Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-10
PRESS IS NOW FREE
Mexican Newspapers May
Publish What They Please.
BAN LIFTED BY MADER0
People, Too, Have Caught the Spirit
and Unrestricted Expression
Prevails.

| MEXICO CITY, July 1O.-The Mexican
press is free" That it should be was
one of the many things promised by
Madero. and local publishers did not wait
for him to be formally elected before be-
ginning to exercise their newly acquired
right.
| Their assumption, however, was justi-
fed. Emilio Vasquez Gomez minister Of
| the department of interior, was not slow
| in publicly assuring the newspaper own
ers that they could publish whatever they
| liked.
1.-The government Is sure that the, lib
erty Of the press Is the best way to obtain
| the efficient help of all newspapers SO as
to realize completely the ideas Of the
| present government" ne said in q public
statement on the subject.
That this unrestricted expression Is
| stimulating has already been demon
| strated: whether 1t will prove intoxt-
eating remains to be seen. Since the ad-
vent Of Madero a dozen new periodicals
have been born, and as many more are
doubtless will force many of these young
sters into their graves. for the only rea-
son apparent for their being In some in
stances is that some one wishes a me-
dunn of public expression.
No One Spared by Witness.
Most Of the new periodicals are small
magazines, the majority devoted to the
publication Of satirical verse and prose.
illustrated with caricatmes. No one is
spared by the writer's and artists, but.
as is natural, the most stinging-and
sometimes vicious-work is sometimes re-
those individuals who were connected
with the old regime. Among the weekly
periodicals is Ell Ahuizote, publication
resurrected. This mazagine first appear
ed years ago, but because OF its cartoons
of Lmantour and other public mer was
suppressed.
The daily newspapers give most live
ly evidence of this freedom Ell Inn
parcial, paper which has always been
procurement. has inserted under its
head the words 'Diario independents,
and Independent 1t is. 1t publishes news
and comment regardless of how it will be
relished by Madero and his friends, for
whom 1t pretends no love.
The public also has caught the spirit
of free speech, and almost all the pa
pers publish columns Of comment fur
nished by readers. Most of 1t is signed
by the writer's own names. In this
the political questions are freely dis
cussed Madero is criticised we'll
as praised. and those who would like
to see another chosen for the presi-
dency do not hesitate TO say so.
Capital Has yellow Press
News which never would have been
reported during the days of Diaz is
now published under seven-column
heads and in ten-point type. The cap
ital now, too, has it's yellow press"
On the whole, the people appear to
welcome the change.
Were free!' appears to be the un-
spoken idea in the minds of thousands of
the poorer people Of the capital and per-
haps furnishes the explanation of scores
of curious sights to which the old resi-
not uncommon to see hundreds Of men,
women and children-and not all of them
peons-wandering about on the grass of
the Alameda during a band concert. In
the days of Diaz none ever trod that
grass with impunity.
Notwithstanding signs that warn the
public not to ascend the platform Of the
famous monument to Juarez, the snowy
marble columns are not infrequently
black with hundreds of ragged men and
children gathered there to hear band
or to witness a parade in the street. For
time taking prisoner away from po-
iceman was a favorite amusement. but
this diversion has been checked almost al
together, but not yet does an officer of
the law insist upon doing his duty with
out seeing an expression OF surprise on
the faces Of the ragged populace. They
are 'free," and to learn that there are
yet restrictions is disconcerting.