New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-10-27
Fewer than 10000 of the 80,.
600 Eligible to the Fran
chise in the Capital Be-
lieved to Have Cast
Their Ballots.
CATHOLICS CLAIM VICTORY
Huerta DEGREES a Heavy Increase in
the Regular Army Strength and
Felix Diaz, Defying Him,
Resigns as Brigadier
General.
tBy Cable to The Tribune.l


Mexico City, Oct. 26.-When the polls
closed at 5 o'clock this afternoon 1t was
generally believed that not enough
voters had cast their ballots to consti-
tute a valid election Of constitutional
President of Mexico to succeed VIC
toriano Huerta, the provisional Presi-
dent.
1t was estimated that fewer than
10000 of the $1,000 eligible voters in
the Federal District voted to-day, and
if the returns show the same In the
whole country the election will prob
ably be declared void and Huerta will
remain the virtual Dictator.
1t is believed that a Congress has
been legally chosen. as voting for Sem
ators and Deputies is not subject to the
same regulations as the choice Of
President. When the new Congress
meets, 1t is said. it will pass on the
election for President.
Contrary TO expectations, President
Huerta did not vote to-day, but re-
Huerta issued a decree to-day raising
the regular army of Mexico from SO,OOJ
to 10000 men.
General Felix Diaz telegraphed to-
day his resignation as brigadier gen
eral in the army. He had fatty re-
| fused to return to the capital on
! Huerts's invitation.
Catholics Claim Victory.
In this city the elections passed of
| without disorder and with little in
terest shown by the people.
The claim Of the Catholic party that
| II has carried both the Presidential and
| Congressional elections in this capital
| is generally conceded. While The Trio-
| une's correspondent watched proceed
| ings he was able TO note that almost
all who went TO the polls voted the
| Catholic ticket.
Headquarters Of the Catholic party
| tonight was the scene of much anima-
| ton as the officials received and tabu-
lated the results. II was declared pos
| itiyely that the Catholic candidates
! had received an overwhelming major
ity Of the votes cast in this city and
| that the balloting here was sufficient
for valid election.
The Felicista headquarters, when the
! correspondent called, was solitary and
almost in darkness, and only one minor
! employe was present.
Quiet at the Polls.
! The Tribune correspondent visited
numerous polling booths and watched
the proceedings at each of them for
some time. Each booth was superin-
tended by representatives of the diff
ferent parties, who checked one an
other in turn.
| AT some of the booths in the West
End, inhabited by the well-to-do
classes, there was pretty steady
| stream OF voters between 10 o'clock
and noon. AS each voter arrived II
was first ascertained whether his name
| figured in the register. He then re-
ceiyed bunch Of ballots OF the various
parties in the field, and after filling in
1
those of his choice he discarded tho
| others
| There was no coercion, and neither
military nor police were near any OK
the booths, though small cavalry de-
tachments patrolled the city and gen.
darmes were held in readiness at the
police stations to respond to any call
that might be made. Their services
were not needed.
! A polling booth in Gale de MIA, near
Huertas house, was visited this morn
ing by Colonel Inouye, japanese mill
tary attache. and other officials of the
Japanese Legation, to whom the
method of voting was explained.
| Colonel Inouye saw several ballots
cast.
Gamboa Running We'll.
| In the West End nearly all the bal
lots cast were for Gamboa and Racon,
the Catholic party candidates. In the
East End Gamboa also polied fair
number of votes, but here Felix Diaz
was a close second. Calero seems to
have received scarcely any votes in
this city.
The West End polling booths were
the only ones in which some slight in
terest was noted. In the centre Of the
city. and to a large extent in the East
End, the polling officers sat smoking
cigarettes and cracking jokes, waiting
for voters who did not come. AZ a
booth in Gale de Independence, one OF
the city's busiest thoroughfares, no
representatives Of any Of the parties
appeared % superintend the bailoting.
A few automobiles and carriages,
decked out with standards and colors