Evening journal., 1914-03-07
ONE YEAR OF
HUERTA RULE
In OLD MEXICO
Reign Of Terror After Death
Of the ModerOS and
Suarez
DICTATOR STRONGLY
INTRENCHES HIMSELF

American in MeNico.l
/ VERA CRUZ, March With the
two Madcros and Suarcz murdered and
lcountle-s others who opposed him 'mys.
teriouslv missing. Huerta 5 dictatorship
developed into a vertahlc reign OF terror
iiucrtas only hope Of holding his blood
bought power was 10 shed more blood
The house OF deputies, not realizing 70
what lengths the new president would
dare TO 80. began 10 protest against
Hucftas methods. One evening at 6
o'clock a Gordon OF soldiers surrounded
the house Of deputies. while other sol
diers entered and arrested 100 of the
leading statesmen Of Mexico They were
herded to Jail like common prisoners
aud thev were hardly locked mp in then
cells before Huerta declared himself die
tator of the country. He called an clec-
ton Il was held. a new house IL
deputies was chosen. evcry man of which
was Huerta's servant. At n previous
makc.belicve election, Huerta had been
chosen president. but the votes were so
few and 50 obviously controlled that
even Hucrto didn't dare 10 call himself
elected
And SO. with infinite craft. he ordered
his new house oi deputies to declare that
the election was void and that another
election be held on the 9TH of July, 1914
and that. in the meantime. huerta be
considered provisional president. This
cougrcss also voted 10 l1uerta Dictator
ISL powers and then adjourned, leaving
him IN sole possession of the govern
mcnt. in situation that made his word
and order a. strouc as any laws that
both houses might pass.
In the meantime rebels victories
multiplied: shortly. every northern
state was in rebel hands Francisco
villa. who had been one of Madero's
| generals. took the hcld with Carran-
"a II IS true that Pascual Crozco
went to Huerta's side, but a blight
seemed to be placed on all his former
prowess. and defeats met him at
4 every turn. How TO get money and
how to raise an army were Huerta's
problems. He set about to do those
things. but every dollar he raised by
taxation only made him new enemy,
and every peon whom he forced into
the army only gave him another on
whom he could not depend. BY the
seventh month of his rule he had
built up a large army. and had dis
tributed it about the country, but he
could not pay IT. =
You must pay those soldiers" he
ordered the business men and farm
ers Of the various districts, 'or
will withdraw them" In many cases
the business men and farmers chose
not to have the federal soldiers in
their localities. They preferred, in
deed, to have the rebels rule over
them, for the federals we're men of
low class, many of them conscripted
criminals turned loose from the jails.
cruel, heartless and Unsuitable for
money, women and alcohol. Neither
could Huerta trust his officers. He
said once in a burst Of confidence to
Nelson 'Shaughnessy, charge daft
fairs in the American embassy, "I
can't trust my officers. In only wish
| had aout $50 American captains
down here. I'd clean those rebels out
in a short time"
the army. "One trouble is that no.
/ body in my army ever dies said
Huerta on another occasion. "De til
never causes any changes in the pay
roll. Five hundred soldiers may be
killed in q battle, but the payroll
never shows it," And so what money
Huerta was able to gather together
in various ways was yainly spent. IN
the main. It was like pounding sand
into rat hole; he didn't get his
moneys worth of military effort at
any stage Of the game. Even If the
United States had recognized him.
however, and he had been able TO Sc
cure all the funds he wished for,
Huerta could not have crushed the
revolution against him. Proof Of this
is the fact that Porfrio Diaz, him
self with S62,000,000 in his treasury
and means of securing much more,
was forced to yield to Madero's de-
mands that he resign Diaz knew
that it was not money he needed but
men; and he knew that the time had
come in Mexico when, among the op-
pressed millions, there were not to be
found enough men to make up an
army that would support oppressors.
During the months that Fuert8
vas holding the government by force
Felix Diaz, nephew of the former
president, and aceomplice Of Huerta
IN the overthrow Of Madero, was dis
covering the truth OF the old adage.
Traitor to one, traitor to ALL"
Huerta sent Diaz on a mission to
Japan to thank the government there
for its participation ia the Mexican
centennial celebration of 1910. This
was a laughable mission. At least
four men. leaders whom the Maderos
or Huerta desired to leave the
. country. had been strated of for
Japan. only to be stopped on the way,
IN Europe, with orders to remain in
Europe. AS soon as Diaz got his
{ orders. he knew their significance. He
was to be thrust aside. But he
started. nevertheless. He got as far
as Victoria. British Columbia Then
he turned round and started back for
Mexico. determined to make fight
for his rights. He landed at Vera
g.. Cruz. He placed himself under the
protection of John Lind. a special
representative OF President Wilson,
/. who had been sent 70 Mexico to en-
deavor to bring about Huerta's re-
tirement. Within few days he saw
that his life was IN danger In the
night he made his way TO the Amerl-
can consulate and asked 10 be al
lowed TO 20 10 an American warship
in the harhor His request was
granted and, within two davs. he was
In Havana. Cuba But Huerta's long
arm followed him there. Three as
sassins tried TO kill him. He es-
capped with his life. though he was
, q nainft,1l.. fuit,rod.