The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1913-10-27
D|Az LEADS IN
MEXICAN VOTE.
He Is Reported to be Under
Arrest in Vera Cruz
SOLDIERS GUARDING HUERTA
Votes Have Been Cast to Validate
Election and Dictator Will Continue
as Provisional President.

Mexico City, Mex, Oct. PA re-
port that General Felix Diaz has been
arrested in Vera Cruz caused q great
stir in the capital.
! i1i(lt, iiiu.Said To he on his way to
diers, and his partisans, gathering
wherever possible in spite of the vigil
lance of the patrols, are earnestly dis
cussing the possibility of the ley fuga
being invoked under one pretext or an
other
There is a tenseness in the very
atmosphere and rioting may follow at
any moment. Machine guns and addi-
tional troops have been placed about
the presidents palace in anticipation
of trouble.
Voting throughout the country has
been light. In some places there was
no voting at all. Diaz appears to be
running ahead of his three rivals, but
the indications are that not sufficient
votes will be cast to validate the cleo
ton. In that event President Huerta
will continue as provisional president.
Another election will have to wait for
his proclamation.
Nuevo Leon reports that the rumor
of Diaz's arrest reached there, but
be in his favor. Few ballots were cast,
however. Several hundred votes were
cast at Juarez, and Diaz is in the lead
there. Soon after the polls opened
General Jose Salazar appeared with
700 cavalrymen, all of whom cast their
ballots and Immediately left for the
south. If their horses are in good con-
dition these cavalrymen should be able
to repeat the performance many times
before the polls close.
At Piedras Negras, opposite Eagle
Pass, Tex, federal officers cast the
votes of the soldiers, who formed the
bulk of the voters, and unofficial re-
turns gave Huerta more than 200 Oh
a total of 1850 votes cast.
At Chihuahua the disorder is report
ed to have been so great as to deter
mine the military governor to order
postponement of the voting for state
officials.
Another report from Coahuila says
that Governor Mas was unable to pe
present, and that no election was held
because he had no issued his Official
proclamation.
Little interest was manifested in
the election in Mexico City. There was
the usual Sunday crowd in the streets,
but little talk of politics Or the posi-
BILE results of the election. Everywhere
voters were apathetic. Reports from
dozen precincts. in which more than
1000 voters were registered, show tnat
only fifty-nine ballots have been cast.
The military patrol kept the crowds
moving and gatherings at street cor
ners were quickly dispersed. Hundreds
of voters who are unfriendly to the
Huerta government remained at home,
and the belief is that they were intimi-
dated.
This same fear may explain the
lightness of the vote in other sections
of the country, particularly along the
northern border and in the ports where
Diaz is known to be strong. A report
says that at Piedras Negras, where the
Constituencies are particularly
strong. the polls were not opened at
all.
Whatever the final returns from the
elections show, the Constitutional1sts
are not likely to regard the voting as
conclusive. The whole election Is be-
ing openly denounced as farce by the
leaders. General Carranza voiced this
opinion at his headquarters In Hermo-
sillo He said.