The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1910-06-23

one Oh the most able as well as
unselfish patriots Of Mexican his
tory. 1t was at this juncture that
General Poriirio Diaz wantonly
and without any apparent reason,
except that of personal ambition,
stirred up rebellion after rebel
lion for the purpose OF securing
for himself the supreme power
Of the land. The support that he
received came chiefly from ban
dts. criminals and professional
soldiers. Repeatedly 1t was
proved that the Mexican people of
those days did not want the rebel
Dias for their. chief executive.
Three times during the first FIVE
years of plotting he was an unsuc-
cessful candidate at the polls.
The third time he received only
one-fifteenth of the total vote. At
home and abroad he was looked,
upon as a common rebel and
when he marched into the nation
al capitol at the head of a VIC
torious army and proclaimed him
self president, hardly European
nation would at first recognize the
upstart government, while the
United States for a time threat
ened complications.
In the latter part of 1876, near
ly "a years ago, Diaz led his rebel
army into the Mexican capital and
proclaimed himself provisional
president-unanimously, note that
unanimously. In 1880 he turn
ed the government over to a
friend. Manuel Gonzalez, who was
also elected unanimously. In 1884
Gonzalez reinstalled Diaz after
third unanimous election. Fol-
lowing 1884, Diaz was reelected
unanimously every four years for
20 years until 1904, when the
presidential term was heightened
~ oAA yCdis anu ioi IhO 5SNCAIu
time he was elected unanimously.
Finally Diaz is to be elected"
again in a few days and If he does
not consider that the joke has be-
come too ancient, we may be told
that he has been elected unanim-
ously again. Can anyone imagine
nation of some 100000 peo-
pie, with say 100000 persons OF
voting age, all preferring the
same man for their chief execu-
tive, not only once but year after
year and decade after decade.
Gould anyone imagine Mr.. Taft or
Mr.. Roosevelt being reelected by
a unanimous vote, moreover could
anyone imagine a country og 49,
100000 souls in which ambition
never stirred the heart of more
than one individual to pre- presi-
dent?
Opposition Destroyed.
Never in all that "a years has
a candidate stood against him at
the polls. There have been would
be candidates but in each and
every case they have been destroy
ed before election day. Corona,
Cadana and Martinez were assas-
sinated. Magon. became a refugee
and today lies political prisoner
In an American Jail. Reyes was
banished from the country. Ma
dero, the most recent candidate,
Is in Jail in Mexico.
In 1879, near the end of Diaz'
first term, party was organized
for the purpose of working for
the reelection of Lerdo. Upon
the names of the leaders OF the
new party becoming known, Diaz
sent a telegram, "matoalos on
caliente" (kill them in haste) to
General Mier TEXAN, governor
of era Cruz. They were dragged
from their beds, lined up against
a wall and shot to death. During
the ten years following the mass
acre of era Cruz, two Mexicans
aspired at different times to OPP
pose Diaz for the presidency. One
was General Ramon Carona, gov
ernor of Jalisco, and the other
was General Garcia de la Cadena,
ex-governor of Zacatecas.
While on his way home from a
theater one night Carona was
stabbed to death by an assassin.
While in actual fight for the
United States, where he hoped to
lind safety, Cadena was pierced by
the bullets of a squad of assas-
sins who came upon him at the
depot at Zazatecas. In 1891
Mexico was thrown into ferment
By the announcement Of Diaz that
he intended to continue in power
for still another term, which made
his fourth one. A party of op-
position was organized. its choice
for president being DR.. Ignacio
Martinez. The party was beaten
down by gun and club methods
and Martinez fed to Europe for
safety. He returned later and
was promptly assassinated.
Reaches Into United States.
In the fall OF 1900 the Mexican
liberal party was organized. In
less than ave months 1875 clubs
had arisen in all parts OF the
country and score Of newspapers
espoused the cause OF the new
party. In January Of 1909 a ma