The Washington times., 1914-08-21
BISHOP SEESSTR|FE
AHEAD IN MEXICO
DR.. Aves Says That zapata and
His indians Will Keep on
Fighting.

NEW YORK, Aug el.--The Right Rev.
DR.. Henry D. AYES Protestant Episco-
pal missionary bishop Of Mexico. who
was one of the 30 American fugitives
who made their way out of Manzanillo
efter Governor General Meier. Of Qua
delajara had ordered all Americans 10
leave the country last May, believes
that within two months after Mexico
fas been apparently 'pacihed" another
revolution will have developed. Emilio
Zarata. Bishop .Aves thinks, is likely to
keep going.
The Immediate outlook for Mexico is
good" said Eishop AYES. in answer to
a question, but shall not be surprised
II We have a counter-revolution devei-
oped within the course of the next Two
months. My supposition is based on the
fact as il appears to me. that the root
Of the cause of the revolutions has been
not political. but social and aSrarfan.
The grievance OF the Indian popula-
ton. especially of that in the southern
portion of the country, some 4.OOo,oOo
people, is that they have been deprfveS
of their lands. These Indians are
descended from the aborigines. and are
TO be distinguished from the poems. who
are in virtual bondage. The last repre-
sent some ZOO, 900 of population.
Escaped Slavery.
The Indians are descendants of those
who escaped slavery during the Span
ish Conquest by fleeing to mountain
Businesses, where no one cared to fol-
low them, and where they have eked out
a scanty living by making baskets and
charcoal. and rope from the Wild lxtie.
They remained on this land from that
time until the latter years OF the Diaz
regime, when they were frequently
driven from their possessions by force.
There is no srSh thing as squatter
rights in Mexico, consequently when the
haciendados, or big land barons, VINO
own most of the soil in Mexico, SOLD 10
some foreign syndicate concession 10
cut timber. 1t carried. the proviso tnat
the Indians should be driven out by the
owners. Wherefore the federal troops
were called upon time and time again to
perform this office.
''Driven from their ancestral homes.
the cry of these Indians has been Give
us back our land' Many Of these men
followed Zapata to the standard or Ma.
dero in the development of the hrst
revolution. and they have continued IN
.Zapata is to my mind the person
who may give the most trouble
in the future settlement or ad-
justment of conditions in Mexico. Tor
the reason that he has commltteo
himself to securing the lands Tor MS
followers. both Indians and poems. AT
the consummation of the Madero revo-'
luton. Zapata declined to lay down MS
arms until the promises made by Ma
dero, that lands should be given TO
the revolutionists, should be fulfilled.
When the Madero commission report
ed on this matter, the country was in
the second revolution, then headed by
Orozco.
Beseiged by People.
I'm their ignorance the Indians and
peons had supposed that Madero could
sive them such lands as they might
select for themselves, and he was act
ually besieged by the people In Mexico
City for the fulfllment of his promise
When he could not Immediately do this
the fact was used by his political op-
ponents as an incentive for counter
revolution.
The trouble in pacifying Zapata
arises from the fact that Zapata has
indicated by his operations that he does
not expect the allotment of lands to
be made under legislative process. He
has systematically destroyed public
buildings and their records in all his
movements in the southern part Of the
republic. seemingly with the Idea that
II the records were destroyed the lands
might thereby revert to a condition OF
no mans land On that basis my
supposition is that he will continue
forceful operations until those he rep
resents shall be satisfied by the allot-
ment of lands in fee simple.
1t is my opinion that the Americans
who have been working in northern
Mexico will go back soon. l understand
many have already returned to Chihua-
hua and thereabout. Those Americans
who are interested in mining and oil
operations in Mexico will find them
selves sufficiently safe to continue their
work until this country intervenes in a
forceful way
Then you think American interven-
ton is bound TO Gomez"
f11 haf G ie for the a.
son that there is so little of what we
consider true patriotism in Mexico.
The incentive seems to be more or less
OF a personal character. Political am
mitions and animosities seem to be the
motives inspiring leaders"