Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-09-16
MEXICO CELEBRATES
HER INDEPENDENCE DAY
Padre Hidalgo's Bell Rung in Capt.
tai to Commemorate Revolt in
chihuahua in 1910.

NUEVO LAREDO. Mex. September 16.
With the toll at midnight in Mexico
City of the ancient bell that once swung
in the little chapel of Padre Miguel Hi
dalgo at Dolores celebration of Mexico's
throughout the country, although without
the pomp and splendor of the festivities
in years before the country-s prolonged
civil strife. The sounding of the bell is in
commemoration OF the night of September
Is. 1910. when Senior Don Miguel Hidalgo.
priest of the parish of Dolores raised the
banner of revolt against the Spanish and
accompanied by few followers com
menced the march which was to arouse
the entire country against Spain.
This exercise has been the signal in the
past for the chief executive of the coun-
try. standing upon balcony of the Ma
tional Palace. to give the ''grito'' or war
cry of Padre Hidalgo. Viva Mexico !,
Viva la Independence :" followed by the
roar of the multitude.
This custom has been observed since
Mexico attained her independence from
Spain. with the exception Of the years of
the Hapsburg usurpation Since the in
ception of the revolutions in 1910-a cen
fury after the revolt of Hidalgo and his
followers-there have been fewer celebra-
tons of the day. During the Hucrta re-
gme the celebration in Mexico City APP
preached those of former periods in dig
nifty and pomp, although other cities were
lacking in enthusiasm. The banner which
1idalgo bore. emblaZoned with the por-
trait of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the pa
troness saint of Mexico, was carried
procession. This of itself was sufficient
to stir the religious fervor of the Next
cans.
Mexico's Martyr to Liberty.
Padre Hidalgo's first success, LOG years
ago. was the taking of the important
city of Guanajuato, and for several
months thereafter tho revolution tri-
umphed. Taken at last through the
treachery of one of his subordinates,
Hidalgo was tried by both ecclesiastical
and military courts, and after receiving
the penalty of degradation from his
priestly Office. the sentence of the &c
clesiastical court, he was executed at
Chihuahua.
The bell on the little chapel which
Hidalgo used on the night his reyolu-
ton was proclaimed was afterward
taken to Mexico City and guarded as a
sacred relic in the National Palace 1t
is only tolled on the anniversary of the
uprising to call the attention of the
people to the ceremony about to be
observed
The day is the most important of the
national holidays of Mexico, for it COM
memorates the first revolution against
Spanish domination of the Americas,
and which, although it lasted eleven
years. was the forerunner of those
movements which later freed Central
and South America.
Since the delicate situation arose be-
tween Mexico and the United States
some Of the military commanders have
been careful not to permit any demon
stration which might result in a dis
play of anti-American feeling. The
celebrations in many quarters, particu-
larly along the border, have conse-
quently lacked the presence of the gov
eminent troops. which in former years
made them SO brilliant.