The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1915-11-13

TH8 DIAMOND DRILL
From the natives learned that these
refugee farmers had had everything
taken from them by the bandit lead
ers under the guise OF tax. II man
owned COW he paid tax; on every
bale OF cotton he paid a tax and 50 on
down the line tax was levied until
all man had went for taxes.
While the men looked bad the wo-
men looked worse. Hundreds OF them
were crowded about the commisary
shed where ration was delt out to
each holder OF ticket. These tickets
were issued at the different head
quarters by officers who had charge
OF that part OF the work. No one works
in disturbed Mexico now. They are all
fed out OF the public crib. at least that
is the way II looked TO me. The bull
fights and horse races go on just as II
nothing out OF the ordinary was hap
pening Every Sunday bull fight is
pulled of and the races occur at the
regular times
Gambling il wide open. the gam
bling houses paying big revenue to
the villa government. noticed that
most of the patrons Of the gambling
tables were Americans or people from
the American side.
/ bought five dollar note for five
cents That's about the value OF the
different money that has been issued
by the different leaders. They secure
a printing press and Issue all the
money they need II makes no differ
ence what the notes represent Over
in ElPaso are brokerage houses where
this money is speculated in and ex-
changed for IT, s. coin.
After seeing the sights OF Mexico
went to Fort Bliss where there were
quartered $500 IT, s. soldiers. MY
visit to the fort was made doubly I'm
teresting from the fact that l met
some OF the officers who had been in
Vera Cruze and the Philippines.
tried to get glimpse of Huerta. who
is prisoner there. but my visit came
too late in the day. He is under guard
but has lot OF freedom and soldiers
speak OF him as good fellow" He
is at the officers club where no more
indignities are heaped upon him than
is necessary. One OF the officers told
me that Huerta seems to be having a
pretty good time OF IL as he has the
freedom OF the house. the only res
friction being that he is under guard.
| CHANGED to meet fine looking, in
telligent officer who had just returned
from the Philippines. He had been
there FIVE years and had travelled ex-
tensively in the islands and also in
japan. In response to my inquiry as
to the desire OF the PHILIPPINES for
an independent government he said:
'The business and the property in
terests Of the Philippines don't want
independent government, neither do
the better class OF the people The on
ly class over there that want indie
pendence is a certain class OF natives
who have an education and are too
lazy to work They want an independ-
ent government. because they think
that they can pick off some govern
ment positions whereby they can get
money without working. you would
call them 'carpetbaggers' in this coun-
try. Outside OF that class, and II Is a
small part of the people, there is no
desire for independence in the Philip
pines" said he.
In response to my inquiry as to gem
eral business conditions in the is
lands he said, until the news got
abroad over there that the government
OF the L. S. States leaned towards a
wholly independent government
for the islands, business was excep-
tionally good Since then business
men have begun to draw in and mon
eyed men are not investing. The busi-
ness men fear an unstabIs govern
ment would follow the withdrawal OF
the limited States and the fnvestIne