The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-11-05
FREE SPEECH IN
 MEXICO NO LONGER Madero Will Not Tolerate
 Adverse Criticism MANY IMPRISONED
IMPRISONED
Treaty Governing Flight of Aero planes Over International Bound ary Line May Be One Re-
 suit of Revolution

Mexico City, November 4.President Ma dero has given warning that he will not permit the expression of opinions ad- verse to his government. He has impris- oned in Belem jail a number of men most of them very young-for daring to utter views contrary to his own.
 Notwithstanding that the president fought for freedom of speech and was later elected on a platform containing a plank. guaranteeing that privilege, it is not safe today to say rude things about the executive.
 His predecessor, General Diaz, had a way of silenclng a too demonstrative press. but President Madero gave almost full rein to all writers in the republic, with one result, that the volume of print paper sales was more than doubled. and another, that. the people generally got the habit of talking more freely than they had done for a generation.
 It was not until the early part of Sep tembef. however. that the president was induced by his councillors to permit the old law, providing punishment for those who make remarks derogatory to the ex- ecutive to be applied
 Among the first to be arrested under this law were a number of too exuber- ant youths, who loudly shouted "Vivas'' for General Diaz about the time of the celebration of the anniversary of Mexi- co.'s independence. It was decided that the mere shouting for Diaz was no in suit to the president especially since the deposed presidents birthday comes on the Cny A.atr fl.o ;..lo <1. versary. but ii was regarded as insulting when the youth who wanted to express his approval of the exiled general wait ed until the present presidents carriage with him in it's was right in front of him.
 Since then secret agents, revelling in their widened field, have gathered to the colony of alleged insulters number who Intentionally in street cars, cafes and other public places voiced unfayora ble opinion of the president and sometimes accompanied their expression with re- marks that will not appear refined when entered in the court records.
 Among the young men awaiting trial is one gifted with the rhymester's powers He had written a piquant lot of verses about the president and then to a group of friends read them. A secret service agent sat at an adjoining table.
 Punishment for not adhering to an an eient religious custom has fallen on the residents of Pueblo according to the su- perstitious among them.
 September is the period the Puebla peo- pie have long called "the month of light hing Tradition has 1t that during Sep tember the bolts of fire fall there more frequently than at any other time of the year.
 A hundred years or more ago somo priest discovered that much benefit could be derived from paying due respect that month to Saint Joseph. Since then the image of the good saint has been carried through the streets at least once in Sep tember in spite of the laws of the reform in 1857, which forbade any such procession and the faithful point out that since that custom was adopted the fatalities by lightning might be counted on one's fingers.
 Last month for some reason the pre- ventive measure was not taken. Not once was the image of the saint taken from It's niche and the records of deaths by light ming were more than in years past and numerous individuals report that their homes were struck by the big electric rays
 \ treaty between Mexico and the United States governing the flight of aeroplanes over the International boundary line may be one of the indirect results of the rev. olution and the efforts of the northern re- public to prevent the importation of arms and military stores into Mexico
 Lately 1t was reported, though not con- firmed, that the rebels in the north were getting cartridges and even rifles by air. It was said that expert aviators were rising from the Texas plains a short dis tance north of the boundary line and then at night flying far over the heads of the American soldiers along the line, crossed into rebel territory where the contraband was delivered, the air smugglers return ing next night
 There was enough in the story for the secret agents of the Mexican. government to spend days in trying to ascertain what truth there. was in it. and Minister Las- curain of the foreign office said that Mex leo probably would take the initiative in asking the government q Washington to enter Into a areaty of aviation