El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-06-25

TT WOULDN'T be Cananea if trouble did not develop
there about in often, with sufficient serious
ness the closing of the mines and smeter and
the throwing of thousands of people out OF work The plants
at cananea have been closing ad reopenng at short in
of revolution the ordering out of Americans by the
United States government in the past but because OF
instructed socialism
According 70 company officials the Mexican govern
ment has placed very heavy the mine properties,
together with an alleged back tax Of 100000, has de-
1nanded that and physician be placed at every
mine shaft and viii not allow the discharge OF employees
for whatever cause by the company Only the local efe has
the power TO discharge These among the most serious
of number of restrictions placed upon the company an
other one being If is said that American workmen must be
replaced by Mexicans.
Leaders of the Meicans in Cananea say their only de-
mand for increased wages and that the restrictions 10
which the company most objects not to be attributed
to the men themselves but to the government officials In
Mexico City, possibly acting under German suggestion in
asuc as Germans would be interested in curtaing the
supply of copper much as possible.
It is better guess however, that the difficulties which
have overwhelmed the Cananea company are attributable
to the Mexican socialists who surround acting governor
Adolfo de Ia Huera, more notable for ADVANCED
ideas than for practical executive ability 1t was al ms
suggestion that shortly after his administration pegn
called congress Of wormen convened IN Hermoso as
quasi official body and drafted series of drastic labor
enacments governing and conditions OF employment
which practically removed from the employer the right to
conduct his business This body assumed all the pre-
Togaves of the legislature far as labor was concerned
and among its enactments making it nearly mpos-
sble for employer to nd himself of incompetent OF
superuous men, which the Cananea company has found
to BY the Cananea company prepared by the labor
congress by Ia Huerta himself not known here but
either case la Huera sponsor for the Sonora labor
congress, is responsible.
The Cananea Consolidated Copper company is not the
only Sonora industry in trouble It is reoorted that be-
Of similar restrictive measures the Richardson Con-
struction company has been forced into inactivity and its
properties seized by the state government The Richardson
comDany during period Of IS years, has spent several
million dollars In reclamation work in the Yaqu valley
damned the Yaqu river, forming reservoir for year
round ieation and built about 800 miles Of canals and
laterals Its land than 1000 acres, and
several hundred American families settled the tract each
family turning its allotment of land into farm measuring
up the he standards of those the United States AL
nearv all these settlers driven out Of the country
by Yaoui warfare about year and It has been imuos
sibe for the Richardson company to operate sasfac
toriv as would have been the had Mexican troops
furnished adequate protection to the lives and property of
the colorists
The hone for the resumption of operations by the
Cananea COMPANY and for aroe development elsewhere
Sonora lies in Gen Plutarco Elias Gales long charge of
Sonora military governor before he displaced by
Gov de Ia Huerta Gen. Gales has been elected cons
tona Of the state and is take office His
administration military governor characterized by
sanity, deal to the mining companies the
chants the cattlemen the and the Iaboring
Any executive in Mexico would realize that attemut
10 subject workers to the peonaqe Of the old days would
also realize that to Cypress the industries of the state would
be fatal to growth and prosperity of the state What has
happened at cananea is good example in proof It is