The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-02
His Friends Cried for Blood,
and When Denied, Be-
trayed Him

DHlffletSDufS, MdTyldnu, ana III Cai11Ornld.
In America, he breathed the air of free
dom, and contrasted the pitiable condi-
| tion of his own people, with that of lib
| erty loving Americans. He then studied
| in France, and learned there of personal
| liberty. And on returning TO Mexico, he
fretted STILL He spoke against Diaz. He
| published book detailing the political
practices of the man of the iron rod. He
| organized popular convention by means
| of which he hoped to defeat the president.
He was nominated to oppose him in the
| field, before the people.
And then acted Diaz in characteristic
mannsr. Madero was put into irons.
When the young man was finally re-
leased, he escaped to San Antonio. And
| later he stepped across the border with
seven confederates. To his standard, all
of the chieftains flocked. Under his bril-
liant leadership, the federal army crum-
| bled into dust. Diaz resigned and
Madero became provisional president He
| might have forced Congress to make him
| monarch. But he issued a call for a
popular election, and won as result of
q landslide" The strong man of the
old administration. General Bernardo
Reyes, and General Felix Diaz. retired
from the scene OF conflict, and plotted
rebellion.
Immediately the new president initiated
his plan of self-government He put
aside the role of the political assassin
which had been followed with success by
previous rulers. He did not murder. He
| did not butcher Every man, on the con-
trary, was urged to refrain from crime,
| and especially from rebellion. Madero
spoke anxiously for peace, that Mexico
might be permitted to rest, and grow
strong In its children, and rich In its
| fertile acres, and its mines of gold and
silver.
Reyes rebelled and was captured.
Madero was moved with pity for the
fallen, for the aged general who had
served Mexico we'll, for the pillar which
had crumbled and lay prone. Diaz, the
younger, rebelled. and was captured.
Madero still pursued his policy of con-
ciliation against the advice of his lieu
| tenants.
| Execute these men," urged the voice
of reason put them out of the way"
Give us their blood" cried the men
who had followed Madero in the field
and stood his firm pillars in his gov
| ernment.
But Madero said, mo, it is not neces-
! sary"
And the populace smiled with con-
| tempt
Hes a weakling," said the people.
Soon the students of the military
school rebelled. They released Reyes
and Diaz. The streets of Mexico were
| the gulleys. Madero. the general in
! the field again, led his troops against
those of Reyes and Diaz in bitter
drawn battle. Later he occupied with
his forces the national palace and cer-
tain of the loyalty of his men refused
to escape to safer territory.
| But his army was treacherous. Cen
eral Huerta, the leader of the army.
turned one afternoon upon his Pres-
dent and gave him over to the enemy.
And that is how the rebels won a
| glorious victory.
Huerta who figuratively had
stabbed Madero in the back, but who.
in the eyes Of his own people. stands
| at the present moment justified on the
ground that he struck for his country,
| was rewarded. He became provisional
| President. Diaz was made military die
tator and became the real power behind
| the throne. Madero was cast into
\ prison and it was generally believed
| that his official execution was pre-
| vented only by practical demand from
America that he be spared. And then
last Sunday, as guard was escorting
him to the penitentiary, he was shot
by someone. in some manner.
| The bullet entered the rear of his
head. He was instantly dead.
sit was deplorable," contend the
Mexican journals. "but necessary. Had
Madero been exiled he would have
plotted rebellion. 1t requires an iron
lhand to rule this country"
What will result, is the problem
which is vexing this government. Gen.
eral Diaz is planning to make the race
for the presidency. Should Huerta OPP
pose his military power there will
never more be peace in Mexico. Should
Diaz be proclaimed President, his uncle,
Porfirio, would return and the pro-
sfxI.-
sumed
The government, as a result of blood
shed and terror, would become stable
again, stable because of the shackles
borne by the people, stable on account
of the downfall of the principles of lib
erty and the love of freedom estab-
lished and inculcated by the little man
who in future years will be remem-
bered as "the martyr of the Mexi-
cans"