Semi-weekly herald., 1914-03-09
huerta Governs by
Numbering Opponents

murdered, and countless others who
opposed him ''mysteriously missing"
Huerta's dictatorship developed into
veritable reign of terror. Huerta' S
only hope of holding his blood
bought power was to shed more
blood.
The house of deputies, not real
izing to what lengths the new presi-
dent would dare to go, began to pro-
test against Huerta's methods One
evening at 6 o'clock, Gordon Of sol
diers surrounded the house of depu-
ties, while other soldiers entered and
arrested 100 of the leading states
men of Mexico. They were herded to
Jail like common prisoners and they
were hardly locked up in their cells
before Huerta declared himself die
tator of the country. He called an
election. 1t was held. A new house
of deputies was chosen, every man of
whom was Huerta's servant. At a
previous make-believe election, Huer-
ia had been chosen president, but the
votes were so few and so obviously
controlled that even Huerta didn't
dare to call himself elected.
And so, with infinite craft, he ord
cred his new house Of deputies to de-
clare that the election was void and
that another election be held on the
fifth of July, 1914 and that, in the
meantime, Huerta be considered pro-
visional president. This congress
also voted to Huerta dictatorial pow
ers and then adjourned, leaving him
in sole possession of the government,
in situation that made his word
and order as strong as any laws that
both houses might pass.
In the meantime rebel victories
multiplied; shortly, every northern
state was in rebel hands. Francisco
Villa, who had been one of Madero's
generals. took the field with Carran-
za. 1t is true that Pascual 0rozco
went to Huerta's side, but a blight
seemed to be placed on all his form
er prowess, and defeats met him at
every turn. How to get money and
how to raise an army were Huerta's
problems He set about to do these
things, but every dollar he raised by
taxation only made him a new enemy
and every peon whom he forced into
the army only gave him another SOL
der on whom he could not depend.
By the seventh month of his rule he
had built up large army, and had
he could not pay it.
"You must pay these 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 were men Of
a low class, many Of them conscript-
ed criminals turned loose from the
1 JdllSt tTutl, ncdItltbS anu
for money, women and alcohol. Meth.
er could Huerta trust his Officers.
He said once in burst of confidence
to Nelson O'Shaughnessy, charge d.
affairs in the American embassy, II
can't trust my officers. only wish
had about $50 American captains
down here. I'd clean these rebels out
in short time"
Graft prevailed in every corner of
the army. zone trouble is that no.
body in my army ever dies" said
Huerta on another occasion. death
never causes any changes in the pay
roll. Five hundred soldiers may be
killed in a battle, but the payroll
never shows it," And so what money
Huerta was able to gather together in
various ways was vainly spent, in the
main. 1t was like pounding sand in
to rat hole; he didn't get his mon
ey's worth of military effort at any
stage of the game. Even If the Uni
ted States had recognized him. how
ever, and he had been able to secure
all the funds he wished for, Huerta
could not have crushed the revolution
against him. Proof Of this is the fact
that Porfirio Diaz,, himself. with
$62, 100000 in his treasury and means
of securing much more, was forced
to yield to Madero's demands that he
resign. Diaz knew that it was not
money he needed, but men; and he
knew that the time had come in Mex
leo when, among the oppressed mil
lions, there were not to be found
enough men to make up an army that
would support oppressors.
| During the months that Hucrta was
holding the government by force
Felix Diaz, nephew Of the former
president, and accomplice 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 mission to
Japan to thank the government there