El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-12-12
MaderO Abolishes Iron Hand
Invites Disaster by Being Too Lepi-
ent With His Political
Enemies in Mexico.
n
By Frederic J. Haskin-


MaderO's triUmphal entry into
! the Mexican capital, not the slightest
! doubt existed that he would be chosen
/ president at the October elections. The
/ platform of the Progressive "Consti-
| tutionaI" party promising the much
needed land taxation, election and Judi
, ciary reforms became known through
! out the country. The people. accus-
I toned to small share in their govern
ment felt that a new era was at hand.
! The terrific earthquake at dawn of
June and the sudden activity of the
volcano COlima in JaliscO seemed to
sym bOlize the CONFUSION in govern
ment and to pOrtend either the destruc-
: ton Of the old order or a violent fu-
Ture for the new
MaderO's Election Questionable.
The clentificOS plainly saw that the
nevertheless Gen. Bernardo Reyes, a
gallant figure of the old Diaz army,
was put forward as an opposition can
dIdate- Madero was easily elected. The
number of votes he received is in dis
pute. Henry Lane Wilson, the late
American ambassador to Mexico, has
said that the vote did not exceed 49,
GOO, but the cOnStitutiOnaliSt iuuta at
Washington insists that upwards OF
100000 individual votes were cast for
MaderO at the polls Pine Suarez was
elected vice president over senior de Ia
Taking office in November, 1911.
president MaderO proclaimed the dawn
of brighter and happier day for Mex
leo.
MaderO Fails.
Whether any man could Immediately
have made good the platform pledges
Of reform on which Francisco I. Ma
dero was elected president Of Mexico
is doubtful. He failed. The reasons
were numerous. In the first place, he
had been elected as radical holly re-
solved tC rid his people of the usuages
guratiOn he appointed s minister Of
finance, the most potent portfolio Of
the cabinet, his brother, ErnestO Ma
dera, a conservative.
It was Ernesto's desire to compro-
mise the fundamental differences that
existed between his brother, with his
humanitarian aspirations for Mexico,
and the old element, whose develop
ment was primarily materialistic. The
launching of sweeping reforms was de-
layed by the pleas of the minister Of
finance for delay until he might per
feet negotiations for a loan. or until
certain powerful interests might be
conciliated. Rafael Hernandez, a cousin
OF the president, was minister of the
interior, and he, too, acted as a drag
on the radical altruism of the little
president until his program was really
sidetracked without having been
given a fair chance to demonstrate it.
self. Preliminary agrarian legislation
for the relief of the poorer classes was
passed, but the new era failed to dawn
Madero lost prestige with many of his
followers upon whose discomfort the
''cientifieos" slzillfully played.
AbOlisEes the Iron Hand"
The new president repealed all sug-
gestions that he adopt the iron hand"
He simply could not stand his fellow
countrymen up against wall and
shoot them The ''cientifiCOs," whose
complete rout had been stayed
by the abdication of POrfiriO Diaz, and
the brief but vigorous provisional pres
1dency of de Ia Barra- saw chance to
regain power. Loose administration
began TO deplete the treasury. Ma
derO'S relatives and political assOci- !
ates were charged with perpetuating |
some Of the worst evils Of the Diaz
regime.
, An alert bandit. Zapata. rejoicing
in the SObriquet Of the tiger Of the /
south" created a reign Of terror south /
of Mexico City and seemed immune
from successful attack by the federal {
forces 1t is noteworthy that this chief !
tain has given the Huerta government I
little trouble. The army was loyal (
while it was paid, but the adventures |
who differed II and the simple-ninded 1
men in the ranks saw little to admire 1
in the president who preached human /!
ity. brotherhood, fair elections and 4
other non-military mOralities.
OrOzcO Revolt Starts.
Madero found a revolution on his |
recently triumphantly emerged. Ber- /
nardo Reyes an idol of the old DiaZ 4
army and whom senior MaderO had 0e- /
feated in the presidential election, went 4
to the United States, organized a reVO- /
luton. was indicted for violation Ct /!
the neutrality laws. escaped and tried 4
to gather following for a new revo- 1
luton. but was captured and SEN
fenced to 16 years in prison. But the 4
cientificos never faltered in their plot (
ting.
Fought under MaderO, turned against
him and with plentiful money aid from
interests sympathetic to the cientificos. /
or at least hostile to Madero, he be
gan formidable revolution. He paid {
his troops regularly, thus obtaining a 1
satisfactory degree of temporary 10y
atty. Presently OrOzcO controlled all {
Chihuahua, including the port Of Jua-
the free importation Of arms from the
United States and the traffic in guns
and ammunition was brisk.
Although the Washington govern
nent had begun to entertain doubts Of
NaderO's ability TO control the situa-
lion, his was the constituted govern
nent of Mexico The Latin American
policy at Washington was to sustain
government and accord
ngly the administrations cordial sup
pOrt was given to this resolution intro
1uced by senator Root of New York
md adopted on March H. 1912.
Puts Ban on Ammunition.
Resolved, That whenever the prest-
lent shall find that in any American
.Xist which are promoted by the use OF
arms or munitions of war procured
rom the United States, the president
s hereby authorized. in his discre-
ion, and with such limitations and eX-
options as shall seem to him expe-
lient. to prohibit the export Of arms
II munitions of war from any place in
he United States to such country un-
il otherwise ordered by the president
y by congress-
This sealed the fate of the Orozco
evolution and crippled all future
evolutionary activity in the north, for
he revOlutiOnists controlled no seaport
through which arms might be imported
rom countries other than the United
tates. Until August of 1913 the Wash
ngtOn government issued permits for
he expectation of arms to the federal
government at Mexico City.
Zapata's guerilla warfare became
more troublesome in 1912 and strong
ressure for Intervention was con-
family exerted upon president Taft.
Te replied to intervention arguments
n his speech accepting the Republican !
enOmination for the presidency, say
lg:
Taft on Intervention /,
"This administration has been con- /