The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-01-02
Mexico in L;melight

Mexico continues to be a subject of big interest to
the rest Of the civilized world, SO much SO that the
inauguration Of President elect Eubio, February s, will
be attended by special ENJOYS from all countries rep
resented automatically at Mexico City.
In return for the honor paid by the country, M,:;c"
will foot the bills of these special representatives unless
their countries object. Special entertainment also VIII
be provided for the international guests.
Ecasons for special interest in the destines of Mexico
at this time are III part due to the fact that our SOUTH
ern neighbor has elected an engineer for president. thus
giving the country the same type OF executive as the
United States has in the White house. Rubio IS looKco
on as a possible rcgcncrator OF his country after years 81
DISCRIMINATION by Instruction and assassination. That
would mean business for the rest Of tho world. So the
go-gcttcrs arc coming.
Rubio has a background of strength Of support BY
the army. He is said to be OF simple and direct charac-
ter. He has in the past supported such leaders as Fran
cisco Madcro end after the lattcr's assassination. Car
rama. Obcrgon and Gales. According to Carleton Beals
in tho New Republic, he has much Of the calm and pa
thence and methodicalness Of his Tarascan ancestry. The
Tarascans are a racial. enigma: like the BasQues III
Spain, no one knows their origin They are generally
supposed to belong TO the prc-Maya, Aztec and Toltec
stocks, and they have maintained their political in
dependence against all the Nahuatl invasions from the
north.
1t is interesting to observe, Beals points out, how the
basic military source for the sterilization Of any regime
in Mexico has come from we'll defined Indian centers:
Diaz and the Scrranos Of Oaxaca; Obregon and the
Yaquis of Sonora: Fortes Gil, Joaquin Amaro, Oruz
Rubio and the Tarascans of Michoacan.
Michoacan-onc Of the largest, wcalthiest and mos.
beautiful states. with its magnificent lakes and plain5-
bids fair to become of greater political Importance than
Sonora, until now the source Of revolutionary governing
powcr in the country. President Portes Gil was born IN
Micacacan. though his later career ccntcrs In the gull
coast froinicr petroleum state Of Tamaulpas. General
49, ~.~A- - 80. <~~;L - - <hn n
factor in the chicc Of Ortiz Rubio) is himself a pure
Tarascan Indian. The election of Ortiz represents a
further shift Of political control (begun when Portes Gil
was c,csen) from Sonora IN the north to the south ard
center Of the republic. An inevitable shift, for the south
and center arc the real Mexico. not the warlfke north,
the control by which was long due to proximity to the
United States and an arms supply. Anaro and Ortiz
have previously coopcrated In administrative capacities:
and many Of Amaro's army reforms were planned by
Ortiz.
Ortiz Rubio undoubtedly holds tho sympathies Of the
major portion of the army. writes Beals. He Is backed
by tho large majority Of the various revolutionary Or
CARNATIONS which supported Gales and Oregon, and
which Gales welded into the National Revolutionary
party. Labor and peasant support is less pronounced.
The Mexican Labor party, the political wing OF the
"Crom' tthc more conservative labor federation has
lukewarmly supported his candidacy. This Is the Labor
party's first revival after the blows 1t received at the
time of the assassination Of Oregon, and subsequently
at the hands Of Portes Gil. For the main part, the
workers and peasants. save the more radical elements
who supported Rodriguez Triana. have. owing to their
dehilitstion due to factionalism, remained In a rather
neutral and non-active position.
But. by and large, Ortiz Rubio represents a far more
potent alignment OF the existing organized social forces
which pivot about the Constitution Of 1917 than did
vasconcclos with his fcudalN alliances. his clerical con-
nections and the ~incnoate sentiment Of past enemies
of the existing regime-an a~ll-defined grouping which
he never effectively welded into a party. Ortiz Rubio
represents the tendency toward the developmnt Of a party
system: so does Rodriguez Triana; Vasconcelos, more
than either Of these two. represents the old-style per-
eonalism.