The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-03-01


and Integrity and the fact that no eta
not Of n,en.)
The view Of the ordinary American
citizen in regard to Mexico 10 that
It has become Just one Provisional
President after another. Changes
have been 80 kaleidoscope and the
daily news has been SO conflicting
that It has become almost Impossible
for the man on the street" to under
stand the true situation in the RepuD'
lie to the south Of US.
His evaporation has reached that
point where he now dismisses the
whole affair with a comment that a
lot Of bandits seem to be fighting
among themselves in Mexico as to
who shall be allowed the privilege
Of looting the country and reckon
Uncle Sam will have to step in one OF
these days and straighten things out.
The one significant fact that has
served to make Americans believe that
possibly behind the present turmoil IN
Mexico there may be after all some
thing big and serious. has been the
broad humanitarian view that Presi-
dent Wilson has consistently taken In
regard to the Mexican revolution.
A brief history Of the present revo-
lutionary movement in Mexico tends
to clear up many of the things that
have remained incomprehensible to
Americans and sheds a light on the
entire situation that gives a true I'M
derstanding Of the conditions in that
country as they exist today.
The present revolution actually had
its inception with Francisco Madero
in 1910. Most Americans are familiar
with the rapid and unexpected tri.
umph of Madero over Diaz, but 1t is
not generally known that Madero's
regime failed to be a success and live
IN to the high hopes and expectations
that had been born with 1t, because
he had been too generous in compro
missing with the reactionaries and that
they on account of their dominance OF
the two hold-over houses Of Congress
we're able to defeat all his plans fol
the betterment Of his people.
Assassination Of Madero.
The shameful assassination at the
instigation of Huerta excited such 9
feeling Of indignation in the United
States as to make President Wilson's
stand in refusing to recognize the
Government set up by Huerta on the
dead body Of Madero, as being emf
nently just and in keeping with thu
best traditions of this country.
Madero's death put the old cienti
fcos, reactionaries and clerics bacl
again in power. This necessitatet
that the struggle Madero had success
fully waged must again be taken up
and accordingly there came into ex
istence with the new movement q new
shibboleth that has rung from on
end Of Mexico to the other: "Justic'
and Reform and no compromise"
The first man to refuse to accep
the authority Of the dictator Huert,
and to fling into his face a bitter de
fance was Venustiano Carranza, thel
Governor of the State Of Coahuila
Carranza has been one of the strong
est supporters of Madero and durinl
the previous revolution had acted a
Minister of War in the assassinate,
Presidents provisional cabinet.
Carranzas patriotic stand drew tn
attention of all liberty loving Mex
cans to Coahuila and there soon raj
lied around the Governors standar
. number Of high-minded and patriot
ic Mexicans, who banded together t
overthrow the usurper Huerta and r.
establish a constitutional government
IN Mexico.
Accordingly 1t was under these eli
cumstances the much heard of. bu
little understood plan Of Guadalup
came into existence. The main plank
Of this plan are as follows:
For the organization of the mil
tary forces necessary to make compl
Ance with our purposes, we name 9
First Chief Of the forces which sha
be called 'Constitutionalists,' Do
Venustiano Carranza, Governor Of Ii
State Of Coahuila.
ION the occupation by the Const
nationalist forces Of the City Of Mel
co, the Executive power shall be take
charge Of by Don Venustiano Cara
"a, First Chief of the forces, or VIII
ever may be substituted in comman
THE president ad interim of the R
public shall convoke general election
as soon as peace shall have been G
tablished, delivering the power to Il
person who shall be elected"
Genesis Of Revolution.
This was the genesis Of the revol
ton against Huerta, which had, as c.
be seen, as its one big hope, the !
establishment of a constitutional fol
of government in Mexico Followi
this triumph, the necessary reforl