The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-09-19
MEXICO
Has A Regular. Fourth Of
July" Celebration
The Ceremony Known As
The "GritO Of HidaIgO'

City of Mexico, Sept. 16-War-rid-
! den as is this republic there was no
/ appreciable diminution in the crowd
that assembled in the Zocalo last night
| to hear Provisional President Victor
iano Huerta cry viva Mexico" and
ring the liberty bell. The ceremony,
known as the "Grito of Hidalgo,' ush-
| ers in the annuar celebration of the
| Mexican independence day.
1t was on September Is, 1910, that
the patriot priest Pare Hidalgo, began
| the revolution which resulted in the
overthrow of the Spanish power in
! Mexico. During the preceding year the
revolutionary spirit was rife through
out the country. Many attempts to per-
J feet an organization that might con-
tend with the Spanish power were
made, but they uniformly ended by
! the execution of all the leaders in the
plots.
Hidalgo was one of the leaders Of
an undiscovered plan and it was in
tended as in other cases, to perfect or
ganization before striking the first
blow. Word came to Hidalgo that the
plot had been discovered and the
troops were even then on the way to
arrest him.
Then it was, so the story goes, that
Hidalgo rang the bell of his little
church in the town of Dolores and
summoned the band of patriots about
! him. A mass was said and he an
nounced that the time had come for
action About 300 men, poorly armed
and with virtually no equipment of
war, responded, and the march on the
As the motley band of insurgents
passed the church at Atotonilco Hidal
go took the banner illustrating the ap-
pearance of the Holy Virgin at Guada-
| lupe and raised it as the battle flag of
the war of independence.
But while Hidalgo and his compatri
J OTIS were fearless, they were not sol
( diers nor skilled in the art of war. AT.
ter achieving wonderful success and
with constantly increasing army he
had reached almost in sight of the
City of Mexico, when the tide turned
His army was dispersed and he fled
northward toward Chihuahua, where
he and his chief lieutenants were cap
tured.
They were promptly executed and
their heads placed on spikes at the
four corners of the prison as warn
ing to other revolutionists. Other
leaders arose, and Mexico continued in
state of upheaval and unrest for sew
enty years, until the soldier and states
man, Porfirio Diaz, was elected to the
presidency.
Thus, briefly sketched, was the be-
ginning of Mexican independence, and
this is the reason that September 16
is celebrated throughout the Republic
of Mexico.
The beginning of the annual celebra-
tion last night was marked with all of
the customary enthusiasm. In the
great square where their forefathers
lifted their eyes to the top Of the teo-
CALI to see the throbbing heart that
the priest cleft from the bosom of a
fair prisoner, the peones, jammed a
hundred thousand strong, gazed on the
changing bell that Hidalgo used 103
years ago. The poorer classes occu-
pied all the central part of the square.
Directly in front of the National Pal
ace, the Municipal Palace and the Ca
thedral, the three great piles which
bound three sides of the ocalo, chairs
were placed for the better classes. The
numerous windows and balconies OF
the edifces mentioned were reserved
for invited guests.
From dark the crowd was entertain.
ed with fireworks, while half dozen
picked military bands, playing alter
nately, never allowed the music TO
: cease for more than an instant. Five
minutes before the hands on the great
clock over the Palace indicated the
hour of II the bands stopped. There
was hush that only emphasized the
burst of applause that greeted Gen
Huerta when he appeared on the bril-
: liantly lighted central balcony of the
: Palace. AS he took hold of the glded
cord that reached up to the historic
a bell, the crowd again was stilled. Witt
4 the first clang of the hour the timehon
i ored "grito" was delivered by the ex
y ecutive. Then the'massed bands bursi
5 into the national hymn, .accompaniec