Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1911-07-06
v. T. BROCK WRITES
An Alma Man In Mexico Tells Of the
Trouble In Mexico Recently
An INTERESTING ACCOUNT


y
w. E. Brock of Alma has been in
the midst of the Mexican revolution
and has written in a most interest
ing way OF his experience in the
southern country. Coming first hand
from an eye witness of the scenes
of warfare and from man in close
touch with the business interests OF
the country, the account is especi-
ally valuable to those interested IN
Mexico. To those who are not IT
will prove of much interest from the
standpoint of a story of adventure
The article is written in diary form
covering a week or two while Mr..
Brock was entirely cut off from out
side communication The writer re-
fers 10 art" who is a brother, and
and Lulu sister frequently. Mr..
Brock is a graduate of Alma high
school and Alma college, class OF
1902, and is interested in the lumber
ing business in the south.
Parral, Chin, Mexico, May IA, II
left Corrales on the 9th, and went
on UP to Chihuahua to have an inter
view with Amador Gonzalez. The
day | left Jimenez it was rumored
that the Maderistos were very active
around Santa Rosalia and that the
train was in danger Of capture. For
that reason, suppose, | was the
sole passenger However, | saw
nothing exciting on the journey, nor
on the way back, but | understand
that the very next day the line was
cut and no trains have been through
I met many of the prominent Mexi-
cans, including men OF both parties,
and CLEANED a lot of very interest
ing information concerning the hap
penings of the past few months
around Chihuahua. | found that
most of these men favor the princi-
pies advocated by Madero, but only
one or two thought him the right
man to succeed Diaz in the presi-
dency. Also, and contrary to my
expectation they all seemed to hold
Diaz in the highest regard and do
not sympathize with the movement
10 force him to Immediately relin-
quish his office. They say in effect,
that while Diaz is undoubtedly both
a remarkable statesman and of un-
usual energy and capacity. he has
had more power than any one man
ought to hold, and that it has been
simply beyond the ability of any one
mortal TO give an evenly impartial
government to all parts OF so huge
a country as this is. Most of the
men he has been leaning on for his
advisors and subordinates have been
fairly patriotic but some few have
been entirely selfish in their exploit
ations and smooth enough to keep
the wool pulled over the old mans
eyes. Probably the worst OF these
latter, and certainly the ones who
were the immediate cause OF the up
rising, were the Creel-T Terrazes
crowd of this state. By virtue OF
their control of all the state offices
from governor down to the Jefe
Municipales of the villages, and also
their ownership of the Banco Minero,
the chief financial institution OF the
state, they seem to have put through
a scheme of political grating that
would do credit to the brightest AM
meric an of gentle and lucrative art.A
few years ago, when Creel, Terra
zas and the Banco Minero became
active, there was large surplus of
cash in the state treasury. Now the
state owes the Banco Minero more
than $5,000,000 and pays ten per cent
interest on it. Also large amounts
Of bonds covering municipal and
state improvements as well as mil
lions of acres of public lands have
been gobbled up, so it is alleged, and
there is nothing to show for it. l
imagine they could have gone on in
this way for long time yet, though
if they hadn't become careless and
crude in their proceedings. These
people are most easy going and do
cile, and ! have noticed that even
such alert kickers as are the masses
of Americans will continue to swal-
low the putrid pills of exploiting
politicians almost as long as they are
kept sugar coated.