The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-26

when we consider that this policy Of
free hand concessions not only In land
but in railroads. industries, mines and
timber, begun by Diaz In 1876. was
pursued by him until his flight to Paris
IL 1910, and that with each passing year
S'nr~iuds Of new investors In all parts
Of the world nave become interested
in these concessions. we shall be able
to understand little more clearly the
real nature Of that vast world con.
spiracy which has DETAINED and ex.
plotted the common people Of Mexico
for thirty -four years and exalted the
man who was responsible for the mas.
sacres Of Juchitan. Of Vera Cruz. OF
Papantla, Of Tomochic. OF Cananea,
to the position Of an international hero.
II was a matter OF dividends. Every
investor who held stock In one Of these
innumerable enterprises worshipped a.
a god the man who made his dividends
possible. no matter how.
At the Restoration Mexico's exact
legal Indebtedness to Europe was only
S2o.0O0.o0o due on the English credit.
plus some arrears OF interest, The
coteris Of politicians and sp, culators
who formed the Dias Government. hav-
ing optioned enormous quantities Of this
discredited foreign paper at ridicuious.y
low figures. proceeded to reintroduc not
only the English but the Spanish and
French claims for full recognition by
Congress, reinfiating them In the proc
ess from ssi,632,56i to- approximately
s144,953,7S5. plus arrears Of interest to
the amount Of $i6.431.s 1916. total.ing
s1sl,3s57sl. or this amount $4,000, 900
was legal Indebtedness; $4,000, 900 rep
resented the result Of previous pecu.a-
lions and $110,000.000 represented the
exact plumber OF the Spectators in
volved In the present transaction.
This colossal fraud was the founda-
ton Of many Of those vast fortunes so
characteristic of modern Mexico. in
GLIDING those OF President D,ax and his
family. Nor did the regulations Of the
Government cease here. The same
Congress which authorized the recog-
milton OF this spurious paper trebled Its
value by enacting a measure watch gave
the bondholders Of the new Mexican
consolidated debt the privilege Of ex-
changing their bonds for Cover nment
~ land at an exchange rate OF 35:1n0.
When we consider hat the owners Of
these bonds were members Of the Gov
eminent. or friends and supporters Of
the Government. we shall understand
why this provision was made. and also
why the best irrigated lands in Mexico
were sold by that Government at about
cents hectare. |. T.. about 3 cents
an acre. Thus the SPECTATOR politi-
clan who had acquired $4,000 worth
Vt Government bonds as his share Of
the spells. and at no greater cost than
was involved In helping to secure the
necessary LEGISLATION. could now ex-
change this $4,000 worth Of bonds for
100000 worth Of irrigated lands. at the
rate OF cents an acre: in other words
emerge from his strenuous labors In
support of the Government with ap-
proximately 100000 acres OF magnifi-
cent land to his credit Thus was in
stituted the greatest land robbery 70.
corded IN history. During the Diaz
regime no less than ~ 100000 hectares,
I. e.. 1s0000,000 acres "a hectare II
about 2is acres). OF the best lands in
Mexico were acquired by land corpora
lions and the personal friends OF the
Administration at a total Government
valuation Of 100000 q cents a hec.
tare or 3 cents an acrn). and at an ac-
tual payment Of only sl,750,000 in Gov
eminent bonds. TIE climax OF this
procedure was reached when these bond
holding land spectators proceeded, with
the vigorous assistance of DiaZ. to evict
million Independent farmers from
their holdings, under the pretext that