The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-12-21


tween President Taft and Senator
William Alden Smith. OF Michigan.
and Faii. OF New Mexico. These two
senators have been taking testimony
III fall On the Mexican border on con-
d.tfons In Mexico with special refer
encA to the plight II the thousands OF
Americans in Mexico and the part
taker by outsiders in fcmenting the
tnsurrections.
The evidence taken by the senate
committee elbows beyond possibility
OF dispute that the situation or Amer
leans in Mexico is intoleraoie; that
there la intense feeling against Alneri-
cars because from the time Aadero
began his al sck on the pIaz gov
eminent he has been able 10 get arms
ammunition ami munitions OF war
across the border at pleasure: that
ne has Imported from the United
STATES thousand OF rifles and many
m Hon rounds of cartridges, while,
since the Orozco revolution began the
utmost endeayors Of war. state, treas
urs ard judicial departments Of the
government have been used TO pre-
vent his getting any assistance.
Siding with Madro.
A cloud of Witnesses have testi-
fed that ne Mexican has any doubt
that the American government have
been siding with Madero from the
beginning and against OToEco Tbs
ties ,irDoty IL overwhe Inning that Mex
Jeans universally regard President
Tasts proc auatign 10 Americans to
corEe out Of Mexico as abandonment
of the remaining Americans TO their
fale and as a confession Of weakness
or Indifference SO that the most de-
sptged person in Mexico today is an
American who remains there.
Thousands Of Americans have left
their homes in Mexico TO be plum
dered. looted and Americans have had
their pr perry taken at will. others
have been held FOR ransom and insur-
recticnary leaders have served writ
ten notice on them that any attempt
to invoke the ala Of the Mexican fed
eral government will oe u signal for
blood and torch.
The evidence shows that the North
srn States IT sonora, Chihuahua ana
Ccahutla are oveTrun by thousands OF
insuI reCtus, VINO ream and pitinge at
will while the federal troops. who
are mostly the scum OF the cities, re-
cruited from the jai.s and peniten-
taries. some in garrisons and make no
attempt To pursue them, attending
bull fights, en- maSse while the hres
adjoining hills. When appeals are
made TO them for protection, they
say, We have no orders TO pursue"
Railroad Men Warned.
American railroad men have been
warned that they viii be shot on
signt If they attempt to operate
trains; and the railroad service Ga
Northern Mexico Is absolutely para
lyzed. The Mexican federal govern
ment has employed men on American
soil 10 GO to Mexico to destroy Mex
lean government railroads to pre-
vent the rebels attacking garrisons In
the towns. Especial resentment has
been shown s.nce Mexican troops were
allowed 10 cross American territory.
The city Of FL Paso has been. since
before the Madero revolution began,
a rest OF Mexican spies and recruiting
agents.
There is a mass Of evidence of at.
tempted subornation of perjury on
the part OF the persons connected
with the Mexican consulate at e
Paso. and the evidence shows that
American secret service employees
have been in the pay OF Madero.
American Property Taken.
American cattle and horses have
bene seized by the thousands; Amer,
5cAu mines nave peen smut GOWN, IT
hundreds of isolated hairendat
ranches and camps, Americans are IL
deadly fear. surrounded by renegadet
who hold them In the same regart
that playful cats have Tor the mic
that shrink between their claws.
When Feiiz A. Semmerfeld, per
sonai and plenary representative o
Madero al Ell Paso was subpoenae,
to appear before the committee. n
denied its power to examine him an,
defie Its memoer to question him
On the ground that he had letter
from Mr.. Madero giving him 5. prem
though unofficial powers as Madero'
representative. Senators Smith an,
Fall thereupon gave him griffin
three hours run, In which he wa
forced 10 admit that he had obtain
ed war material for Madero from tn
United States when he chose. tha
Mexican employees had searche
American women on American soil
that he had nearly three hundred per
sons In the employ Of Madero in an
around Ell Paso. and a host of siini
lar strange things