Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1911-04-07
A RESIDENT
Of MEXICO
Describes Conditions Pre-
Vai|ing There
BUSINESS NOT JEOPARD|zED
A Modern Mexico will Arise
From the Ashes of the
Present Revolution, but
REIMBURSEMENT Will Not
Be Bloody.
BUSINESS NOT JEOPARD|zED

ITO my personal knowledge many
engagements reported to have taken
place in the vicinity OF Hermosillo
TRANSFERRED only in the minds of imag-
NATIVE war correspondents"
Such was the manner In which III.
A Smith, a prominent business man
of Sonora, referred to articles which
have been published in all the lead
ing newspapers Of the country con-
corning the engagements of the fed
eral and the insurrecto troops near
Hermossilo. Mr.. Smith went on to
state that matters in Mexico are not
in nearly as desperate condition as
certain magazine writers have pur-
suaded the majority of Americans to
believe, and that the interests of
American capitalists in Mexico are
not jeapordized to the degree repre-
scented by certain agitators, who. he
said, presumably have some AK to
grind in creating a false impression
OF the state of affairs actually exist
ing over the Mexican border.
After long residence in Mexico, Mr..
Smith claims to have some knowledge
OF the reasons the Mexican people
have for rebelling against the present
administration, and in an interview
given yesterday afternoon to a repre-
sentative Of The Republican he was
explicit in his statement that the pres
ent uprising is not due to an antag-
onism felt by the people for any per-
son or group of persons of the pres
ent administration, but rather to a
desire to advance the prosperity of
the country by innovating the prac-
tees and rules of election of a dem
ocatic and thoroughly republican form
Of government. 1t is felt by the ma
jority OF intelligent and progressive
people of the country that the menu
bers of the presidents cabinet have
not in any way betrayed the conf
dences OF the people by abusing the
privileges and prerogatives of their
respective offices. but that a radical
change is desirable through which the
power shall be thrown more into the
hands Of the masses The. fault does
not lie SO much with the officers of
the government as it does with the
system under which the authority OF
the nation is delegated into the hands
Of the official party by laws which
were at one time suitable to the con-
dition of the country, but which are
no longer desirable in view OF the
strides made by the people in busi-
ness, educational, and political matters
during the last twenty-five years.
In reference to this condition of
change and advancement, Mr. Smith
said:
4 think / voice the sentiment OF the
business men of Mexico generally, and
especially of the states of Sonora and
Sinaloa when / say that the adjust
ment of this present political differ
ence will result in a more stable and
progressive condition of things. The
new generation in Mexico has felt for
some years that a more general prac-
tice Of republican institutions was de-
sirable than is possible aunder the
present regime. or system OF govern
mcnt Conditions have changed in
Mexico during the last twenty-five
years and an order of government that
was, right and necessary during the
long period Of reconstruction does not
meet the need OF present conditions"
Mr.. Smith has had more than TWEEN
ty-five years experience in Mexico hav-
ing engaged in various business enter
prises within the borders of the country
During the last three years he has
been engaged in promoting a large
land colonization project near Hermo-
sillo. and in carrying on the affairs
of his Company he has come into in
innate contact with both officials and
private citizens. His business interests
have given him a specially good op-
portunity to learn the attitude taken
by the business men of the country in
regard to the present agitation. and
through his dealings with the Mexican
banks, and with other business men
engaged in operations OF a similar ma
ture TO his own he has been enabled
to form a well founded opinion as to
the extent of the disaffection. It's
causes, and the reforms which will re-
suit from t.
When the question OF the serious
ness which the capitalists of Mexico
attach to the revolution was asked
him, he replied:
ION the 18th of last March new
bank opened its doors in Hermosillo
with a fully paid up capital of $1,000
900; the purpose of the directors aof
the bank being to facilitate the land
and agricultural development of the
state of Sonora. All the capital was
subscribed by the business men OF
the state, and this would seem to me
to be fairly good indication of the
confidence they feel in the favorable
of the present trouble. Per-
sonally have borrowed money from
three Mexican banks in Hermosillo
since the middle of last January for
land operations. and under such cir
cannot regard the condi-
tons as being a civil or business dis
turbance of any magnitude as money
Is the first thing to feel the full effect
of disordered public condition. There
is very little difference between the