The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-06-21
AuEaTA MAKES SMALL GAINS.
PRESIDENT OF MEXICO HAS LOTS
OF TROUBLE RULING HIS
PEOPLE.


Mexico City. June 14.--In the three
months Gen. Huerta has been presi-
dent of Mexico he has made no sub
stantial headway against the rebels,
according to the opinions Of close and
impartial observers of the situation in
this republic. Unless there is made a
, radical change in the conduct of the
government campaign against its enc
mics. or unless the rebels become
much weaker than they are today,
foreign observers believe that Huerta
VIII have great difficulty I'm restoring
peace to Mexico. As for the rebels.
they have grown steadily stronger
since Gen. Huerta became president,
and now there Is scarcely a State I'm
which their mobile columns have not
been operating In defiance of the gov
ernment's superior armament and or
gsnization.
The country is plunged I'm an
archy." said El Diario. a pro-govern-
ment paper. recently. "Brigandage
holds sway In a large portion of the
national territory; defeated In one
place, the bands reappear in another,
and they carry their audacity to the
point defying the federal divisions In
their headquarters" The usual ex-
preston in the local papers, how
ever, Is of a different character. For
the most part they reflect the care
FULLY studied optimistic tone of the
officers at the national palace, who
make much OF defeats administered
here and there, and often fail to make
any mention at all OF rebel victories.
The military operations of the gov
ernment have been divided into three
general campaigns. one in the south
against the followers OF Zapata, con-
Quoted by Gen. Juvenico Robies; an.
other whose centre is Guaymas in
sonora. and the third, directed from
Monterey against the rebels operating
"a the States OF CoahuIa, Nuevo Leon
ana Tamauiipas. In addition to these
defined campaigns the government
troops are riding here and there over
dozen States. forcing their way from
one point to another. only often to
hnd' when they arrive at their desti-
nation. that the rebels have cut in
behind fhetu or ha,,o .o.. a.
Try to pieces on either side of their
line OF march.
In the South Robles promised To
exterminate In a few weeks the ban
dts led by Emiliano Zapata. He was
instructed by the war department to
ura the methods of weyler in Cuba;
70 concentrate in few points all non
eomostants, and then devastate with
nre and cannon the remaining village
and towns. killing his prisoners. ex-
cept whose physical strength appealed
10 him as material for the regular
army but before Robles could get his
plan under way. zapta was attacking
MIN In his headquarters. and since
then IL has been an open question
which side would be the victim of the
"eyier method. The region to- the
south already is practically deyastat.
ed. Haciendas on which enormous
sugar crops formerly were grown ar.
today fast returning To- mnpI.
Srowths and the warfare i'm which tho
Followers OF Zapata have engaged
now for almost three years appear,
70 he causing them to revert To some
Wild and savage type.
The Guaymas campaign began wou
Gen. Medina Barron marched forth
out only To return after defeat. and
u was almost two weeks after tho
battle at Santa Rosa before tho ,o,-
eminent admitted the reverse. moan
while characterizlng as untrue IN.
press dispatches from the border.
The campaign directed from Mon.
tercy has resulted i'm the recall M
Gen. Trucy Aubert, who, apparently.
was unable To suppress the rebels un-
DER command OF Verustiano Carranza
OF even to retake and reopen the rail
road between Monterey and Laredo
TeSaS His successor has done no
better The rebels have extended
thcir Held Of operations until small
towns from the gulf cost tn Chlhua-
hua are entered, seemingly, almost at
will
Conditions in the Central states are
little IL any better In it's desire TO
clear up the "boarder situation" and
open the railroads in order that the
United States may have higher
opinion Of the general situation. the
government has confined most OF its
energies To the two northern cam
paigns.