THE MEXICAN CRISIS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1908, 17 November 1913, Page 9

THE MEXICAN CRISIS.

A TANCLED SITUATION.

BRITISH INTERESTS.

The fact that General Felix Diasfcnephew of the famous , President who filled tho destinies of Mexico for moro than a generation—hae been obliged to leave Vera Cruz and journey to Havana is perhaps tho most disquieting feature in tho whole .Mexican situa-

tion. For, according to shrewd and impartial observers, Felix Dips iv.as tho one man in the whole of Mexico who might knit together its many discordant elements. Tho Clamour of Porfirlo, : The glamour surrounding tin? name «f Poriirio Din has not yet departed. ; lio was an autocrat, but tint even his worst enemies have denied that lie governed his country wisely and well > that, although the. constitution might ;ho ignored _ and tl® democratic- spirit absent in his rule, ho brought prosperity and peace to the people. The .appointment of lus successors has synchronised with disorder aiid ujircst, which have inevitably brought in their

train unemployment and poverty. They ' might have, promised eonstituUciial government and pledged themselves to land subdivision and electoral refoum; hilt they have not .b'ro light tlio cpiihtry nearer to any of these 'desiderata... Thers woro no threats of intervention. by the United States under tho regime of President Diaz. Only those who havei lived iii Mexico can realist) tho intense, and bitter hatred with which the average "gringo" (as tho American is called) is regarded by the Mexican. Tlio rebellion which led to the overthrow of Diaz was, no doubt, Very largely stimulated by i genuiiid revolt against his autocratic and (to some extent) reactionary rule. But the Mexican would prefer the government of the most autocratic despot to domination by his powerful neighbour. It can therefore be readily' understood that. thfcrfi has been e. movement in Mexico for tho return, of the venerable Porfirio Diais., It is a futile movement, for the old man is ,110 loiiger lit lor the management of' the. tangled situation iii which his country is tit -present, placed. In his nephew,' however, tho

people are ahle to. personify the fnniiijy traditions, and as they have in lelix Diaz a progressive statesman of wide outlook and "ft general full of -vigour and capable of restoring order by firm Jrttt "taetfsjl administration, it is not surprising that largo sections oi the population have turned to hint as tlio. solvcht of 'tho present jmpassc. Power Behind the Throne. Felix Dtsis- fras responsible for- tho raising of tlio revolt against I'iesidciit Madero's adm-U'ij'S.tration- m October last year. Ho took the view that its nntllordigu attitude, personal lavouriti'sm, aiid corruption wero inimical to tho best interests of the country, ami that its overthrow was essential unless tl'io now; order of things was not -to be worso than the first. Felix Diaz secured th& appointment as I'residcnt of General llaerta (wiio had been ' commander-in-chief of tho army under Madero), and though ho himself stood outside the Cabinet, ho stipulated far the inclusion of his o\Vii supporters of "Felixistias," as they aro termed in Mexico. Ho thus bocaflio clearly tilts most influential man in tho country, the power behind, if not actually seated on, tho throne. Now it would appear (though the news is very confused and scanty) that the ltdder by which lluerta climbed ta tlio Presidential cJiair lias been overthrown, and that Felix Diaz has been obliged to escape from the fate whicli befell Madero. \ ' A Personal Sketch.. / It only needs a strong man of tho , same tvpo as Fbrfirio Diaz at the head oi iiifans, remarked a recoiit visitor to

Mexico, to restore peace and order again •in tho lleirablic. "Nesyl.y tho entirebody of .foreign residents n.nd ft large majority of tlio Mexicans themselves," ho added, "beiiovo that such a man wdl ■ bo found in General Felix Diaz, a nepliow of General Porfirio Diaz. 1 recently spent an afternoon with the General, and I came flw-ay strongly -irnby the conviction that- ho- pos- ■ s'esses many of tho qualities requisite for tlio task. Ho is A young man; -still ■ ■oil tho sunny side of 40, witli great forcq ■ of character, a rcsoluto will, a breadth' of view, and a statesmanlike grcsp. of affairs, which promise well for the future of Mexico should her fate eve? be placed in his hands. One ' of the strongest traits ill -his- character is the evident capacity to wait patiently for his opportunity. When it comes lie will be ail the more likely to seize it with energy aud vigour. This was clearly shown by his action in tho recent . revolution, and during the almost equally critical situation- created subsequently, when Congress refused to decree an early Presideiitial election for llieitermination of the existing system .of prp-visibftgi government. t "At tho time that ill-considered stop was taken General Diaz had it in his power to execute, a coup d'etat, ov.cr- ; throw Congress, and establish ninisejf . in. supreme authority.. With a .selfabnegation and a patriotism rare • in this land of selfish personal ambition-, ho accepted tho decision of Congress i withdrew for the tinio hoing his candidature for tho. Presidency, and stoppedbiick as far as his commanding personality permits, into the ranks of private citizenship.' It wis aii unexpected course in a country where every politician who rises oven a little above his fellows rarely errs o'n the side o.f' moderation."

In spito of his temporar.v depaihiro f'roirt his pountfy, there can bo m doubt that Felix Diaz isi the coming riikr Of Mexico, nud tlio importance of hispersonality is enhanced by tho fact that it is understood that ho is being supported by the influence of the United States. British interests. A recent cable suggested that American intervention in Mexico -was being delayed owing tof'the attitude adopted by the British Government. British commercial interests are very largo indeed in Mexico, and it has been estimated that at least one hundred millions of British capital has been invested in the industries of tho country. The oilfields and railways owned l.iy Lord Cowdray's firm (S. Pearson and (k>.), mining companies, and ntiwe'rons engineering and other undertakings in nil parts of the country testify to tho enterprise with which British, oommcico has ventured into tlies.o profitable! "fresh woods and pastures neiv,'' and also, it may be added, to $u> en.cour-' agement given by Porfirio l)in:! during the ,'!u years of his rulo to tho ir.vost- ■ ment of foreign capital. Great Britain was the first foreign Power to recognise General Hnerta's Government, and the contrast between th.isia.otioiri atid this non-recognition by the United States has certainly not been prejudicial to British interests in Mexico, One instance! of British ontciprico in tho country is tli.o Mexican. Light mid Power Company, which has enabled tho boast to be justifiably mado that Mexico City has tho best, and most artistically lighted streets in tlio Amori- ■ can continent. k'ivo millions of British and Canadian capital has. been invested in tho company, and it k on© of. the great electrical undertakings ill the world, It controls the illumination and supplies the current not only for tho lighting of tho streets, but for practically every factory and workshop in the city In Mexico they say.; "Yen must seo Necaxa," as in tho north tho visitor is bidden to visit Niagara. For the

waters of tho Necaxa River arc harnessed for the purpose of-supplying the; necessary power . For tlio. operation's of tho company. 'J'lio tippet of tlio two falls ('760. foot jji lioight) is three times and the lower five times as high as iNiagai'j). o Tlm engineering works 111 connection with tlio utilisation of the water power were of .such magnitude 0.11(1. importance that Colonel Goiithais, the chief engineer of tlio Panama Canal, found it worth his while to Visit Mexico and study tlio methods etnployed there. These works are typical of many others iii which millions of British capital r.ro invested, and it can be readily understood that a caveat should be- issued from tho British Foreign Oftico: beforo tholr scctitity should Ik> endangered by premature intervention by tlio United States.—'''Sydney Morning Iler* aid."