Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-04-05


ever before
One of the most influential, and
certainly one of the most interesting
Of these leaders, is Rafael Gabilondo,
Immensely wealthy cattleman and
land owner, reputed chief finarciai
hacker and personal counsellor of
President Gales, one of whose
ranches is located near Douglas and
now operated by his son, Hilario,
where it my privilege recently
20 be a guest of these Gabiloncos;
a privilege which gave opportunity
for securing some interesting per-
| sonal sidelights on the Mexican SIT
uation. 1his invitation came through
some of the leading business men
| Of Douglas who were themselves
members of the party so graciously
entertained by the Gabilondos.
The ranch on which the visit took
place consists of the old Mormon
colony. In 1900 some 200 Utah Nor
mons settled in n Smar valley OF
| the Bavispe river some 80 miles
south of Aqua Prieta. Here they
tuilded themselves homes and q
church, irrigated the valley lands
developing 2n extensive wheat acre
age and erected a flouring mill. Dur
| :ng the revolution in 1912 they were
driven out by the bandit Villa, who
stole their cattle and oiner substance
and sacked and wrecked their build
ings. On the old church and other
Lu:ldings are still to be seen the
bullet marks made during his at
tack. Laser the Mexican govern
ment effected q settlement with the
! Mormons, most of whom are now
| located about Douglas, ny which cert
tain payments were made for their
losses and the land was taken over
by the government. Of this land the
iGabilondos have purchased. 73,a00
acres and hold nearly as much more
under lease which trey are also IN
the process Of purchasing InTsaddl-
! tion to this they are operating othcl%l
u ncghboring holdings, which give
/ them a total of some 500,oao acres
! row under their control at this
place. About 100 brick buildings
erected by the Mormons are included
! in the property owned by the Gapl
londos, most of them partially de-
stroyed. Much of the land is hlgh
and mountainous, adaptable only fo~
grazing, though with uneNplored
mineral resources. The Gabilondos
are first of all cattlemen and it was
for a cattle ranch that they secured
these properties
/ Our little party was entertained
with all the lavish hospitality fc,
which well-bred Latins are famed. |
It was understood our visit was
Lurcly social, the Gabilondosy giving
to their Douglas business associates
and their trien6s in this way an op' /
Dortunity to sec some of the beauties |
OF these Mexican landscapes, do !
little hunting, and to get into closer
touch with the life of the Mexican /
people and with the business enter !
prises OF the Gabilondos and the !
things they are undertaking for rheil |
peoples and their countrys good. +
We were entertained in their large I
ranch house, furnished With horses |
saddled and ready at our CALL and /
tho whole ranch was open to MS
Safety, so far as personal injury /
or robbery is concerned, was as
manifest as anywhere in America.
Every Mexican we met was court /
cous, respectful, gentlemanly. Per- |
laps this was partly because. we tried
to be gentlemen ourselves; man
, from the states who treats these
people as "greasers" has no ground !
for complaint if he is treated as a |
| "gringo."
Rafael Gabilondo impresses ore
/ Immediately with his strength and
/ leadership. A vigorous man of per
haps 60 years, full blooded, deep
chcsted, quick spoken, manifestly q /
! man of firm convictions and quick
decisions and accustomed to dealing
] with large affairs, he is full of tho
! pioneer spirit of dare which does
t not hesitate a moment when the I'm
! tried seems the thing needing to be
done.
Hilario GabilonGo, son and mani
fcstly the idol of Rafael, now iii
| charge of the ranch we visited, Is
! just as interesting, perhaps even
more significant as one of the young
er generation of men of prestige in
! Mexico. Education in American
schools including business college
! he is thoroughly conversant with the
English language and with our busl-
ness procedures. He maintains an
American home in Douglas where his
| children are in school. Among the
business men of Douglas he is recog-
nized as one of themselves, doing
business with them daily with NUT
ual confidence and respect.
! While our visit was purely so:ial
| it was inevitable that Mexican po-
| litics should come up for discussion.
! On the two questions OF special pres
ent interest, the Catholic controversy
and the oil titles, both Gabilondos
talked quite freely
Both insisted their present govern
ment is in no sense hostile to the
Catholic church, but that there are
two reforms on which they are de-
l termined and which they believe VIII
be for the good of the Catholic
churches Of Mexico as we'll as of
other Mexican interests. The first Is
financial. They demand that titles
to all church properties should In
there in local boards of trustees pret-
jty much as is now the case with
most denominations in this country,
Il that extensive land holdings OF the
r church shall revert to the state for