The menace. [volume] (Aurora, Mo.) 1911-1920, 1913-03-01
The Mexican Situation


lLouis Posts publication The
Rublic." OF Chicago, In tie issue Of
February z, has an interesting article
Under the above caption. written by
II. r. Brinamnde, which undertakes
70 show that the cause OF the deplor-
able condition Of the people ef Mex-
Ico h due 70 the land situation ana the
llquor industry.
The article is an able one. but only
lells part OF the truth. The remainder
pf Il Il told by Herbert s. Lucier. also
bf Chicago. In a letter which has been
submitted 10 the Public" for publi-
cation A carbon copy Of this letter
10 the public" has been furnished
rhe Menace. and We take the fol
lowing excerpts from the same;
"Mr. Brinsmads Is strictly correct
IN saying that the land problem ls
Ione OF the most important ones In
Mexico, and implying that many
propertyless pelados lcommon peoplel
would successfully cultivate large
tracts OF land now monopolized by
THY spectators, and while n new
(which would force the hold
these great tracts running In
lions OF acres 10 relinquish
o those willing 10 work them),
revolutioniHp mental. social and
S,onomJc q conditions In Mexico, Il ls
only fair TO say that the conscious
meas Of this condition OF land oppres-
sion Is exceedingly limited. In fact
the number OF residents In the repub-
lie OF Mexico who are intelligently
conscious on the land question are
exceedingly few In number.
"Mr. Brinsmade points out both the
power and the degenerating influence
OF the trafic In the Intoxicating drink,
rpulque.' made from the maguey plant,
but be has failed 10 mention the re-
ally great narcotic that prevadss and
destroys the masses In Mexico and
al Spanish American countries. An
influence, compared with which the
Juice Of the 'maguey' IL but a small
contributor 70 the economic and In
tsllectuh degeneracy Of the people.
"To Illustrate: Some eight years
ago, two brothers, Of 81. Paul, MINI,
who had made a large fortune In
real estate. were induced to purchase
a ten thousand acre ranch In the
state Of Morelos, Mexico. and In order
20 secure the best possible returns
for their investment they made very
careful selection of an astute and ex-
perienced Mexican manager OF the
ranch who .proceeded TO put up such
new buildings as were required to
insure success.
THE St Paul brothers were uber-
ais, In fact atheists In their own be-
lief However. after due consultation
with their new Mexican manager, the
frst buildings 10 Be erected and rem
ovated we're a priests house and a
church, q large ware house for stor.
Ing and protecting the products Of the
ranch being the third consideration.
"Mexico City contains some four
hundred mfllionaires whose great
profits have been made By employing
priests 10 exploit ignorance and fear
60 reduce the labor to the minimum
and In the last ten years q consider
able number Of American capitalists
have bought ranches Of this character
and are participating In the Spanish
American method Of regulating the
labor problem
Il have frequently heard MEXICO
City phlanthropists deeply concerned
IN 'uplift' work. upon returning from
their visits 20 great haciendas en-
ploying from one 10 three thousand
families and covering a territory
including a half dozen villages, ex-
patiats upon the beauty and spiritual
ity Of the work Of these priests on the
ranches who In every case OF contro-
versy and quarrels between the work
fnan. or differences between man and
wife (not enc tenth Of whom were
ever united hy legal marriase) are
able. with q word and q blessing. TO
bring harmony into the home and dis
bel q frown or relax a cienched hst.
90 0sss ranches the entirs labor