Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-07-29
PRESS NOW FREE
Mexican Newspapers and Mag
azines Are Printing What
They Like.
MADERO PROMISE REALIZE
Comment Adverse to Madero, but
Makes No Difference-People
Share in Liberty.

The Mexican press is free" That
1t should be was one Of the many
things promised by Nader, and local
publishers did not wait for him to bt
formally elected before beginning tc
exercise their newly acquired right
Their assumption, however, was jus
titled. Emilio vasqUez Gomez, minis.
ter of the department of interior, was
not slow in publicly assuring th1
newspaper owners that they could
publish whatever they liked.
THE government Is su that the
liberty of the press IS the best way
to obtain the efficient help of all news
papers so as to realize completely the
ideas Of the present government" he
said In a public statement on the sub
ject.
That this unrestricted expression is
stimulating has already been demon
strated Whether It Will prove intoxi-
eating remains to be seen. Since the
advent OF Madero a dozen new periodi-
Gals have been born, and as many
more are said to be projected Lack
Of advertising doubtless will force
many of these youngsters into their
graves, for the only reason apparent
for their being in some instances is
that some one wishes a medium Of
public expression
NO ONE SPARED BY WRITER'S.
Most Of the new periodicals are
small magazines, the majority devoted
to the publication Of satirical verse
and prose, illustrated with caricatures.
No one is spared by the writer's and
artists. but. as is natural, the most
st1ng1ng-and sometimes vicious-work
relates to those individuals who were
connected with the old regime Among
the weekly periodicals is Ell Ahuizote,
a publication resurrected This maya
zine first appeared years ago. but be-
cause Of its cartoons of Limantour and
other public men was suppressed.
The daily newspapers give the most
lively evidence Of this freedom" Ell
Impartial, a paper which has always
been progovernment, has inserted IN
der it's head the word "Diario Indepen-
diente," and independent it is. It pub
fishes news and comment regardless
Of how it will be reIished by Madero
and his friends. for whom it 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 sign
ed by the writer's own names. In this
comment and in the editorial columns
the political questions are freely dis
russed. Madero is criticised as well as
M n ThnEa ~ 70
see another chosen for the presidency
10 not hesitate TO say so.
News which never would have been
during the days OF Diaz is
now published under seven column
heads and in ten point type. The cap
tai now, too. has its yellow press"
We're free" appears to be the IN
spoken idea In the minds Of thousands
IF the poorer people of the capital and
perhaps furnishes the explanation of
scores Of curious sights to which the
I'D resident has not become accustom- |
ID 1t is not uncommon to see hun
ireds of men, women and children
md not all OF them peons-wandering |
about on the grass Of the Alameda |
Turing a band concert. In the DAYS OF /
Diaz none ever trod that grass with /
mpunity.
Notwithstanding signs that warn the ,
public not 10 ascend the platform of .
he famous monument TO Jaurez. the .
nowy marble columns are not infre-
luently black with hundreds Of ragged |
men and children gathered there to
lear a band or TO witness a parade in
he street For a time taking a pris-
'ner away from a policeman was a
avorite amusement, but this diversion
as been checked almost altogether.
Tut not yet does an officer OF the law
insist upon doing his duty without see
ng an expression of surprise on the
aces of the ragged populace They
re free" and to learn that there are
ct restrictions IS disconcerting.