The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-01-22

he would be tolerated. with Congress to keep a
check on him. until he had served out the term
for which he was elected. But In Mexico. you
must understand. three-fourths or more OF
the people are of the same kind which the
United States Government sets apart on reser-
vations and puts soldiers to guard. They can
neither read nor write; they have no practical
education In any trade, and some one must
provide for them Just as the directors OF an
orphans home provide for their small charges.
These people-they are my countrymen and
I know them-cannot be given land until they
learn not to give IL away TO the nrst schemer
who offers them a silver dollar or a brass watch
FOR IL. They cannot be given the vote-much
less the land-untl they are educated to
that point where they abandon the bullet for
the ballot. They must be provided with work
and compelled to do Il; with schools-and
compelled TO send their children TO them; Win
opportunity to buy land on easy payments-and
compelled to realize the value OF a dollar In
paying for Il; with a chance for peace and
prosperity-and immediate punishment IL they
do not accept IT,
These are the things, as I see them. that the
next ruler OF Mexico must give to my country.
Porhrio Diaz gave them in part. but the evils
OF HIS administration so far oyerbalaneed us
good results that revolutionists found little dit
hculty I'm plunging the sword through the thin
veneer OF civilization the dictator laid over
Mexico and revealing her shame TO the world.
Madero promised all these things. but a sec
cond Nazarene. empowered With all miracles.
could not have kept the promises the mis-
guided but honest Madero made.
Now. General Carranza has the ambitions. the
desires. the ideas and the ideals OF a Diaz. but
he has made the promises OF a Madero. and
II IS as impossible for him TO keep them as II
was for that other from Coahuila, who climbed
into the presidential chair and then fell so
hard and so far-even into the grave.
/ dislike to think OF my country under n for
eign flag. yet when | read the histories OF Cuba.
Porto Rico and the Philippines. ! cannot but
feel that some hand. stronger than any one
now in Mexico. must sooner or later set the
republic back In the paths Of peace and pros
perity. Diaz allowed the nation TO be robbed
OF millions; Madero lacked the iron hand which
must be used; Huerta was a murderer. and
such men. who cannot control their own pas
sions. have no right attempting to control
others.
Did you ever pause TO think that of the 1s.
100000 inhabitants OF Mexico, only about 200
900 are under arms-or less than two per cent?
The other 9S per cent are starving. or so near
starvation that the only army a conquering
nation would need would be an army OF mules
laden with food. When General Diaz was
forced out OF office and driven from the coun-
try. IL was only a few OF the 100000 upper
classes, educated Inhabitants OF my country
who thought that Intervention, the establish
ment OF a protectorate and the eventual re-
turn TO Mexicans OF their country. all by the
United States. would be the best solution 10
the problem brought on by the Mhdero revolu-
ton. Some OF these even advocated interven-
ton. and were openly houted by their country
men of equal education and wealth.
Now. however, / viii venture TO say that
nearly half the population of Mexico would well
come iutervention-or at least would be passive
under it-by any nation powerful enough to
give them food. peace and work with adequate
wages. Seventy-hve per cent would do moth
ing to oppose an army which brought with II
these necessities OF everyday life. And IL In
tervention by the United States. with the
consequent government by men who knew
how 10 govern. would benefit the poor. who
have only what they earn from day to day. how
much more would it benefit the rich.
But above and beyond all these factors in
anHaEfa nEnannTHfN nAnaaC r " m NhaW ms
be to Mexico. the most necessary is education.
In ten years. we're education made as free as
Il is in the United States. my people would be
ready for free. honest elections; they would
be qualified TO name their own President.
which now they are not At 20 do. II seems TO
me. indeed. that It matters more that every
town In Mexico have a schoolhOuse than that
every peOn have that dream farm which every
leader has been promising yet never has given
him since Aquies Serbian died In the first
fash OF the Madero revolution in Puebla in
November. 1910.
SO far as promises 20, there Is not a leader
in Mexico-and few Of the rank and Gle OF the
revolutionary armies-who realizes what
Mexico really needs. who knows what he is
hghting Tor. or who Is not fighting for purely
selfish reasons. For example. General Car.
rama is fighting for power. office and money;
General villa is fighting because he believes
CarranZa has been given that which belongs 10
him-recOgnition by the United States: Gen.
eral Zapata is fighting because he gets money.
and. in "a way, because he knows that n he a
captured he will pay for his life for past
crimes, and Il know that what I can &C.
oomplsh for Mexico Is very little. but / Eight
because IL Is my profession, because Il is the
only way in which ] can support myself
When ! first entered the revolutions. under
Francisco ]. Madero. ] believed I was destined
90 accomplish something for Mexico: ! thought
/ could help % improve on the government
which Porhrlo Diaz had given us. Yet now
after five years OF almost incessant fighting.
have almost come to believe that no one man