Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-02-10
Education and Prohibition

That the educational campaign inaugursted IN Mex
Ico By President Portss Gil with the objective Of event
uslly placing that country upon a prohibition basis,
h.s no. bsen uuproductivs Of results is evidenced By
the increasing number or agrsrisn "eiidos" or COM
nunitiss which have proclaimed prohibitiOn' and what
is mere. they arc enforcing 1t.
Under the sErarisn laws Of Mexico, the "cjidos' ar,
practically self governing, all land being communal
each member Of the sgrarian colony turning over 70
the local government a certain specified percentage OF
his crop 10 finance The schools, communal improve
msnts and activities. The law provides that an!
"sjido" that desires to invoke its option OF prohiniting
sale or use Of intoxicants within its borders, must
present to the governor Of the state a petition signeo
BY q majority OF ell holders Of communal lands WITHIN
the "eiido." The governor acts upon the petition ana
procIaims the "ejido" closed to intoxicants IN any form
Il is interesting 20 note that since the accession o.
Portes Gil TO the presidency OF Mexico, Of the lao
ss;,Sos. within the Mexican state Of Tamsulipas, all
have voluntarily applied for prohibition. In each case
Governor Francisco Csstellsnos has issued the re-
quired proclamation. It ID also very interesting "
note that the "ejidosp are enforcing prohibition Ins
communal leaders permit no intoxicants within the
confines OF the agrarisn community. The "eJido SUP
plies It's own plocie force, and bootlesgers hailed be-
fore the communal courts Of justice meet swift pun
ishm.nt when their guilt is established. There IS no
.rpsa, from the decision Of that court. The law
breaker receives punishment in accord with his crime
and upon a second offense may be banished from the
community or receive more summary punishment
The major part Of the rural population OF the state
az Tamaulipas Is now included in these "ejidos-' Where
puloue and the more insidious mescal and tequila once
fiowed freely, organized sports, theatricals, and night
schools. are now provided to interest the adults. All
children are required to attend school during the day
and there is not a communal school in the state that
does not provide night classes for adults, thousands o.
whom are laboriouly acquiring the knowledge denied
them in their youthful days.
The Mexican president is confident that with the
nrrarian communities adopting prohibition, It gradu-
ally will be extend to the larger villages and eventu-
ally 10 the principal centers Of population. He states
frankly that TO endeavor TO prohibit manufacture or
ssIs OF intoxieants would result in an uphcayal, and -
equally frank in predicting that within another decade
Mexico win he educated to the point where prohibition
will come automatically, not by edict Of the central or
ststs governments. but upon application from the peo-
PIE themselves.
There Is no "noblc experiment. in connection with
rrohibition in Mexico. 1t is merely the application OF
TIE fundamental principle Of common sense In govern
rsrt, A decade or more may elspse before the goal
IN finally reached, but when II is attained II will sig
nifty that the Mexican people as 3 whole have accept
Cd Il. ard thst the nation will enforce the law because
the public hss been educated TO that end.