The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-07-19
Fear Retirement Of
 Huerta Would Mean Still Worse Conditions

Mexico City, July 19.-Only the con- viction that the retirement of Presi dent Huerta means the elevation of another revolutionist and the plung- ing of their country into greater depths of hopelessness, prevents thou sands of representative Mexican busi- ness men from uniting in a petition to the existing administration to yield. Many of these business men believe that only foreign Intervention can re- store peace. but expression of such opinions is not popular and are made guarded1y or with due reservation Overthrow of Huerta by any of the rebellious forces probably would mean succession to the presidency of Car ranza. Maytorena or Obregon or other leaders possessing no universal follow ing such as could be depended on to stop rebellion.
 Late in June plan was advanced by Manuel CaIero,, former nbassador to the United States, Jesus Flores Magon and Jorge Vera Estanal, for mer cabinet mem bers, to unite upon candidate for the presidency agree able to loyal citizens aad rebels. This suggestion had for its weakness the assumption that rebels in the field would not assent to anything but the overthrow by force of arms of what they term a usurping administration. The scheme fell of it's own weight.
 The failure of the government toI make any headway in Sonora against the rebels; the daring displayed by bands, which captured Zacatecas and Durango, capitals of adjoining states, and raided with impunity the country and smaller towns; the occupation or bIockading of all the border ports of entry and the steady and swift growth of the movement throughout the re- public has created even at the Nation al PoI enirif of ism p2c v perceptible. Huerta and his counsel lors betrayed their despondency by concentrating all efforts on reopening the National Railroad from Mexico City to Laredo. It was believed that if this line could be opened, the effect abroad might be such to enable them to market bonds for which foreign bankers were given options, and Huerta's forces could thus pro- long the fight. The campaign against Matamoros was practically abandon ed, in order to use all available troops along the railroad.
 Enforced service has provided Huerta with an army of perhaps 45,- 900 men, but of such character that government commanders dare not de- tach small bodies of troops for scout ing or other work. Bugle calls might not bring the attachments back tol their camps.
 The army has been recruited by conscription, by emptying the jails and utilizing prisoners captured in battle. These men are rushed into service and carefully guarded until far from the places of their enlistment, so as to prevent wholesale assertions. It was with such a body as this Gen. Ojeda was compelled to operate in his campaign out of Gudymas.
 Rebels under Emiliano Zapata, ap- peared fully as active early this month as in months past, and daily incur sions of the federal district itself were common. The raiding of property or village almost within sight of the national capital and tales of atrocities had ceased to excite concern.
 An incident that i1Iustrates some what the apathy of the people gener- ally occurred recently in a village in the state of Guanajua,to. Rebels raid ed the place and carried away from the unresisting male population prac- ticaIIy all the women. The men draft ed a petition to the president of the republic to send sufficient soldiers to round up the rebels and restore to The number of males in that town was greater than the num- Der of rebels who raided the place.
 Two rebel leaders of minor import ance in the state of MoreloS recently lost their lives in a manner rather II had been as stirring as theirs. With their men they made what turned out to be their last fight in church. The federaIs had penned them in and then began battering at the doors
 One of the men seized a priests robe and when the soldiers gained en- trance they found him kneeling before one of the shrines. The pseudo-priest was dragged from his knees, and his identity revealed. He was shot.
 The other rebel had sought safety in a crypt. Lifting the stone slab he1 threw out the crumb1ing bones of the occupant for more than a hundred years, crawled into the space himself and lifted the stone back into place. The bones beside the crypt excited the curiosity of the soldiers, who examin- ed the interior. The living, occupant became eligible forthwith for real in- terment.
 PATRlGK F0RESTELLE