The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1914-07-04

cisco Madero. He sat at the feet OF
CarranZa and drank in his discourses
on the robbery of the poems lands.
1t was the opening Of his eyes by Car
rama which caused Madero to head
the successful revolt which placed
him in short-lived possession of the
national palace.
Senator Carranza's independence
and his high ideals in politics" Ma
dero once said. caused me to sup
port him in his campaign for the gov
ernorship. l made speeches for him
and contributed to the expenses of his
campaign. The people wanted him
for governor. but he was counted out
l saw then what the Diaz system
meant. l had taken no active inter
est in politics up to that time, but
then l realized that we could have
no real self-government SO long as
the Diaz machine. or any other ma
chine with the same purposes, was
permitted to perpetuate itself. From
that defeat of Carranza we went on
to the national convention and the or
ganization Of the, movement against
Diaz."
Carranza refused the title Of gen.
eral under Madero. and he led his men
without a regular rank. He is not
soldier by training, except the
training of actual hostilities. He was
secretary of state in the provisional
government of Madero, for time.
but declined a cabinet office later. He
had spent many years in Mexico City
as a senator and knew what its graft
infested atmosphere meant.
On Madero's success, however, Car
rama stood a third time for governor
of Coahuila and ~as unanimously
elected. This was In 1911.
Madero had scarcely fallen when
his preceptor raised the standard Of
revolt. Governor Carranza was the
first leader to declare against Huerta.
He gathered 10000 men at Monclova
and issued his famous declaration of
principles, a time-honored part Of the
Inauguration of any Latin-American
revolt. His battle-cry has been Give
the land back to the people" Yet he
would pursue more orderly and lawful
methods than the rougher Francisco
villa.
Carranza is a stern, uncompromis
ing character, with the simple habits
of the solitary frontiersman. He is
a total abstainer from liquor and to
bacco and rises at five o'clock every
morning Of his life. His six-foot ng
ure IL most commanding. He Is q
type that naturally dominates. The
one side of his nature which IL hare
for Americans to understand Is hii
cruelty in warfare. While not so ruth
less as villa and Zapata, he il wont Il
prefer the shooting squad as p 7sh
ment for minor offenses. Their, wal
Carlos Piza, q young mountainee
who Joined Carranza about the tim
of his declaration against Huerta
Pixa harassed the enemy unceasingl,
with his little band and did grea
service to the constitutionalist cause
; But In the Mexican style he looted tn
villages through which he passed
Carranza himself IL given to extortin
immense sums from wealthy Cientif
cos, but he was seeking to free hi
! ranks from the charge Of brigandags
! So when It was found that young Piz
| had brought in 500 pesos from Gel
} tain village he was ordered to retur
: the money. This he failed to do. Ful
. Their, he grumbled and suggested I
: his followers that they take to tn
bush. Such conduct meant the end {
{ discipline. General Carranza ordere
: the young man shot. Even after b
, was stood up against the adobe wa
{ and the firing squad Of twelve line
, opposite, an appeal was sent to tn
} first chief. The messenger brougf
Z back the command. ia Muerta," an
/, the rifles spoke.
a A few hours later the chieftai
2 wrote a sympathetic letter to th
3 .,ther of the boy announcing n
J. death and expressing grief at the n
+ cessity.