IRON HAND IN MEXICO.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1911, 20 November 1913, Page 7

IRON HAND IN MEXICO.

—4 HUERTA'S REGIME. PEREMPTORY DISMISSAL OF CABINET MINISTER. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Mexico City, November 18. Senor Aldapo, who was considered to bo tho head of the Mexican Cabinet, tried to persuade General Huerta, the President-Dictator, to concede the United Statos demands. Ho was peremptorily dismissed, and sent to Vera Cruz on Sunday evening; guarded by two hundred soldiers. He is probably going to Franco. FIERCEST BATTLE OF THE REVOLUTION. (Rec. November 19, 11 p.m.) Mexico City, November 19. Tho Constitutionalists havo captured Victoria (tho capital of the State' of Tamaulipas), and massacred the garrison. The battle lasted for. days, being the bloodiest encounter of the entiro revolution. The Constitutionalists now control the greater, part of Northern Mexico, and are appealing to the United States to recognise them as belligerents, ~ RUMOURED BLOCKADE. "Times"- i -Sydney "Sun" Special Cables. (Rec. November 19, 6.40 p.m.) t . Mexico City, November 19. It is alleged here that the German Minister has informed the German merchants that the United States intends to establish a blockade within threb days.' ~ "Anarchy and absolutism seem to be alternating conditions in Mexico," observes tho "Outlook" in its issue of Oc-' tober 25, just prior to the grotesque general election, which was held on October 26. "On October 10 tho last vestige of a pretence at self-government by a republio vanished whon Huerta invaded with his soldiers the Hall of Deputies, seized over a hundred of the Deputies, and threw them into prison. There they remained throughout last week. The Senate dissolved of its own accoTd, several of the Judges resigned, and the capital bristled with guns and troops ready to subduo any attempt at revolt. Huerta's immediate pretext was a resolution of the Deputies making inquiry concerning the disappearance of Dr. Belisaro Dominguez, Senator from Chiapas, who had vanished from his hotel after making an address in which he criticised the Provisional President. In that resolution the Deputies warned General' Huerta that if he did not give them protection against personal injury they would adjourn to another city and hold their legislative sessions there. But Huerta's real purpose was to prevent any criticism of himself or his conduct, and any interference with his mastery over the proposed elections, the constitutionality of which has boon questioned in the Mexican Congress. Tho proclamation issued by Huerta, to the Mexican people declared that Congress had insulted him by offensive and calumnious language, had overstepped the. hounds of decency, had denied him financial assistance, and at the same time had no unity of purpose or patriotism. Therefore he "assumes full powers for the direction of the Government'—in other words, declares himself Dictator-of Mexico—'takes upon_ himself the powers granted the legislative powers by the Constitution,'' and will issue decrees as he likes, the first being to rescind tho very first article of tlie Constitution, which guarantees the liberty of Deputies and Senators. If there is any constitutional support for Huerta's action, it has not been put forward. His tyrannical and despotic deeds are .'generally .interpreted to indicate, desperation; and. a resort to the pure brute force of that part of the army near the capital."