The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-06-25
And Being Dictator, Although a Benevolent One, He Has Been Abe t
Put Into Actual Practice Many Social Reform Theories in
This One Quiet Corner Of a War Ridden Land

"And what are you going to do with
this liquor" ! asked. I had seen
thousands OF cases deposited in a
church which was turned into a ware
house.
"We export t." was the reply. Not
to the United States. however. but to
other States in Mexico. TO Vera Cruz.
Campeche. for instance. where prohibit
ton Ia not likely e succeed.
Other reform measures which arc
being tried in Yucatan have utterly
failed or have not been attempted NJ
all in other States. For in this penin-
sula the social reformer has the al
vantage Of n singular isolation and an
almost virgin social soil and favored
by euch geographical and chronological
features. a strong man like Alvarado
a act rs dictator without meeting
with any opposition from either the
people or the central Government
The Yucatecans themselves, hitherto
the lords OF the land. have been the
victims Of Ar abundance Of wealth and
slavce. which robbed them Of any moral
stamina they may have had and rend-
cred them indolcnt. voiuptuous, syha-
rftic. They submit TO any law their
ruler lays down: they take any medi-
cine he prescriheA Indeed. II might
be said that they have inherited the
principal characteristics Of their own
slaves. They themselves have become
docile. submissive: they are a people
that murmur their Indignation. that
whisper their discomfort.
And here IL n Of the pitfalls for A
dictator. A healthy. Intelligent, vital
opposition would have the tendency
to check some OF his extravasances,
would save him. in certain instances.
from himself. Yes, n dictator Alva-
rado IL. a dictator Of the benevolent
type. and n reformer Of the most radi-
cal and most uncompromising views.
lie Is regarded as honest and n
n sincere. ruthless. too, and fanati-
cal. \ man Of a studious nature and
an austere simplicity. a man with a
vision M a sword. a hook too. a Ger
man textbook on socialism. he ia now
having the time OF his life trying to
establish a Utopia IN the shadow OF
the ancient ruins Of the Mayas.
Gen. Alvarado Conccives the law.
embodies IL in a decree. puts Il with
unprecedented. unheard of rap,dity.
az far as laws are concerned, into
force. and the people OF Yucatan must
willy-nilly submit n obey. but I'm n
country Ike Mexico. particularly
lucatan. where the Catholic Church
Tor centuries has been all powerful
and supreme. II IL difficult to institute
any radical religious reforms that
would prove in any way enduring
Reaction is sure 20 follow. I say TINS
IN spite Of the fact that the Feminist
Congress. the first OF its kind. think.
in the history % Mexico. which con-
rened IN Merida and was attended by
3.co0 Women Of both tn" mes,!za and
the vsstida class. discussed among
various other SUBJECTS OF social reform
the seculari2ation OF the schools and
voted in ms ~ rs sessions for Il.
But it must ne observed that Gen.
A.Narado was sitting on the stage
with the members of the committee.
This is but ore OF a number OF ex-
per!ments in Gen. Alvarado's scheme
Of re~juvenation which seem doomed "a
ldlIult. Illuttu, ne loves 10 PSDeIl-
nent. He has turned the State of
NuCatan into a nursery. SO TO speak. OF
social and industrial reforms. His de-
Croes are ssued almost daily in the
most persistent and most astonishing
manner often contrad!cting and some
times nullifying one another. but this
is n natural concomitant TO expert
mentation.
He plants a seed, a. II were, to-day
and with some knowledge of rs nature
derived from books hut hardly any ex.
perience about its growth and do
syncrasies. he watches II patiently FOL
a spell and then II II does not grow tc
his satisfaction he plucks It up by the
roots and throws IL away. This may
he better than tho method of the rom.
promising and indo,ent rcformer. who
satisfies himself with a diseased
sturted growth. thus dcrriving ths
healthier plants from the greater sus,
tenance which they would otherwise
receive.
But IN his labor and Industrial Re-.
forms Gen. Alvarado 10 untlrirg. I'm
compromising, fanaticallv consistent
His Comision Agrario. which has II,
Office in the chapel Of q contiscatet
convent. Is still working on ths
agrarian problem, his Comision Regu
ladora del Mercado de Hcneduen I.
firmly established and has had for &
year now the absolute control Of thu
hemp industry Of the State: while hi
labor reforms have been In n way Z
decided success. These are three n
the i've principal problems which N
discusses in a pamphlet entitled La
Cinco Hermaias" (The Five Sisters)
the two others being n free mun!cl
patty and the s,Nvey Of the land.
He has a double. underlying motive
in all these refurins-to put an end tc
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