and
his mozos, laborers, were becoming de,
moralized. He ordered the saloons AWAY.
and two Of the proprietors obeyed. The
third closed his doors. f1guratively speak
Ing but continued to sell secretly. The
captain OF the ruraleS was sent for and In
few days arrived. He told the proprietor
he must go, called his attention to the fact
that it was very bad thing to compel any
one to send for captain on his account
| and advised him not to make a second trip
necessary. The proprietor quickly obeyed
There was no ejectment or legal proceed
ings Of any kind. The captain was the
court and Its executive officer. Asked what
would have been the result If the man had
dlsobeyed, he said:
IF I had been called upon the second
time, would have taken him to the north
ern part Of Mexico, without time to pack
~