Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1916-01-14


The neighborhood of Saltillo has al.
ways been a Carranzistas country, nut
the abundant wreckage OF trains, sta.
tons and public buildings in the state
of Nuevo Leon and the stilled indus.
tries tell a wretched story of even
comparatively recent differences Of
opinion among the inhabitants.
The almost empty streets of Monte
rey-once the Pittsburgh of Mexico
also tell a story. Less than a year ago
Antonio Villarreal was there. He pro-
fessed allegiance to the constitutional
cause. Angeles came and drcye him
out. VillarreaI's retreat was accom-.
panied by much random shooting that
dropped scores of civilians. The mag.
nificent new railroad station was fred
Shells laid low many homes Of the
poor people.
Villa came a few months ago and
compelled the tradespeople to pay l.
900, 900 pesos. Then the Vinistas fed
before Trevina and there was more
he~lter-skelter shooting-more killed
lookers-on. So, when Monterey heard
that Carranza and Oregon were com
ing with many trains of Yaquis, Mon
terey Obeyed orders to take a holiday
and then kept of the streets.
In the m~ile-long procession that
Governor de la Cara got up in honor
of the distinguished visitors there
were more men than all the men. wom-
en- and children on the sidewalks. But
1t was the most orderly parade of revo-
lutionists that had taken place in Mon
terey since the beginning of the days
Of occupations, excavations and
triumphal entries. And so towards the
latter part OF the afternoon the people
of Monterey emerged from their
houses and wandered around in search
of the celebri ties.
There was a kermess in the evening
at one of the Alamedas. Carranza went
to it. He bought huge quantities Of
flowers, submitted to arrest" and
fine" of 1873 pesos, shook hands with
all the pretty young ladies and as
usual, bore himself with dignity.
Obregon vent to the kermess, too.
1AC gOhhb ahACb maui q lAGACAQOu1
ado owe this handsome one-armed
hero of the revolution. When the two
men left the park everybody crowded
around their automobiles and shouted
"vivas." 1t was the first time for many
a day that any considerable number of
representative. Monterey folks had
shouted vivas for revolutionaries.
Back in the first Constituencies
occupation of the City of Mexico, when
C~arranza rode forth in Avenida Fran
cisco l.. Madero or in the Paseo the
people paused to look at him and to
say to one another:
There goes Carranzai"
The Cause, Not the Man.
II they did not have too nan
eavesdropping neighbors they were
likely to add one or two other favorite
words. Seldom or never, came a viva"
The silence was damning. If it were
broken at all by an cutlery the enthusi-
asst turned out to be a man in uniform.
But all through the states of Tamauli-
pas and Nuevo Leon and through
Coahuila to this city Carranza has
been given abundant evidence Of one-
minded revolutionary enthusiasm. He
has accepted this homage with grave
dignity, often with unchanging face,
like a man after all receiving only his
due.
1T is not enthusiasm for the man."
say his followers. 1T is for the cause
that he represents and leads-the cause
of the people," The Mexicans use the
words Eel pueblo" While the diction-
airy translation of Eel pueblo" is the
people," the words the populacs"
serve best to convey the Mexican
meaning.
They are mostly Indians who gather
at the stations and throng the city
streets to shout "vivas" for Carranza
and Obregon. II is doubtful II more
than one in fifty of them can read OF
write. but there is no doubt that they
know Carranza when he steps forth
from his car, and the mere sight OF
Obregon sends them into Mysteries.
The gravity OF C~arranza on tour, or
elsewhere, for that matter, is imper-
aA0 ~ RDA AaRp WHAT AAn lOA'
lowers say is true, that the enthusiasm
is for the cause that he represents.
Certainly local spokesman tell him elo-
quently to his face that ths people
have gathered to emphasize 10 him the
meaning of the cause of the people.
They say this with all respect and they
give him their gratitude and homage.
but always, even in the most obscure
mountain hamlets. the cause OF thu
people is placed above personalities.
The appeal Of Obregon to hamlet
groups and city populaces is instan.
taneous, He is a gallant, CHEEKY figure
that takes the eye. From him radiates
a world Of energy; its effect is magi
cal. The cause Of the people may be
the greatest thing in the world to
these audiences of First Chief Car.
rama on his triumphal tour. but Obre
gon is a ~full-hedged hero. He has all
the attributes of the hero, including