The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-26


old Oh November 20. 1915. The period
since Francisco l. Madero issued the
plan OF San Luis potosi and raised the
banner OF revolt against the aged Diaz
has witnessed many startling changes In
the republic just south OF the Rio Grande.
These five years Just closed have been
puuetuated by the resignation and death
in exile of the octosenar!an dictator.
Gen. Porhrio Diaz. Msdcro's rise TO
power, Pascual Orozco's revolt. subse-
Quent exile and recent violent death in
Texas as an OBSCURE flibuster. the cit
adel uprising In Mexico city and the as
sassination OF President Madero aud
Vice Prs slde.t Pho Suagez. Huertas
short and bloody dictatorship. Villas
meteoric career Of wholesale blnditry,
ana finally the quarrel OF the revolution
airy factonal leaders aud the military
prcdominnncc of Gen N.nustiaEo Car
rama
To-day the CarranZa movement is at
it's zenith and the first chief depository
Of the executive power, finds himself
with the military part Of his task viz
tually compl ted and facing the prob
lens of reconstruction, with material,
which would test the financial ability OF
a Morgan. the diplomacy Of Talleyrand
| and the iron will OF u Cromwell.
November 20 was AN official holiday
/ throughout all tho territory OF Mexico
/ controlled by thN forces OF Gen. car
rama. As sworn enemies OF everything
/ connected with the two piaZes, the aris-
/ tocracy and the church, who had always
/ held together. and as upholdcrS OF the
4 Il
] dero as well AS others Of their own pro-
! posing the followers ot Gen. Carranza
| celebrated the day with rejoicing, Tho
! public offices were closed and th- re were
street paradcs OF soldiers headed by
| bands playing the national anthem.
Not Greatly Enthus-d.
The non-combatants and non official
element of the city OF Mexico. about hve
Z hundred times as numerous as the mill
tary men and Government employees
who were eel brating, looked on AT the
! demon -tration without great enthusiasm.
| During the i've years whose lapse WAS
being proclaimed they had seen sixteen
radical changes Of rule H. IN. capital, all
OF which were heraldod with bombastic
mauifestoes and triumphal parades on
the part Of thu new authorities and
their armed followers, promises OF re-
form and persecution OF political oppo-
nents C'traitors'D, and most OF which
ended with cannonading and death in
the streets. precipitate midnight nights
of the authorities before the advancing
hosts of the hostile faction, terror and
looting between dark and daylight.
wholesale liberation of prisoners from
the jails and penitentiaries. and. during
the past year or so. the overnight dec
laration of the worthlessness OF such
money OF the fleeing faction as was left
In the hands of a hungry public and the
establishment OF the paper OF the new
arrivals as legal tender: all this attended
with progressive poverty, ruin and de-
moralization.
While these changes were taking
place prices were climbing, stocks OF
food, clothing and medicines running low.
the paper money of all the factions APP
proachng shinplaster status. business
enterprises failing ana closing their
doors id,eness strikes. sickness and
misery becoming general and the strug-
gle for existence growing into II bitter
desperate and almost hopeless task
The ffth anniversary of political and
economic insecurity had just been pre-
ceded BY recognition OF the de facto
Government of Gcn. carran2a on the
part OF the United States and other
countries and ther" had been some talk
of general pacifcat!on and reconstruc'
Iiou, but there was notnlnE new III sucf
announcements by the authorities The
fulsome official press OF the different
factions always had made this subjec,
LIS principal theme and the Mexican pub
lie awaited deeds rather than words.
Not Hopeful Of Peace.
A condition OF gloomy sceptcsm still
prevails among the thinking classes a.
TO the return OF peace and securit,
, despite the unique STONED military pre-
: dominance of the Carranza followers. ol
, Constitutlonalists az they style them
|. selves, who now control the greater par
of the territory of the republic anC
whose ultimate triumph over the VIII;
and Zapata factions Is looked upon as
fore.,onc conclusion.
The residents OF Mexico. foreign anC
native, cons',er the Constttutionalis
officials and military men as their ow,
worst enemies at the present time. The.
have by Gar the greater part OF the gun
o and ammunition existing in the country
: they are at the zenith OF their m!litar
y prestige and none thinks OF Joining tn