The border vidette., 1924-12-13
PLUTAco ELIAS GALES.

president of the Republic of
Mexico. He was elected to this
high Office after having served
four years in the cabinet of Pres
ident Obregon whom he now
succeeds as president. Presi
dent Gales is a native of the
state of Sonora and when the
MaderO revolution broke in Mex
leo he was engaged in teaching
school at Frontera, sixty miles
south of Douglas and the inter.
national border. He at once be
came a Maderista and was soon
advanced to a colonelcy in the
army which drove the late Pres
ident Diaz from the executive
Office and from the country. Fol
lowing the murder of President
Madero, Gales, who had become
general, was prominent in the
rovolt which put the late Car.
rama in the presidential chair.
While Carranza was president
General Gales became the gov
ernorof the state of Sonora and
it was in this Office that be ex.
hibited the fact that he was a
man of determination and one
having strong sympathy with
the poorer classes of Mexico. He
did a ainumber of things as gov.
ernor' of Sonora to the benefit of
the masses. among them the es
tablishment of an industrial
school at Hermosillo, the capital
of the state, bringing to it the
poor children and teaching them,
boys and girls, useful trades and
occupations on which they might
depend for success through their
future lives.
1t was while Gales was gov.
ernor of Sonora that, he and
other leaders who had become
convinced that under Carranza,
Mexico could not be restored to
peace and become prosperous,
met just across the border line
fromD douglas. Arizona, and drew
up the "Plan of Aqua Prieta"
which demanded that Carranza
leave the presidential chair in
Mexico and that man be chosen
as acting president until the
time for the regular election of
his successor. In a few days
this ''Plan of Aqua Prieta" was
promulgated at Hermosillo. This
was the start of the revolt
against Carranza which was sue
cessful, almost without blood
shed. Carranza fed from the
City of Mexico and Adolfo de la
Huerta, who had been governor
of Sonora, was made acting
president of Mexico. At the
general election following this
Alvaro Obregon. who had be
come a general in the revolution,
was elected president with hard.
ly a show of opposition. Gales
went into the Obregon cabinet
where has remained since as Sc.
cretary of war and as premier.
He was elected as president last
July and his peaceful inaugura-
ton last Monday, we believe will
prove to be the beginning Of a.
successful administration.
Something of the hopes and
desires implanted 10 the breast
of President Gales may be gain.
ed from his expressions when be
was recently the guest at a ban.
quet given in his honor in New
York City by American capital.
lists.
I'VE have in Mexico not less
than 100000 men on the fringe
of civilization, who neither know
of nor enjoy the material gifts
and spiritual advantages of the
American people," he said. In.
stead. before our struggles for
liberty, they were condemned by
the oppression of limited, privi.
legged, social caste.
Humanity leaves us no other
road than to make Mexico q
community in which on the basis
of equality for all social classes.
the worker in the field and in
the city-now dying because be
has made nothing and barely
eats-will rise to the same eco.
nomic status as that enjoyed by
American workers. Then the
American industrialist will have
a magnificent market in Mexico.
On this occasion President Cal.
les said he would encourage the
development of Mexico's oil and
mineral resources by Mexicans,
that American and British cap.
italiStS will he Given concessions