Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-23
CAUSE OF MEXICAN REVOLUTION
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
Written for The and the Chicago Herald.

the ChicagoRecord-H Herald.
guished guests. They were entertained
for three weeks and as compliment
to the archbishop none but white horses
were used during his stay. The ranch
was fifty miles from the railroad. and
their Journeys back and forth were made
by carriages: there were hunting parties
and excursions to various points of in
terest by carriage and by saddle, but
there were white horses enough to go
around. and animals OF no other color
were seen by the guests. Similar stories
are told to illustrate the pecuiarities and
power and wealth Of this old man. There
are other stories that are not so amusing
concerning his craft and cruelty. the
tyrrany that he exercises over his poems
who number GOFDO, and the penalties he
imposes upon those who interfere with
his will.
One Of the reasons given for the revoiu-
ton in Chihuahua is his treatment of the
poems He has never
Revenge OF done anything for them
~. He has kept them on
'Ae wis., scantiest wages: he has
exacted labor to the limit of endurance;
he has compelled them to pay back their
wages in trade at his stores: he has treat
ed them as slaves, and while he has
been growing richer and richer every
day, they have been growing poorer. Now
that the revolution has given them an OPP
portunity for revenge, they are Joining
the bands Of guerrillas and are plumber
ing his villages and ranch houses, burn
ing his buildings. killing his cattle and
doing him as much damage as possible.
Francisco Madero. who provoked the
revolution, has encouraged these raids.
hi TOW, f~r
last fall he told the poems on the Ter
razas lands that the land belonged to them.
and that they should arm themselves and
compel their employer to give each of
them farm and pay them wages of a
dollar a day instead of 80 and 40 cents,
which is the maximum paid on the es-
tates. He told them that while they were
being taxed to support the government.
Don Luis was paying no taxes. and that
If he. Don Francisco. was elected
he would give everybody a farm;
would increase wages to dollar a
day and distribute the cattle and the
sheep among them. While the vaqueros
generally loyal to their master, and con-
tinued to be SO as long as they were kept
In Ignorance. these speeches Of Madero
naturally caused universal unrest and in
quiry. The Mexican peon is iliterate.
but has a fair degree of intelligence, and
the possibility of having farm of his
own and a share of the cattle and sheep
tina, now belong to his master very
naturally appealed to him. These aspira-
lions are said to have been encouraged by
the priests. and gradually the loyalty OF
the poems has been undermined, and they
are now almost universally in sympathy
with the 1nSurrectos. who are being re-
crufted. supported and aided by the
razas estates. Therefore, no matter what
negotiations may be carried on at the
City of Mexico, the rebellion in Chihua-
hua can never be subdued. The old
feudal relations between Don Luis and
his employees. who are said to number
more than 10000. will never be the same
as before. and the flrst estate in the re-
public to be broken up and divided among
the poems will be his. There will never be
peace In Chihuahua until this is DONE.
The same rule may be applied to the
Madero estates in the neighboring state
OF Coahuila, which also embrace several
million acres and are said to be much
more valuable, acre for acre, than those
vineyards and comparatively few cattle.
Much Of their land is In a high state
of cultivation.
Enrique c. Creel. who was formerly
ambassador Of Mexico at Washington.
and was called to
Creels Relations the City of Mexico
With Terrazas. 90 20 1 ferei1n ' ana,rs
married daughter of Don Luis Ter
razas. and for thirty years has represent
ed him in many mines, banks, manufac-
lures and other enterprises, and has
looked after his real estate in Chihuahua
and the capital Mr.. Creel is very rich
on his own account His wealth is esti-
49,
In banks. mining stock and other in
vestments than land and cattle.
Mr.. Creel was born in Chihuahua in
1854. His father. Reuben w. Creel. was
a Kentuckian, who went to Mexico
during the war of 1865, and settled in
Chihuahua, where he conducted a small
store. He had family of seven chill
dren. of whom the eldest was named
after his favoTite statesman, Henry
Clay The latter was sent to the United
States to be educated, and when he re-
turned to Chihuahua started a. school.
His intelligence and accomplishments
brought him into relations with the busi
ness men Of Chihuahua, who commended
him to Don Luis Terrazas. who persuad-
ed him to give up teaching and enter
his service. Within few years Creel
had become Indispensable to his employ
err and strengthened the relation by
marrying his daughter.
Mr. Creel has not returned to Chihua-
net Of President Diaz He is supposed
to be in consultation with other leaders
at the Mexican capital concerning plans
for peace. Among those plans is one
proposed by Mr.. Limantour for breaking
up the big estates which pay no taxes
and the distribution of the land among
the poems. after plan similar to that
recently adopted by the Russian govern
ment. Eighty-five per cent, If not more.
Of the area Of Mexico is held in enor
NOUS estates, and most of the owners
live in Paris and Madrid and spend the
revenues derived from them in those
cities. They do nothing for the improve
ment of the condition of their tenants
and poems: they contribute nothing to the
support of the government. and there can
ba no permanent security or prosperity
in the republic until this system is
broken up. President Diaz has long
recognized this fact, but has temporized
with the absentee landlords in order to
avoid their hostility. He has postponed
the evil day, but cannot do so any
longer. WILLIAM E. CURTIS.