The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-03-16
OLD MEXICO HOT
Conditions in That Country Are in a Ter
ribly Excited State.

lluly AAeilCe ototCs
DECLARES A TRAVELLER
Who Says the Revolt is Widespread
and All Business is Paralyzed in
the Country-Mexico o Land of
Feudal Barons and Serfs-Politics
Dangerous Subject.
'4Mexico is poisoned from end to
end. The spirit of revolt and unrest,
most evident in Chihuahua, is rife in
all the twelve States of the Republic.
Very few people in the United States
have any idea of the terrible condi-
tions now existing in the sister ma
tion."
In these words Mr.. Frederick W.
Olds, who is secretary of the Raleigh
Chamber of Commerce, and who left
Mexico Just nine days before, summed
up the situation in the unfortunate
country, the President of which has
just announced a war of extermina'
tion against the revolutionists.
81 do not think" he said, that the
army which the United States is as
sembling along the Mexico border
will become an army of occupation
There is grave doubt whether the ac-
quisition Of Mexico would be a desir-
able thing. We would acquire there
bv vast number of what Col. Roose'
welt calls undesirable citizens ut
terly unfit to govern themselves and
too ignorant to discharge the duties
of citizenship, and the trouble thai
they would give us would more than
offset anything that we. would gain by
annexation OF the Republic.
Moreover, If war should come, II
might prove more serious PROPOSE
tion than most people imagine. While
it is true that Mexico is divided
against itself, American intervention
might lead to a prompt patching VI
of all internecine feuds and a very
determined resistance on the part ol
the invaded country. It all depends
on the priests. They WELD a tremen'
dous influence over all classes, and
If they were to declare against the
Americans 1t would mean a sort Of
holy war. The Mexicans distrust and
dislike the Americans already, and
I do not think they would submit to
conquest. .,-s..,--
GAS for Diaz, it looks as II his day
Is over. He Is recognized as a great
man, but the general opinion IN
Mexico is that he has grown too oid
and that, due largely to bad advisers
he has become too despotic. Some ol
the papers, l see, have printed re-
ports that he is dead. I saw him IL
January and he looked we'll enough
then. He came out and stood On the
balcony of the palace overlooking the
great Plaza in Mexico City, while the
bands played and the soldiers stood
in line below. He looked very erect
and soldierly-a fine figure. was
impressed with the fact, however
that no popular enthusiasm greeted
his appearance.
what the end of 1t all may be
no man can say. Mexico is in a ter
rible condition from one end TO the
other. 1t is like Europe thousand
years ago. The population is divided
into two classes-the great land-own
ers, who are virtually feudal baruns
and the poems, who are virtual.
serfs. Some of the former own a;
much as four million acres of land
The latter illiterate, and absolutel:
paupers. The insurrectos consls
largely of these poems who are de
termined to throw off the yoke O
their overlords, though there are alst
many wealthy men among them.
"In fact, in Mexico nobody knows
who is an insurrecto and who Is 10y
al to the Government. 1t is danger
Gus to talk politics and ruin or deall
to abuse the party in power. At th'
present moment the jails are full
The papers are censored so that it il
impossible to learn the truth as II
the progress of the revolution, ant
nobody will talk politics for fear o
financial ruin if he happens to sa.
something unwise.
"In the revolution the Diaz Gov
ernment has a tremendous problem
on it's hands. The spirit Of revolt i
everywhere If troops are withdraw
from one place and sent to anothe
to quell disturbance, there is a
once fresh outbreak in the plac
which the troops have just left. TIL
Federal army is made up largely o
conyicts. A man convicted Of Grim
is given the choice of military ser
vice or jail. There is no navy, NJ
heavy artillery. There are no fort
worthy of the name and the cities ar
ABSOLUTELY unfortified
"American interests are sufferin!
terribly. These amount to somethin:
like billion of dollars. and husines