The Snyder signal. (Snyder, Tex.) 1887-????, 1913-11-07

market their output, have closed, the large
ranch owners have lost their cattle ana the
soil has not beeen TILED. In consequence the
laborers in the mines and factories ana on
the farms are facing starvation They, there
fore Join these marauding bands IN order TO
get food and plumber and enjoy that guerrllla
life which is particularly suited to the MeNl-
can temperament.
This will go from bad to worse until
government is established which has the piny-
steal force behind it to crush out these bandits
and the money TO advance TO set the wheels
of industry moving and enable the unem-
ployed to secure work.
II will be recalled that during our clvll
war France sent an army OF 2OO,QO0 regulars
to Mexico. with whose aid Maxlmlhan was
supposed 10 have established himself as EN-
peror. although .Iuarez and DiaZ still man
tanned a guerrilla warfare in the mountain
GUS regions After the collapse OF the C0hied,
eracy the pressure brought by the unlted
States, which had sent Gen. /. II. SHERIDAN
with n large force to the Texas border, was
so significant that the French army was with.
drawn. Mexico Mt once sprang into blaze Oh
revolt. Macmillan was deserted by his Mex
lean friends. his empire collapsed like house
of cards and he was captured and shot
Juarez was then elected president OF the
ronnhlic and was succeeded bv I,erdo in 1872.
The country had been disrupted by the war
against Maximiian, so that there was mucl
the same condition as exists Mt the present
time.
Gen. Foster was appointed in 1873 United
States minister TO Mexico, as he was IN leter
wears minister TO Russia, Spain and Ihlh9'
IN all of which capacities he established such
nm international reputation rs a diplomat that
at the time China was seeking TO make a
treaty of peace with Japan she summoned nm
from the United States 10 represent her IN
tbe negotiations The following extracts from
the story of his experiences I'm Mexico are
taken from his diplomatic Memoirs pub
lished in 1909, and are most significant NJ tine
present time.
Con. Foster found at once that he could
accomplish little without knowledge OF
Spanish. which he accordingly proceeded 10
to Iearn and did so in two or three months
ofter which time. he writes, he "began to
annreciate the value in mvmission OF Tree
use of the language Of the country.
al found that i'm the last twenty years, ne
eovs ttthe country had been divided into two
narties contending for great principles, vital
~ the peace and proseritv of the nation, but
those had not resorted TO the ballot box but 10
an appeal to arms. When tne ilDeIalS
triumnhed the Conservatives not only ialu
doyvn their arms. but withdrew from all par
oral franchise. after which the political cam
y,aigns became contests of persons and not
principles. as the Liberal party alone par
iicipated in them.
Worse than this. il seemed that there was
n conviction among the electors that the
marty in power would control the result OF
The election in favor Of its candidate with
ont regard to the ballots cast Dnr,
inc nv seven wears in Mexico ] often visited
The nolIing places on election days, but never
saw a citizen deposit a ballot, and rarely did
find anv persons at the polls besides the
I,Il ~ off;cers Everybody I'M
derstood that the elections were farce, the
officers to be elected. we're fixed upon by
tbe Governor and a special circle, and the list
was generally known before the election was
held. = Al. -
ob;se i not singular TO Mexico" Gen. Foster
asserts. "but is common to Latin American
Countries with few exceptions; the want OF
Education of the masses makes them indifter.
emf TO or incapable Of an intelligent use OF
suffrage. and the long revolutionary struggles
vtbich preceded their Independence accus-
timed the people to the settlement ef politi-