The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-05-22
SKETCH CARRANZA'S
EVENTFUL CAREER

EVEtvITUL OANEEN
venustiano Carranza, elected presi.
dent OF Mexico March II. 1917, by the
largest vote ever cast in n presidential
election in his country. stepped from
political obscurity TO national and In
t,rnatlonal prominence on the graves
OF the hopes Of Gen. viotoriano Huerta,
the usurpcr. and his followers.
simultaneously with uen. tHuerta's
coup d'etat and, the assassination Of
President Madoro, the news went out
TO the world that Gen. Venustiano
CarranEa. elected governor OF the state
OF coahuila In 1911. refused TO recog-
niSe the usurper and would resist him
by force OF arms,
I"Madero's revolution was political" !"
Carranza Is quoted as having said
Mine is a social one"
Born OF parents In comfortable cir
oumstances in Cuatro cienagas, state
OF coahuila. Dec. 20. 1863. venuetlano
schools OF his native state ana later
atudled law at tho Mexican capital
When he was appointed to the bar
however, affection OF the eyes pre-
vented him from practising and he re-
turned TO-. his native state to. become
u runcher. Ills experience as n rancher
Inst. then as judge, senator and finally
governor OF Coahulln, made Carfanzn
familiar with the agrarian problem, the
tU0t OF political unrest In Mexico,
Having deiled Huorta, CarranEa rail-
lied Il small band OF 500 followers which
grew into Bisable army when he
won the support OF Francisco Villa.
Carrnnzms influence spread rapidly, the
military victories o. hi chief aide, villa,
rnlNing the ynriOuB factions OF north
ern Mexicn around his banner. For n
time, however, real progress was slow.
iAunrtn'a machinatiohh had embruiied
Mexico with the United states and In.
teryentlon seemed Imminent, The KILL
Ing OF w. " Benton, q British subject,
by a stan officer Of villa further COM
piCated the situation
Then came Villas Victory at Tor
reon. the first real snoeesg OF the war,
CarrnnEa WIS preHsing Huerta hard
when the A II G conference 10 discuss
the differences between the United
States and Huerta WIS called IN Buf.
lalo. Gen, Cnrranka refused TO nus-
pend hostilitios aud declined 10 abide
by the result OF thoss diplomatic nego-
tlationa. The flRhtinR went on With the
result that dail. Huerta resigned the
presidency July ~, 1914. and
u month later Gen, carranEa made his
lrlumphal entry into Mexico city,
Huerta In the meantime having fed TO
shortly afterward Independent revolu-
tlpns led by ZApta., Gen. lascual
Orozco and others eommcnced. Dis
sunslon between villa and CArransa,
which began ut the Torreon conference,
reached climax Sept. 90. 1914, when
Villa declared, war on CarfankR Gen,
Aware Obrrgon became CarranxaS
leading general
The Villa generals met at Aguas Cal
leutea III November, 1914, and, IN alli-
ance with t,e Hapata faction, formed
a conventional government. The cap
ital changed hands several times, and
was not finally taken by Gen, Obregon
until the summer of igib. -
Tho beginning Of the end OF the Villa.
Xapata party as military power fol-
lowed swiftly the heavy DEFEATS OF villa
by Gen. Alvaro Obrcgon. villa was
forced 20 give up TorTeon and evncen-
ifate HIS dwindliny forces In northern
chihuahua and eastern sonora, makinx
occasional furaya and raids which cul-
minated In the attack on Columbus,
v. NJ, that resulted IN the inyaHlon OF
Mexican territory by Gen. Pershlng
III the diplomatic exchanges that
tfAHufu UriHttH lItEfNtUk NithbAA anu
carranxu. who had been officially rec
oknlxed aa the head Of the de faeto
government by the United States IN
October, 1915. he insisted on the respect
by the United states of Mcxlco's Hny-
ereignty and the concession 70 his nov-
nfnment of reciprocal rights Of invas
sion. lie maintained his position. de-
Hpjte the crisis caused by clashes be-
tween Mexican and American soldiers
At parrai and Carrlxal, but when war
seemed unavoidable Carfanan succeeded
In stcmmlng the tlc' by his prci1s---::tt
for the appointment OF a Joint commls-
Hion to settle the difficulties amicabiy.
Tho proposal was accepted by President
Wilson and the deliberations of the
commission resulted IN the withdrawal
0i the American army and the reat0-
ration OF friendly relations between the
two countries.
In tho meantime. carranxa had called
n constitutional congress. which &C.
cepted most Of the reforms he outlined.
ON March III, 1917. he was elected pIes-
idcnt. More than i.b0000O votes were
cast for him. lie took the oath Of office
May !. 1917.
IN n message to. the Mexican con-
~ eaa following his inauguration as
~ eHident. Carr MA declared Mexico'n
.strict" neutrality Ills note 10 neutral
nations. however. ufSing them to de-
clare amharEoea against all the Euro
peuu hclliEFfgntA, as means OF emu
Ing the war ard the warmth OF his
language In congratulating Emperor
William on the occasion OF hts last
birthday, aroused comment In the
United States, as did also the puhlica-
tion OF the Zimmerman note, inviting
Mexico 10 take "by conquest the Wates
81 Texas, Arizona aud New MeNleo IN
for declaration % war on
the United states acting In concert
with Japan.
Gen. CarranxR was married and for
n,crly lived IN Salhilo one Of his
daughters. Miss Virginia CarranHa, be-
came the wife " Gen Candido Aguilar.
Chief Cause OF Revolt,
He ruled the Mexican republic from
Mexico city and Qucretaro from 1914
until May, 1911. when he was regularly
elected. Ills term expired this year.
anar one OF the chief causes OF the IN
against him was his deter
mined effert 20 make ignacio Bonsilas,
former Mexican ambassador Ia the
United States. his successor.
Carranxa belonged 60 the wealthy
land .0wninR class IN Mexico, although
he always claAsod himself az a demo-
crat lie studied law, but ON account
% an afflicted eyesight. decided 20
forego the courts for the life of a
Becoming active In local polt-
tica Don Nenustiano was elected sen
ator and was finally appointed governor
~ the state Of Coahuiia. After the |
overthrow Of the piax regime. CRrranxa |
r..-...il.Il. nr.'r...... -.