The Penn's Grove record., 1914-03-27

~ AMS tShahSfss " AhSSSuAa
Rev. G. /. Ramsey, in the Baptis
Church, on Tuesday evening gave a yer.
instructive lecture on Mexico which wa
illustrated with stereppticon views
showing ancient Mexico. She scenery ant
people, occupations and Industries. ID
taid in part:
! Four hundred years ago when Corte'
and his band of adventurers9 IN search TO
fabulous wealth entered the Slalid of til,
Aztecs they found hidden empiree O
strange people whose traditions an(
heather religious belief caused a cease
less war between the gods Of light anC
darkness. Tezcattipoca was tiie dreaded
god Of darkness and Quetzalc0atl was the
snn-taced god of light, the enemy o.
darkness. The god OF darkness could
only be propitiated by Offering human
hearts plucked from the slashedN bosoms
o. captives. The god OF light was op-
posed to human sacrifice.
The Spainards soon conquered the
people and set up the standard of theil
king and Roman Catholic Chnkch,
Heather practices were abolished. The
crucihx was erected for worship AND
those who did moi obey the mandates 0t
the Church suffered the penalties OF the
inquisition.
The story OF Mexico is that of the old
octopus OF special privilege, which has
been the bane of man and the fernlent of
revolt and freedom Tor centuries. Luxur-
ious cathedrals Of European architecture
took tile place of c~anabaIistic worship,
and bled the labor and pockets OF a
nation to supply the luxuries OF an alien
people, which resulted i'll military usur-
patlons, relationships, republics and
hundreds OF revolts and revolutions.
The first successful strife OF the masses
against the ecclesiastical form of special
privilege took place in 1861, under the
patriot Jaurez. The enactment OF repub-
lican laws separated the Church and
State and confiscated $3.50, 600, 600 of
Church property. At II time in the
City Of Mexico One-half OF all property
was III the form OF churches, converts,
~nunnerles and other ecclesiastical hold.
mgs. Two hundred aud twenty years
after Roger Williams won the first fight
for religious freedom in America, Mexico
was struggling with this vexatious prob
lens. The Latin-Spanish~ influence con-
trolled for nearly 400 years, but about
ten years after the separation Of Church
and State the country began to be ex-
plotted by American syndicates. oil
magnates, land monopolies and railroad
monopOlies. Grants and subsidies were
made by the dictators and in return the
financial gifts drifted back to officials.
The capitalists of other nations followed
and now the central offices of the ex-
ploiters OF Mexico are in New York,
London, Paris aud Berlin.
Those whose read John Reeds au-
thentlc picture story of the present revo-
luton in Mexico behold the marvellous
old world feudal system by which
millions OF acres Of land are held by
landlords. many of them ~absentees, and
how they are worked by the semi-slavery
peon system. Exploited by foreigners,
robbed by the rich aud powerful OF their
own blood, ignorant and t~rustful towards
every new leader who arises to promise
relief, they go forth in rags; sometimes
starving and suffering human discomforts
and death.
John Reed is the only reporter in
Mexico working for the Metropolitan
Magazine, whose editor SAYS the absence
OF an army OF newspaper reporters is
Significant OF the powerful but silent
influence OF big business interest which
do not want the explorations of special
privilege known.
Below the Rio Grande, two, possibly
three factions are striving for mastery,
amidst no law nor officials to protect
property nor life.
| prophesy that just as the United
States stepped into Cuba, and the Phili-
pines and established order, law and a
stable government after hundreds of
years Of Spanish misrule, SO must we,
even at a heavy cost OF blood and treas
ure do the the same with our Southern
neighbors. and bring true the dreams of
four hundred years ago when the bearded
children of the sun were expected to
bring the fair promises of the sun god to
the Aztecs.
Mrs. William Franklin, OH the piano.
Miss Vera franklin, on the violin, and
Kathryne Stiles, vocalist, of Salem; and
Mrs. Ralph Harris, Of Penns Grove,
added much to the entertainment with
their musical talents.