The Washington times., 1916-04-01

In fact, everything savors OF times
| long past, save only those things that
are incident to the military occupation
| by the CarranEistas.
First Chief CarranEa established his
residence In a fine old dwelling especial
ly fitted up for him; his encourage Of
generals, colonies, and secretaries IA
auartered in nearby buildings. good. bad
and Indifferent.
Anybody accustomed to good living
who 10 compelled to remain here more
than twenty-four hours. Is very sure
to lose interest in the picturesque as
pect. and devoutly to wish that he were
In the city of Mexico or San Luis 20
tosi, either Of them about $50 miles
away. the one north and the other
south.
Just why Carranse should have select
ed Queretaro as his temporary capital
| nobody can imagine, except that II
might afford him easy and ready op-
portunity for retirement In any direo-
ton.
oueretaro today, with Its generals. so
called cabinet officers, subsecretaTies
and all the rest of the train attending
the first chief Is a busting place~bus'
Ting with small politics and intrigues
everybody seemingly bent on getting
the best of 1t for himself. Maybe. dowr
underneath. there Is O fund OF patriotic
devotion to the glorious cause OF re
storing constitutional government; bu
its presence 10 not very apparent.
Shameful Traffic.
The shameful traffic In exchanged ant
confscated properties as a result o.
which many high officials of the Car
rama government are alleged to hav'
made fortunes. is largely responsible,
for the lack Of a definite plan L
stabilize the economic situation.
Carranza has had before him thre,
or four plans In the last six months
any one of which II put into effect would
at least have arrested the demoralisA
ton which now grips the country.
The arch enemy of these reform
seems to be Louis CABRERA, a lawyer O
Mexico City. and Carranza's secretar,
of finance. He has not been very &C
lively directing his department. pre-
sponsibility on an undersecretary. on
Nieto, youth of probably unde
thirty, quite inexperienced in either ad
ministration or finance.
CABRERA has managed to shut off con
sideration of reform plans, each tim
promising to produce a better one o
his own; which thus far ha failed 4
materialize.
| Meanume the military ana polittca
hangers-on around the Quartet general
o. general headquarters. have beef
profiting with the exchange brokers
o. whom many of them are said to b
silent partners. CABRERA manages I,
retain Carranza's favor and confidence
despite the efforts OF substantial Next
cans to induce Carranza to surroun,
himself with men OF experience and es
tablished reputation.
Has Presidential Bee.
1t is intimated that CABRERA wants (,
become President of Mexico, and tina
his policy Is really calculated to dis
credit Carranza. 1t Is further charge,
that CABRERA has long been assiduousi!
cultivatinig General Obregon, and 9th
or military men. hoping to establish
political relations that will be usefIl
later.
But there is a strong group with
ramifications throughout the countr!
which Is vigorously opposing CaberI
and his methods. These charge tina
CABRERA organized the intrigue which
caused the break between CGrranza an,
the army forces Of the north command