Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1915-03-05

Inc view OF LQ0 ordinary AueI1Cdu
citizen in regard to Mexico is that
it has become just one Provisional
President after another. Changes
have been SO 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 Repub-
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 l 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 true IN
Outstanding 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
uElph of Madero over Diaz, but it is
not generally known that Madero's
up to the high hopes and expectations
that had been born with it, 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
were able to defeat all his plans fol
the betterment of his people.
Assassination Of Madero.
aS oAoIACAul oSodoSlAdtlOa lAC
instigation Of Huerta excited such a
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 emil
nently just and in keeping with the
best traditions Of this country.
Madero's death put the old cienti.
ficos. reactionaries and clerics back
again in power. This necessitated
that the struggle Madero had success.
fully waged must again be taken up,
and accordingly there came into ex.
istence with the new movement a new
shibboleth that has rung from one
end Of Mexico to the other: Justice
and Reform and no compromise"
The first man to refuse to accept
the authority of the dictator Huerta
and to fling into his face a bitter de.
fiance was Venustiano Carranza, then
Governor Of the State of Coahuila.
Carranza has been one of the strong
est supporters of Madero and during
the previous revolution had acted as
Minister of War in the assassinated
Presidents provisional cabinet
Carranzas patriotic stand drew the
attention of all liberty loving Mexi-
cans to Coahuila and there soon raj
lied around the Governors standard
q number Ct high-minded and patriot
1c Mexicans, who banded together to
overthrow the usurper Huerta and re-
establish a constitutional government
in Mexico.
Accordingly it was under these cir
cumstances the much heard of, but
little understood plan of Guadalupe
came into existence. The main planks
OF this plan are as follows:
For the organization of the mill
tary forces necessary to make compli-
ance with our purposes, we name az
First Chief of the forces which shall
be called Constitutionalists, Don
Venustiano CarranFa, Governor of the
State Of Coahuila.t
"On the occupation by the Consti
nationalist forces of the City of Mexi-
CO, the Executive power shall be taken
charge of by Don venustiano Carran-
Ia, First Chief of the forces, or who
ever may be substituted in command.
THE president -ad interim of the Re
public shall convoke general elections
as soon as peace shall have been es-
tablished, delivering the power to the
person who shall be elected"
Genesis of Revolution.
This was the genesis of the revolu-
ton against Huerta, which had, as can
be seen, as its one big hope, the re-
establishment of a constitutional form
Of government in Mexico. Following
this triumph, the necessary reforms
that the country cried for were
thought to follow as q necessary con-
sequence
The movement against Huerta was
magnificent effort on the part of the
Mexicans to regain the ideals Madero
had given them, and not to sink back
again into the despotic days Of Diaz
The present struggle in Mexico has
not justifable grounds for it's exist
ence. Villa has made this issue: 81
am to dominate Mexico" and has en-
deavored to cloak it in q mantle Of
verbal patriotism and empty sounding
platftudes. The element behind Car
rama is not supporting the personal
1ty OF Carranza- At all times it has
been willing to sacrifice him for the
greater good of the country It has
simply rallied to him in this present
conflict. because of his honesty, iateg.
rity and deep seated patriotism. and
because he stands for a government
OF principle and not of men.
The revolution against Ruerta swept
through Mexico with the irresistible
force that has ever animated every
real struggle for liberty and the dash.
Ing victories of Villa, Gonzales. Obre
gon, Herrera and others against the
Federal troops brought the victorious
revoiutionists into Mexico City after
IL months of struggle. Huerta fed
an exile to Spain.
Only one small cloud specked the
horizon of the revolution during its
early days. This was when villa. be
Ing ordered by Carranza to send re
Inducements to brother general. re-
fused to accent the commands ~ his