Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-05-29
MexicO's Leaders


A'A its rescue a dictator Is about due; but II will
take strong TO pull II from the depth OF anar-
chy into which It has fallen, and unless Il be Fran
cisco villa, one in sight appears likely to grow up
/ TO the task
Carranza had his chance and failed ignominiously
Barren OF executive ability though replete with a
nlmble pettifogEfng spirit he the and
hatred Of all Mexico outside Of HIS immediate camp
That ne is also stupid clearly shown by his
patiently envious and unreasonable attitude towards
villa. whose fealty he could have retained b. fair
conduct and unbroken agreement. Carranza could
have brought peace 20 Mexico when first he entered
the city in August. 1914 to confer with Carbajal-
who had been appointed provisional president the
flight Of Huerta-had he been aught but arbitrary
vain obstructionst Had he the patriotism he vaunts
been faithful TO the principles he continually boasts
a provisional government which the United States
would cheerfuly have recognized and encouraged
could then and there have been encouraged
The second Carranza occupation OF sIexico City
beginning in January, 1915, under General Aware
Obregon. repeats the story OF the first with slight
variation; there Is the search for money under
cloak Of hunting out the enemies Of the cause"
the same reprisals. the barbarous disregard OF
81 pueblo while posing as their champion. the same
iaithlessness TO the very principles for which they
claim TO be fighting the same arrogance Of speech
and conduct-iudcrous in its upstart braggadocio
the onlooker but grievous to the natives who must
endure ana suffer Its insolent and cruehy unjust
dates Both obregon and his first CHER hate Mex
leo City and its people, who have never opened their
arms to either of the two and oathe both of them
for tho misery endured under the thievery and
domineering Of the first occupation
or the paItry creatures that the whirigg of revo-
luton has given temporary prominence from time 20
time in Mexico, Venustano Carranza 70 the most
pretentious and the least promising Mirth-provok-
ing he Is. however, In his roer-chair capital fumi-
mating dreadful threats against villa he pushes
out OF reach. beckoning foreign diplomats 20
follow anon proclaiming himself all OF the law and
the prophets, and Issuing manifesto after man.
ifesto breathing solcitude for the working classes
EulaliO Gutierrez. ex-provisonsl president, like
wise ex-oopper mine carpenter and roustabout is to
be taken no more seriously In ponderinR Mexico's
future than Pablo Gonzales when he broke from
Carranza. proclaimng himself president from Pa
chuco' and remaining at that town. his men preying
on the shops. his officers upon the women until no
fled before villa
Luoio Blanco another OF the recent Carranza gen
erals. Is to be taken even less seriously than Cutler
rez Originally with Carranza and entrusted with the
protection Of Mexico City, before the approach
ing lapatstas after glowing manifestos to the peo-
pie OF his unceasng ana affectionate loyalty lie
wandered around for time outside the danger zone
and finally deserted Carranza for villa because
Gutierrez promised him a place in his cabinet-why
knowing the man. Il would be hard to say Having
been offered share in the government Gutierrez
was planning. Blanco deserted Villa as he had Car
rama In his point OF loyalty either TO principle or
chief those two we'll met; but Gutierrez Is the
more dangerous His first prominence came through
successfully blowing up federal trains for the con-
stitutionaists As reward for his bloody record
Carranza mnde him governor OF San Luis Potos,
whore he was a, dil'gent looter and was the brute
who. having the of widow shot because he
happened TO be OF family had once held office
sent the nude body 20 the mother after paradine II
around the plaza in cart. When Villa wtnt south
driving Carranza before him, Gutierrez deserted 10
MIN; and when Villa went north Gutierrez looted this
treasury and jumped the city to set up a government
Of his No doubt he win find n s way bacl gain
70 CarranEa who is not particular cannot afford
20 be-
obregon ia the really strong man among the
Carranza generals. and he and Feiip Angeles OF
VILLAS forces are probably among the military the
two strongest. in Mexico after villa Obreeon
has respect for his chief but there Is no room for
his ambitions In the Villa party while under Carranza
he Is unhampered, OF both obregon and Angeles we
are likely to hear later for each has presidential
bee In his bonnet Angeles Is well born ana we'll
educated the only either side OF military
training obregon is a ranchero who looks more like
an Irishman than Mexican and undoubtedly has "a
much OF ireland IN his blood as in his name Another
with presidential bee Ia Luis Cabrera a shrewd
lawyer OF the city and the political motor OF the
Carransa party He is the agitator type OF socialist
no never falls TO lay upon foreigners all the RESPONSE
bility for Mexican revolutions.
In contradistinetion Is FeIicitas Vfiareal who re-
signed as minister OF finance under Carranza rather
than ndorse one OF his nat-money making schemes;
was called 20 tho office by villa; stayed by his
post when Gutierrez decamped: was arrested by
Carranza when obregon marched into the city it's
evacuation by the zRpatistas II s not unlikely that
Carranza will execute Vniareal on some trufnpei- up
charge other--that Is the Carranza way; but II
Mexico when the day that II set out upon
the rehabilitation OF it's finances. He Is OF the
very few Trustworthy in public life In Mexico
todsy; man In the political life OF Mexico and yet
honestl such Is Felieitas Villaresl
Villa Is the man TO whom almost all those outside
the factions look for solution the present added
condition II be that he will prove equal to
the dual task OF fighting and playing politics.
sequence Of events following his triumphant entry
into Mexico City in November certainly indicates that
he was not or Is not yet. equipped for the double
game. Yet without being in any degree Intellectual.
he is man of resource great energy and force He
Is fighter, and ustfu who is his best when
he IL in the field the job-not in the city. He is
too. believe, more sincere than the others I'm his
expressed wish 10 bring his country peace and es-
tabiish stable government He has no personal ambi-
ton outside OF this. he told me; and credit his as
sertion, not because he told so. but because his
since he prominently before the country
national leader in the last two years rather
roborates g.
Yet he may. villa win approach tn
within hailing distance OF the standard Mexico 3
strongest and most benetcent dioators Juarez
and Porfirto Diaz. lie is brutal specimen OF low