New-York tribune., 1911-04-02
TELLS TAFT ABOUT MEXICO
j N. Bishop Confirms Reports
of Serious Situation.
THE REVOLUTION GROWING
Feudal Land System, Inherited
from Spain, Chief Cause OF
Trouble, He Says.
t,.,o.o Tho Tribune Bureau.

Washington. April IA statement con-
frminC repoTts of the serious conGi'on oi
affairs in Mexico wGs made to Presioeii'
Taft to-day by J. NJ. Bishop. an Anne icai',
ENGAGED for wears in mining in me state al
Sonora wbo bore a letter OF introduction
from, Andrew Carnegie. He said that 'he
orl,. hone for peace lies in the granting Oh
,bo demands of the insurgents by the DiaH
COMMUNICATION. and that the revolution
vould last indefinitely unless this were
done .
The insurgents can fight on" he said
.hecaueo tho mountains provide refuge for
tho scattered bands. The government cam
not recruit It's army among the peop'H eN
cent by force The sympathy OF 20 per cen'
nr the people is with the rcvolutlonlsts. ne
other 10 per cent consists Of the ianoeo
aristocracy and oflceholders under me
present government.
"If peace cannot nc brought about no"
no one can forctell what ,hc end VIII ne
Active measures OF the government ~ sup
rross tbe revolution would have the erec'
of infanlng the sentiment of the masses
still further. and woUd lend Strength 10 'he
insurroctiou. The only hope lies IN the sue
ccssful outcome OF tho negotiations re
ror,cd 20 have hcou taken up
"Trausnortation has bccr cut off and
business is dead. Unless compromise ran
l,o reached OF the demands Of ia" reN"iu-
tioris,s are granted business will not revive
until tho issue has been fought ont, with
what disasters no ono knows.
Mr. Eishop vas presented 20 tho rresi-
don't bv Rcarcsentativc Austin. Of Ten
naseco Uo left Sonora three weeks ago.
tho lack of transportation facilities having
made If necessary 10 discontinue mining
oporations Mr.. carneco's interest in the
situation springs only from tho desire to
soc reace restored. and it was AT his sus-
cestion tina, Mr.. Bishop called on President
Taft.
Nr Rishup. who was formerIy Deputy
surveyor of the Port OF New York, before
soing To- Washington yesterday made the
following statement on the situation III
Mexico:
Feudalism uu torlics the present ills of
Mevico-a pciitico-soci system founded on
the tenure of leuds. originall! gwen DE
iho mother country, Spain. aS comp"nsa.
lion tor military services. At ~" time or
tlc discovery of the continent 10y 4 Olnln-
bus spain had iust finished 4 war o' elsh'
centuries duration With the MahoinctanN
and so found in the lands OF TINS newly
discovered country q convenient means ~
having OF tho numerous dents conirontlS
her for military service Inl5 was tne
ori2n OF the noted SpanSu iahn sraht..
The lands of Mexico. which III TINS way
were parcollou out in large estates among
n comparatively small number "f hoid'rS,
have 80 descended from generation to gen,
ration. 50 that nov a comparatlFcly SnaH
proportion of the population own their own
ZONES \ verS large number Of the land
less class may BE- ClaSscd a. IN state o'
scrC,lom under the landed aristocracy. The
feudal land system has given rise 10
feudal system Of pOlitics-a system under
which political clans. or rings. arc al
legged to have grown np IN praciicaHy eacn
of the sixteen Mexican states. These clans
i'm the various states are said to have
framed up an autonomy adopted for
powerful support OF the administration In
this feudal republic the landed aristocrac!
plays an important part While the poems
are "soverciGns" under the constitution. II
is said they play no part in the voting. The
landlord does The voting for All the serfs
on his estate. I'm order 10 prolOne a single
administration in feudal republic Of this
type it is only necessary 10 sec that all
candidates for elective Offices in state are
acceptable 10 the clan which dominates the
politics Of that state.
Tie allegation made bv the insurgents IS
that the clans supporting the Diaz govern
uicnt 90 not permit fair elections. in fact. |
trey say. tho so-calle1 elections are mere
faf,cs ir every sense Of the word. Local
.,elf government does not exist. No man
may become Mayor Gefc Doliticol. Sheriff
tDrc!eCtJ. ''n2re eSsman "r Governor With
oGt first having the consent OF the federal !
10 run for Office. Il Is a sys-
tenn which permits OF n9n-ieSident reprc.
sentatIun il Congress. Intrsnched behind !
the feudal land system and the fcuda |
uolticO-s socisl system profound sense Of |
security reigns in the official class in !
power ard under it. rs the insurgents
ciai.n. no limit is placed on the offences |
against the liberties of the people. They |
al,esr tiat the so-called elective franchise |
is "A myth.
\ tie uatter j. here outlined Il j. plain !
to see that the fcudal land system under /
lies lie rnost OF this Mexican trouble. Were /
these large landed estates parcelled out |
among the people ana rigid election laws |
p.d in force. by which the feudal clans Or !
Ipaiticsl rimgs should Je driven out Of OK /
istcncc. It is believed that Mexican troubles |
would come to an cn1.
H. r. q feet. abUndartly evident, that in |
stead -: being an aggregation of merely I
di,ordcrly persons. irresponsible and |
vicious. The MaderO movement II an actual
revolution. nourished IN the food on which |
real revolutions usually feed. and led by !
earnest. orderly ara determined men.
This grave crisis can best be met bv the !
,sC OF moral sUasiOn. IL II a 1T occaSion /
f,r an appeal from tic foWe.' OF the man. /
hood and womanhood of this continent II !
is it time for "a great peace appeal Tic |
u of, /,