Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-04-14
EMlLlANO ZAPATA
MAN OF ADVENTURE
The Mexican Revolutionary Leader
Started Life as a Hostler-His
Ideas Of Government
INHERE was nevcr hero Of a novel Of

THERE was never hero of novel Of
adventure who had more narrow escapes
whose career showed greater contrasts
than that of Emiliauo Zapata, the Mexican
| revolutionary leader, just come to his death
at the hands of Carranza's agents. For ten
years he dominated affairs in southern
Mexico, His troops took Mexico City two
or three times. They penetrated to the out
skirts os the city whenever they chose, and
time after time threatened to cut off the
water supply. Hapata was denounced as
bandit by NIadcro and Hucrta and CarranHa
and was pursued by their armies but hc
insisted that he was patriot. As matter
of fact. he was man like villa, half-brccd
Indian. uncttcrcd and brutal.
WEARS ago Emiliano Iapata was ser
L vant-a hostler-in the stables of IgnaciO
dc In Tore. General Poririo Diazs son in
law. lie developed a fondness for the thor
oughbrcd horses of Scnor de 10 Tore, and
it is said one of them disappeared and with
it Emiliano. The next heard of him he was
n laborcr on one of the great sugar planta-
tions of Morclos, near Cuautla.
When tho revolution against Diaz was
begun Emliano and his brother. Eufemio,
quit tho cane fields and became bandits. They
left behind them n trail of wreck and ruin
and burned plantations and villages marked
the way they had gone. Many strong mill
tary forces were sent against them and many
battles were fought with the Iapatas, but
the bandits always escaped.
As soon as Diaz. had been ovcrlhrown
Iapata declared war on Madero. and when
1iuerta succeeded Madcro he fought Huerta.
And when IIucrta Withdrew he fought Car
rama.
rTNIIE stories they tell about him are like
those which are told of Villa, the bandit
of the north. Here is one: Iapata de-
mandcd tribute from a rich ranchcr. The
fellow answered with courtesies but
money. He woke up next morning with
Iapata at his front door. He found himself
the next afternoon tied to a post in the
middle of bull pen. his body out of reach.
but his legs low enough to be gorcd. Red
cloth was tied around the victims legs and
soldiers were set TO torturing the bull. The
beast, was turned loose in tho pen and saw
the rcd cloth on the post. Maybe you can
guess what happened The flesh was gored
from the mans legs and he died as he hung
on the post. Iapata had taken the rancher's
wife tn til" edge of the pen and made her sit
there and watch the torture of her husband.
A BOUT three years ago n Mexican news
paper sent a man into the state of
Morolos. whore Xapata had his headquarters.
to interview him. The man found him
hidden in a bowl-likc valley in sthe noun
tains. access to which was through a narrow
winding gorge about mile long, guarded at
both ends by armed men. Our appearance
in tho little valley writes the man. was
the signal for an instant running forward of
fifty men. all with rifles at ready and a
perfect willingness to fire apparent in their
every motion. Walking behind the leader of
my guards. | advanced toward the hut
Entirely surrounding the little stone house
were mon, all dressed in black. all armed
with rifles and revolvers. and all evidently
on guard. The guard rose as we approached
and barred the way into the hut. but as we
talked the curtain was brushed aside and
Iapata himself stood in the doorway.
What do you want he asked.
My guard started TO reply and Iapata
broke in:
" I am talking TO the stranger. not to
you; speak when | speak to you Go to
your post.
THE guard left me. though | was still
surrounded by the personal bodyguard of
Zapata. who had risen from their positions
around the hut and stood in a semicircle
back of me- as if to prevent fight.
Now said Hapata, come in here where
! can see you. Too many people want TO see
me. SO you want to know why I fight, and
how strong my forces are: Zapaa asked.
- L am fighting for three things he went
when coffee was brought: first, to free
all Mexico of foreigners. especially the
Spaniards and the Americans: SECOND. to
give back to the Indians their lands. taken
frn,, hu bn a..
Madero government and now by the Car
rama government; third to give Mexico an
honest president. "A ruler who will give JUS
ticc to the IA 100000 poor people as to the
1000 600 sO-callcd upper classes and the
few hundred thousands of foreigners who
have been allowed to drain the country of
the great riches of the soil ! have fought
for these things for nearly six years, and in
the territory under my control every for
cgner has been driven out or killed every
wealthy Mexican has been compelled to re.
turn his wealth to the Indians. to whom it
rightfully belongs, and the land has been
distributed to every pcon who wanted a
share of il.
:" I am the man who should be presi-
dent. Xapata continued. 'Diaz, de, la Barra
Iluerta. Carranza and Villa have tried to
rule the country, along with half dozen
others and all have failed
But if you become president, what do
| you plan to do?' | persisted
1.-The first thing will be to drive all the
foreigners from Mexico. All of them have
| done Mexico much harm. but the first ones
| to go will be the Americans Then / will
| destroy all the railroads. so that they cannot
| come back. Before We had railroads we had
| few foreigners, especially Americans, in
| Mexico. and we were happy. If we had no
| railroads now We should have no foreigners
| and we should have peace and happiness
| again. Mexico can produce everything she
needs therefore We do not need any foreign
| trade Outside commerce always has been
for the profit of the foreigners and not to
the gain of us Mexcans, so why should we
allow it?'
| WHILE Iapata would talk with some
| w freedom. he was suspicious of his visi :
| Ja Gont him, yrit l.,