Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-07-04
BRIGHTER DAYS FOR MEXICO.
(From the New York POst)

FUN
From the New York Post)
Whether the collapse of the orc co in
surreCtion has actually come or Is to be
delayed for a few days, there is little
reason for doubling that the authority of
the Madero government will soon be firm
L. established in Mexico. and that the
country will set TRANQUILITY about work.
ing out the serious problems that con-
front 1t. The magnitude of the task can
hardly be overestimated. II hehooves
President Mldero to restore, in the first
place, the habit of public order which the
long ascendency of Portirio Diaz had i'm
posed on the people But whereas, under
Diaz, order was obtained by the sacrifice
of popular freedom and the serious OPP
preston Of the laboring classes, it is for
Madero to set the Mexican people on the
way towards solving the problem Of COM
bining internal peace with a fair measure
of self-government and far-reachins So
cial reforms. 1t Is not only the evils of
the Diaz regime that have to he undone.
The unwarranted hopes aroused by the
uprising against Diaz must be held in
check. Neither free political institutions
nor such an agrarian reconstruction as
Mexico stands in need Of, can b, worked
out in a month or year. The future of
the Mexican people is still beset with un-
certainties. But 1t Is now fairly well as
sured that for some time TO come the
present government will be allowed to
proceed with its task. unhampered by
serious revolutionary disturbances
The character of the man to whom the
destines of Mexico are now entrusted
augurs well for the future Time must
show whether Francisco l. Madero has
In him the capacities for the highest kind
Of statesmanship But of his substantial
fitness for his office there can now he lit
tie doubt The man who has led
triumphant revolution and has success
fully combated a revolution has qualified
for leadership. When Madero first took
the field against Diaz, he was frequently
described as a dreamer q mystic.
theorist beset with fads. 1t was admitted
he had enthusiasm: hut We're ideals and
enthusiasm enough in the successor of
one who for 80 years had ruled Mexico
solely with the strong hand? Well, events
have shown that, in the case of Madero,
the practical man of affairs is combined
tic, but he Is also man with a cool head
and plenty of grit The strategy of the
federalist campaign against Orozco re-
veals in Madero "A man with a high de-
gree of self-control. To blde ones time
patiently in the face of a succession of
military reverses, to Yield neither to the
demands of his own waning prestige nor
the peril OF intervention which has hung
like cl(Ed over the country, to perfect
ones preparations at leisure and then to
let loose series of crushing blows and
wrest victory from apparent defeat-this
is leadership of "A kind that sets Madero
apart from the ruck of statesmen-gen-
eralssimos In Latin America. Very few
things In recent history are more dra-
matte than the suddenness with which the
tide Of Maderos fortune turned at Tor
reon and has continued TO mount ever
since. Something more than luck Is ne
cessary to explain the event Wise and
courageous leadership contributed largely
TO the result.
In the long run, it may turn out for
the best that Madcro was called upon
to vindicate his authority so soon after
his accession to power. Had tho revolu-
years in office, there would have been
ground for believing that the UPRISING
was based on legitimate discomfort But
when Orozco took the field within few
months after Maderos inauguration.
every man with common sense felt that
II was ridiculous to accuse the new pres!-
dent of having failed to redeem his
pledges, What opportunity had he been
given to put his promises into effect? In
our own wel-ordered country II takes
years OF agitation to place an important
piece of legislation on the statute books
The question Of federal income tax must
be fought for - years, The popular cleo
ton Of United States senators has been
still longer In debate. II has taken half
century to ensure the triumph of the
principle OF civil-service reform. But
Madero was accused of failing in as much
as six months to settle the land problem
which has been at the bottom of Mexican
discomfort. The system that Madero had
to do away with was an institution only
$50 years old. II goes back TO Cortez
During the time Of the Spanish con-
querors,' says Prof, l., S. Rowe in the
Political Science Quarterly. "the dis
tribution Of tracts OF lands In return for
military services laid the foundations Of
the system OF great landed estates which
has become serious obstacle to the adj
vance OF the lower classes" II was not
because Madero failed to undo the work
OF three centuries in day that the revo-
luton broke out. The ambition of military
chieftains like Orozco was one OF the real
causes, Tho Vaccinations OF the Diaz
partisans were another factor And still
another was the anxiety OF important
American interests to bring Mexico I'M