The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-27
THE DOWNFALL OF REYES
BY HUGH w. ROBERTS

~ ONE weeks ago, to this staff corre- spondent of. The Age-Herald, Fran o cis I. Madero President of the re- public of Mexico. predicted that the ef- fort of Gen. Bernardo Reyes to precip- 1 itate a rebellion against the central gov ernment would result in miserable fail ure.
 With the capture of General Reyes on Christmas Day the prophecy of Madero was fulfilled.
 The people of Monterey expressed the opinion that on the capture of General Reyes. Madero would order his execurron, and that following the death of the old military genius, sweet peace would nestle over the valley of the Santa Catarlna.. While the press dispatches indicate that Reyes will be given fair trial, 1t yet remains to be seen whether or not the ! life of the sole disturbing element of | the reorganized republic will be spared; and it yet remains to be seen whether or not for Mexico grim visaged war will smooth it's wrinkled front.
 | Today. however. the world is not spec ulatng on the future of the government | of the Mederstos to a degree equal to it's | contemplation of the downfall of one of the few really interesting figures of the country. With a heart filled with arrog- ancy, spleen and pride Bernardo Reyes, | driven by an overpowering ambition,
 found it impossible to accept the decrees | of fate, and still believing that at the sound of his hitherto magical voice the citizens of Mexico would spring in re- | volt, ventured alone on the field Of rev outon. On empty ears, however fell his appeals, and today, federal prisoner fguratively shackled and overburdened with contumely. he finds himself a poor
 infirm, weak and despised old man. He ventured on a bladder far beyond his depth and he is left naked to the hatred of his enemies.
 The frost which nips the ripenng glories
 of a. grim old man has never failed to
 awaken the pity of the universe, and to- | day when one reviews the splendid history
 of Reyes, its miserable conclusion strikes
 a responsive chord in the human breast At the tender age of 15 Reyes was pat
 ting for the rights of Mexico ana no sooner had he unsheathed his sword than he fell captive in the hand sof the ene- mics of his country. When Por,rio Dia2 ascended the paths of glory which led
 to the chair of the presidency, Reyes be-
 came the right hand man of the admins tration. As minister of war he rendered valiant service, and it was chiefly through his efforts, supported by the iron VII
 of the President, that Mexico soof
 achieved place in the consideration ol
 the nations.
 And then dawned day in which Diai
 dreamed that he had served long enough
 The birth of that dream was contempo
 raneous with the origin of the grim ant
 gripping disappointment which has re
 lentlessly pursued the ambitious Reye:
 to the very end On the threshold of hi' | dream, Diaz informed Reyes that ht : should succeed to the presndency. Ant
 then Diaz realized that 1t was all a mis
 reign Burning with disappointment
 Reyes followed the instructions of thu President to study military tactics in thi
 countries of Europe.
 II No sooner had Reyes reached tlie cop
 tipent than Madero. at the hea1 uf rev olution destined to be successful, oceurie, the limelight of the nations. Dias rr
 dered Reyes to return. Wten ille gen eral reached Havana he waa nfeuces that Diaz had been forced to abdicate, sni that Madero was the provisicnal goyef7ol