Omaha daily bee., 1918-06-23
In the Centennial Year OF
Mexican independence
Ceremony
of Ringing Again
That Historic
Liberty Bell

N Spanish invaders with their hdtlVe
auxiliaries. To get the costumes and
appointments as nearly correct as pos
sible books and pictorial charts in the
l:braries of two worlds had been
ransacked, and l have no doubt that
the procession which we watched was
as nearly a counterpart, except in
numbers, as that famous historical
company could have at this late day.
Montezuma and his warriors were in
deed sesplendent in every color Of the
rainbow; they were not equipped,
however, for combating the Span
iards, crude as were their implements
f~war, and the stories Of those fright
full conflicts are more understandable
after this ocular demonstration OF the
unequaily matched forces.
Floats Like Ak-Sar- -Ben's.
]. Following the mummers came FIVE
or six allegorical floats emblematic of
agriculture and industry and certain
states of the federal union. These
floats were more or less. on the order
of our Ak-Sar-Ben floats, yet without
electrical illumination and being for
daylight use perhaps little more fin
ished in appearance. They were
tastefully designed and not over
loaded, and the living tableaux were
at least attractively selected figures,
"a naturelle and not enmasque.
The evening demonstration found
she plaza if anything still more
crowded than did the morning
pageant. The time to the fateful
hour of II was devoted to band con-
certs, illuminations and fireworks out
side the palace and to sort of re-
ception within it. The guests mere
ly promenaded up and down the long
state chambers, talked in groups or
clustered about the windows. 1t was
an official gathering, such party as
may be seen at a diplomatic recep-
ton in our own White House, but l
believe less brilliant. The women
were luxurously gowned and jeweled
but hardly up to our standards Of
feminine beauty.
Pulls the Silken Cord.
Precisely at the hour the president
waved a silk green-white-red
flag across the windows and pulled a
gold cord that brought peals from
the bell which the great Hidalgo had
sounded. From the multitude below
arose tremendous shout, the bands
began to play, rockets rained over the
fre-outlined towers and dome of the
cathedral, and the church bells
throughout the city changed and bel
lowed as if mad. This performance
/ am told is gone through every year
on the eve of the 10th of September,
but Of course the Tooth performance
was entitled to an extra halo and in
spired with accelerated patriotism.
The centennial military parade was
reviewed by the president the next
day. This time we watched from
windows looking out on the narrow
Gales de San Francisco, the daily
dress parade grounds of Mexico
City's smart set. I have witnessed
many military displays and the chief
interest lies in comparison or con-
trast. / have seen Our own troops
massed in large numbers on various
occasions-at two presidential in
augurations, at the New York Co.
lumbian quadri-centennial parade, at
the dedication of the St. Louis
worlds fair and many smaller Incl
4 dents. l have seen President Carnot
review the French troops at Champs
de Mars on the French fete day, and
l have seen a whole German army
corps salute as each company passed
the emperor and the empress as il
counting their legions. The column
that marched this day contained, &C
cording to an officer of the Mexican
army, 10000 men, of which about zoo
were marines and sailors from the
foreign warships, dispatched by their
respective governments to pay their
tribute of good will in this way. The
Mexican infantry strikes me as a
slaternly lot; their uniforms are not
striking; they appear to be over
loaded with accoutrements; their
marching is ragged; they exhibit nc
signs OF dash or vigor; they act, and
in this they act the truth, as if they
were painfully walking in shoes when
they are accustomed to sandals OF
bare feet.
Peculiar Mexican Soldiery.
The Mexican cavalry and light ar
.illery make much better impression
than the infantry. The horsemen ar,
accustomed to the saddle and theil
mounts are above average. The artil
lery corps were largely in evidence.
am no judge of guns, but those more
expert insisted that the patterns ar,
up-to-date, the equipment first clas!
and the quotas of different styles wei
distributed.
The flower of every Mexican mill
tary parade, however, and the pride o
the Mexican people are the rurales
the mounted rural military police, wht
strike terror to evil-doers and keep tn,
peace throughout the length ant
breadth of the land. It is said tina
when President Diaz determined
many years ago to rid the rural dis
tricts Of highwaymen and desperadoes
he sent for some of the most notet
bandits and laid down the ultimatun
that they must help him put all th
outlaws out of business or he woult
put them themselves out of business
1t took several severe object lesson
to bring them all to his way OF think
ing and to enlist them in the rurales
Yet there they are, the most SPLENDID
specimens Of horsemanship, dazzlini
in their silver shimmering uniforms o
yellow buckskins, overtopped with tai
sombrero of gray felt, likewise EN-
broidered and tasseled with heavy sill
yer. The privilege of promotion t.
commissioned officers rank is tn
privilege to add few more pound
of silver to the load by spreading