The chronicle=news., 1913-02-28
Gustavo Madero, Who Lost His Life
in the Altered Political Conditions,
as Seen by One Who Knew Him Well
RH Edward Narshall.

T,. n,aS IS~aIH nan. aM ,,.,,,
cam. as surprise to Don Gustavo
Macero. who met his tragic fate on
last Wednesday. Not more than
two weeks before the beginning ui
l serious hostilitics he wrote me u
letter In which he undoubtedly cx-
pressed accurately his personal op-
lnion. In II be declared his firm
belief that the government forces
would soon be triumphant. They
were not. and he died u victim OF
their failure.
| In the OPINION OF many men who
knew them both. the Minister OF FL
nance wns the ADLER OF the two elder
Madero brothers. He was dignified.
much less easily excited than the
average Mexican. deeply thought
ful. and. contrary TO the impression
which his enemies would give now
that they havcs iauchtcred him, sin
cercly humane. infinitely opposed to
bloodshcd. full o' pity for the sui-
fering. broken with n weigh, OF woe
because OF the wars horrors. Fran
cisco. the dcposcd president. while
much more sentimental. had nii the
characteristic Mexican disregard for
others pain when thos. others chanc
ct TO he of an opinion differing from
his own.
I have spent many hours IN an al.
most intimate companIonsliip with
Don Gustayo. and whenever we dis
cisci the affairs OF his unhappy coun
Try his Eravcft words aud. am sure.
HIS most snccrc words. We're devoted
TO expressions 81 rcrrc, because tho
pages OF the nUiIou's history had
been SO drcnchci with blood. and to
declarations OF his hope iha, in the
future such things need not he.
In the dispatches Of the last few
days ! have seen many references to
Don Gustnvo as tn" 'wors, hated
man In Mexico nave no doubt
that this was true Of aim. Those who
found tina, Don Gustavo's advice pre-
vented them from fooiinE. swindling.
and cajolinE bon Francisco hated
him. because he was a sort OF watch
dog-and there was need OF this.
Don Francisco was surrounded by
bowling, money-hungry pack Of po-
litical wolves. Those who definitely
opposed Don Francisco naturally hat
ed Don GustRvo. for lie was Francis
COS nia'nsiay. corns"lor and fricEd.
and would have been his guide had
Francisco been aDicnabic to human
-uidancc-whic'i he never WIS. !
had good rcnson to believe once.
when | was ri6!n. through the blue
coolncss Of pcrfcc; Mexican morn.
Ing with FraUctsco. that the stories
I had heard OF Els belief In spirits
and continual consultation with them
might be true.
The handsome llttic man sat
stralg Ii backed on his horse. gazing
eff inW the cncarmIncd space OF
'sunrise. oblivious TO my voice. re-
| SarIIcss OF the uncouth. serapd. aud
| saluttng scntr!cs whom We passed.
apparently cntranccd.
And curious thing ~Nsucd ten
minutes later. lie came suddenly back
TO consciousness Of mundane thihcs.
! Including me. and began to deiiit-
ely outline certain policies which not
an hour before he had told me he
had not yet considered.
Whether the poor gentleman had
, really won the answers TO my qucr-
les from some mentor. invisible to
| all but him. 1 did not know: bu; II
was the general belief that he occa-
| sionally believed ccIcctial influcn-
ccs were within his call 20 help him.
nskcd Don Gustavo about this,
and he was very greatly troubled as
no tried 20 answer me.
Francisco is-'s too religious"
7
| was all that he would say.
| nave been somewhat axtonislcd
Ly the stories have seen in print
TO the effec; that bon Gustavo hnd
used his official position us u means
OF making money: that. to speak vul.
carly. he had grated I .Io not be.
lievc these tales. know OF personal
knowledge tina, Don Gustavo gave
freely OF his private fortune to H.
rance the rcrolution-gavcs 30 freely
mat his family. all patriots. protest.
90 privately. Eut even after these
siits ne remained man OF mighty
wcaIth. TO which he lcgitima:ciy
added greatly during the last twelve
months by the sale at n fair price OF
certain Mexican oil lands which he
had held since long before tho out
break OF the revolution.
! That he spent his owr money
freely during the revolution which
nude his brother president am
quite sure. On one occasion | went
| with him to an FL Paso bank from
which he drew funds with watch TO
relieve suffering among the insur.
iec,os and particularly among the
orphans and the widows OF men who
mad met death while fighting In tho
treDcI ranks. No. cannot Imagine
Don Gustavo "Srafting:" he had no
need to graft" and he was not n
miser to be tempted by tho mere
Thought OF adding useless wealth to
~calth. The true story OF the free,
tne splendid expenditure from not
oni! his own fortune but from that
OF others OF his family for whit they
considered patriotic purpOses. would
make most unusual chapter in The
history OF revolutions.
! heard It from-the complaining
Hips OF Don FrancIsco's small. sweet :
iaced wife. Almost In despair over
me outpouring OF her husbands ana
Don Gustavo's money for the cause
she WINS wondering duly. In .bo Lot