Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-08

in mind OF course it is the United
I States.
GEOGRAPHICAL DIFFERENCES.
Southern Mexico is more productive
than the northern part and therefore
II viii better sustain rebel bands. In
the north there is much waste land
too poor 10 support soldiers and diff
cult 10 operate over. But all over
Mexico. wherever rebels abound. and
that is in nearly half the territory.
the general plan OF warfare followed
is the same. Those fighting the Cow
eminent operate in bands Of from %
70 1000 men. They usually have some
sort OF local connection so that a
general has command OF two or three
thousand men. comprising several of
these bands. When attacking a town
the bands unite and the larger the city !
the more OF them there will be as
sembied for the assault. When the I
place is captured opposing soldiers 4
taken are usually lined up az the door I
OF the church and shot without any
formalities. Then the town is can /
vassed. the banks looted Of all money
and the people who have funds are
compelled TO grant loan" OF about
all they possess. Rebel notes are CIV
Ell in return. Quite often the ,ordi-
nary soldiers are allowed TO break into
stores and carry away the stocks and
to appropriate all the liquor in sight.
There is always enough of this to get
A large part OF the force drunk. Fol
lowing the better class OF soldiers are
always a number OF bands OF hangers
on. or stragglers. These are nothing
better than bandits who take advan-
tage of the circumstances to ply the
occupation which comes natural to
hem. These bands are the most ser ,
ous menace to Americans and other
foreigners. for they are irresponsible ,
md when present in sufficient numbers /,
10 insure their personal safety they A.,
are ready TO do anything. ,
Eventually a new government is
get up in the captured town and a new
ere peliticio named. who takes the ;
,lacc OF the deposed official and every :
sody bows 10 his authority. !
These small bands find IT easy to
move and there are many mountain :
etrcats where they can go and be !,
afe from pursuit. in the present state
4 the government. There is no rea- :,
on why they cannot continue this
ort or warfare as long as there is :
nything in the country to support the i
zen who are doing the fighting and
his will be for a good many years at
be present rate.
TELLS OF EXPERIENCES.
1T was after a fight such rs have
described that ! left the country. I
vas near the town OF Chsrcas when
be rebels attacked 4 and after a hard
Eht took the place with q loss of
90 men. There were $50 federal
-oops there and they were lined up
nd shot. Then the merchants were
rdered to meet the leaders Of the
ebels at the jefe's office and hey
ere forced TO loan all the funds
sey could raise for the rebel cause.
ne stores were then broken open
nd the men QUILTED. At the mine
u the horses and mules and most OF
.e dynamite were taken.
After dark a rebel captain can>
to camp. said he had so men outside
I'D that II We did not give him 100
ssos he would sack the place. We
q not know how many men he had.
~ IN order TO be on the safe side we
with hSm and paid him
pesos.
Next morning another band OF
ragglers. 30 in number. came along
I'd demanded the same amount OF
oney. We finally got OF by giving
en- some revolvers and dynamite.
lev reported that another band OF
out the same number was comings
ID would arrive during the day.
by this time We had had enough
d decided il was time for US TO move.
We hastily packed such stun as
could. boarded the train belonging
the company and fed. We were
ne too soon. for the rebels pursued
and even got in front OF US and
ed 10 burn some OF the bridges. but
.hOut success. We reached the
ast Of Vera Cruz and sailed from
re
After Charcas had capitulated TO
rebels a number OF Americans
II. The mine. including myself. went Let
the graveyard OF the rebels TO look
the bodies OF some OF our friends
ON We feared had been killed One phi
our number, r. N. Hobart OF Clif- ria
!, Ariz-. much resembles the aver ste
, Mexican IN personal appearance. hal
We were standing beside the long Sci
rch IN which the bodies OF $50 bel
el dead were laid drunken rebel ter