Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-04-23

ton. Ii may seem difficult to believe that
this question l. n direct result of the anti
religions laws Of Mexico: vet such is a
fact. A very large majority of the people
of Mexico are Indians. Under the wise
laws made by Spain for the protection of
the aboriginal people, they were wards of
the state Just a. our Indians are. The
pueblos held lands for their Indian popu
latlon III omrnon and these lands were
worked in comomn. The law which dis
solved communItIe>-aimed chiefly ~ re-
ligious commumiies-dis~olved also the
Indian communities, and did away with
the Spanish community lands. These lands
were divided amongst the Indians ~ IN
divldualS, but lone before All We're ready
to assume responsibilities. As a conse-
quence, most of the new Indian PROPRIETOR,
sold or bartered them Of for what they
could get, Ii was chiefly through this
bartering that thelands fell into the hands
oil large PROJECTORS, and the Indians be-
came thelr Employees. Had the same course
beer followed in the United States, we all
khow/that the same result could have been
eNpacted. The problem IN Mexico. on ac-
? count of the large indian population, was
a larger one than ours, but it was the
same problem. Mexico took the wrong So
lution. No student al the Mexican ~itua-
tion believes today that the redistribution
of the lands. unless safeguards are thrown
about the right to sell. would brin. about
a different result. II the land question j.
all important for a settlement of Mexico's
troubles, the utmost care alone can pre-
vent II coming again later to inauguratr 4
new reign of terror. But the point wish
to emphasize l., that IT was the anti
religious laws, which IN reality were re-
sponsible for the land question upon which
you very Justly put 80 much stress.
Your knowledge of Mexican affairs must
have given YOU the information that al
ready, under the laws of that country. pro-
vision has been made for any Mexican citi-
zen who desires to take up land. There are
millions and millions of acres of most fer
tile unoccupicd land IN Mexico-enough
for its entire population for long year. To
come. On the payment Of a small regis
~tration fee. thl- land can be- denounced"
and pass to the ownership of the person
50 claiming IL. Unfortunately. tran~por-
tation facilities are wanting IN Mexico.
just a. they were IN our own country; vet
our early settlers went ahead of the rail-
roads into the wilderness to secure prop
erty rights. ANY Mexican citizen can do
likewise to secure similar rights for him
self and family; and should the govern
ment of Mexico give it, attention 10 the
development of tranSportation-the build
ing of railroads into the rich unsettled
territories-and systematically encourage
and promote the colonization of these ter
%ritories by such Of it, citizens a. desire
farms for themselves, such action would
90 a long way toward solving the land
question. Tho land question can not Ne
settled Justly by the method advocated ~
many of the revolutioni~t~-namcly. con
t~iScation of property of Others; and il can
not be settled wisely il. III the wake 81
whatever action j. taken. there are lett
disagreements and feelings of injustice
perpetratcd.
I'm this connection must point ont 10
YOU that a very large number of the rcvo-
lutionists advocate conii~cation DIR. All
speaking in the Teatro Principal Of Vera
Cruz on December I. last. J. reported a.
have said: 'The best solution j. the one
that a social revolution should propose To
carry out and that j. the naturalization 81
the land. - All the land. from Bravo 10
Yucatan, should be confi~cated IN the name
of the people and this regardlc~- Of in
dividual rights or foreigners prnpcrtic-.
=. International complications should not
deter III . . at present the European ma
tions are sufficiently occupied IN settling
their complicated aud somewhat dubious
affairs To attempt Ia interfere with n"
This light in the camp oi the revolution
evidently thinks that the United State can
be ignored, or that the American people
would applaud spoIlation. such action
would either bring this nation into . ter
riblc war with European bowers Or end
forever the Monroe doctrine. Your use
of the word %''iust" in Your reference Ia the
necessity for u settlement of the land
question, should impress upon the revolu-
tionists the fact that. neither the American
people. nor the government which repre-
scnts them, could for an instant consider
giving sympathy 10 wholesale robbery.
Your mention OF the need Of education
i'm Mexico j. a. interesting ~ Your refer
,nce Ia a lust and wise solution Of the land
question. There j. no doubt whatever hut
that Mexico needs education: but again !
desire Ia point out 10 YOU the fact. easily
verified from the knowledge Of those who
.ou.,ntal with Mexiro'- history. that