The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-08-23
MEXICO
(Fom the Couricr-Journal.)

Mexico, since the day when Porfirio
Diaz was driven from power, may
justly be termed the land of the ban
ditti'' Men said Of him that he was
"a benevolent old despot," but they
never said that he did not bring peace
to Mexico, He knew his people and
how to govern them that peace and
prosperity might be theirs. Not only
did he keep the peace with Mexico.
but he kept 1t with all the world. He
knew--none better--that the vast body
mental capacity OF young children,
and because Of that knowledge he
ruled them as a father would his
children.
For two years ] was stationed on
the Rio Grande in the service Of the
United States and made many incur
sions into Mexico. That was in the
days of Diaz, sometime before the
day OF Madero the dreamer, who was
ito drive from the power the only Mexi-
can who had kept the peace and his
pIghted word. and then to pay for
his brief rule with shot IN the
back at the orders Of a professed
friend, the unspeakable and veno-
nous HUerta,
With no purpose OF entering into
defense OF the autocracy Of Diaz.
! may say that my knowledge OF the
character of the illiterate Mexican.
and the great majority are in that
class. leads me to the thought that
the measures taken by Diax were not
only the best, but the only measures
that could insure peace to Mevico.
When considering the acts Of Diax. to
judge him fairly. one must keep in
mind the statement made above. that
hts nAnn1n. WE hut rhilAFAn itffAv.
ate, poor beyond expression, and the
easy Victims OF any self-chosen rev.
olutionist, who had prediction to-
ward the presidency or a period Of
life as bandit chief, with the ac-
cent heaviest on the latter pursuit
! II one Of these gentry were Of sum-
Gent Importance to have gained the
| rotice Of Dfaz he would receive q
courteous invitation to call upon the
president for an important conference,
the result OF that con.e-.-e. being an
| pleased the Mexican government,
to bestow upon Don Gonzales de
Amilia an appointment as special en-
| voy to the court OF some foreign
country. And the foreigner the bet
ter one can imagine the willy old
despot saying As he treathed a hope
that the ship that bore his special
envoy to foreign shore might never
be heard Of again.
| Diaz was a man who knew what
he wanted and went out and got It.
Through much tribulAtion and night
ing he came to the presidency. and
| finding 1t position very much to his
liking. he devoted much OF his time
to the task OF holding on to It.
At the sar.e time he ruled Mexico
wisely and we'll, according to his
Lights, ard 1t cannot be denied that
lis rule, autocratic, II you win have
1t 70, was far superior to that OF
any who have come after him. AZ
matter OF fact. Mexico has no gov
eminent today other than that OF
such bandits as Villa. I am no advo-
cate OF autocracy here or elsewhere:
what Is here set down ID tie result OF
what cav and knew before our boys
had crossed over the sea to put an
end to autocratic rule and reduce the
crop Of czars. kaisers, kings and other
like cattle. Such government an Diaz
gave Mexico would not exist for . day
In the United States, however II may
have kept the peace on the other side
Of the Rio Grande.
Illustrative Of the purely personal
government OF Diaz. It u recalled
that during my residence on the bor-
der OF his country, smallpox was
prevalent Ia the Mexican town oppo-
site the American town In which I
was stationed, many OF the people
having died before the situation was