The Detroit times., 1910-06-23


because the people have elected him.
Only by virtue of 10000 regular
soldiers. armed to the teeth, of 5000
rurales. OF a vast army OF secret and
regular PORES, OF the politicos. the
little czars of the political districts
who are clothed with the killing pow
ers of a cannibal chief, will President
Diaz continue In power.
: The prisons of Mexico today are
crowded with political offenders. II
has always been SO just before what
the dispatches are wont to term an
election" In Mexico.
Diaz has been president OF Mexico
for "a years. Not onece during that
time has Mexico seen a bona fide cleo
ton. national or state. The power to
choose the makers and enforcers OF
their laws. as we'll as the common
rights OF free press and speech. the
right to be secure In property and in
person. things that are everywhere
admitted as being necessary for the
evolution OF any and all peoples. have
been taken away from the sons OF
Mexico. And when brave men de-
manded the return OF these rights
they have been put in jail, shot, or
compelled to fee for safety to foreign
soil-where they have not always
found safety.
"kllI Them In Haste"
In 1879. near the end of Diaz's first
term, a 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. Ma
toalos en- caliehte" (Kill them In
haste) TO Gen. Mier Teran. governor
of Vera Cruz. That night, June, 1879,
nine men, prominent citizens OF
Vera Cruz, were dragged from their
beds, lined up against wall and shot
70 death.
During the ten years following the
massacre Of Vera Cruz. two Mexicans
aspired at different times to oppose
Diaz for the presidency. One was
Gen. Ramon Corona, governor or
Jalisco, and the other was Gen. Garcia
de la Cadena, ex-governor OF Zacate-
cas-. While on his way home from a
theater one night Corona was stabbed
to death by an assassin. While in
actual flight for the United States
where he hoped to find safety, Cadena
was pierced by the bullets Of a squad
of assassins, who came upon him at
the depot at Zacatecas.
In 1891 Mexico was thrown into a
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 opposition
was organized. its choice for president
being Or. Ignacio Martinez. The party
was beaten down by gun and club
methods and Martinez fed to Europe
for safety. He returned later and was
assassinated.
Russian Police Methods Used.
In the fall of 1900 the Mexican
liberal party was organized. In less
than Ave months 1875 clubs had arisen
I'm ALI parts of the country and score
of newspapers espoused the cause of
the new party. In January, 1905, a
national convention was held In which
the party pledged itself to use only
peaceable means to restore the con-
stitution. But Il made no difference.
BY the use of Russian police methods
the clubs were broken up, the news
papers were suppressed, the leaders
imprisoned. Today no one In Mexico
dares openly to admit his membership
in the Liberal party. All the known
Mexican Liberals are political refugees
on American soil. where. through a
strange influence which Diaz exerts
upon American officials they are
bounded almost as cruelty as II they
were in Mexico.
Finally. early In 1909. the Demo