The Daily News. TUESDAY, MAY 30, 1911. MEXICO.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 314, 30 May 1911, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, MAY 30, 1911. MEXICO.

The dictator of Mexico (President Diaz) having resigned, it may be believed that the civil war which ' las been raging in that country will cease, providing that the hot-blooded Mexicans can agree as to a successor without further fighting. It seems likely that the President's illness is the chief cause of his resignation, for during the thirty-five years he has held a position of absolute power he has shown no disposition to release his tenacious grip of any of the strings that tied him to his office. One of the points of greatest human interest, especially at a time when the nations are striving for a more advanced democracy and a "popular" rule, is that Diaz has evolved from a democrat to a despot. In short, he began his career as a fighter for the people, and has for many years fought for power and self. Curiously enough, the rebel leader, Madero, quite unljke Diaz, belonged to the ruling class, the aristocratic land-owners, but has at least shown Socialistic tendencies, and possesses, or at least assumes, the possession of a heart that bleeds for the common people. It is reasonable that he may use the power obtained by his democratic actions to obtain the power now laid aside by Diaz. A study of the position reveals the fact that the civil war in Mexico is largely a war of United States interests Thus, one section of great American concessionaries who have supported Diaz with influence and cash for purely commercial reasons, are opposed by another group of concessionaries who cannot get all they want because of the implacable Diaz. Here, then, is the spectacle of interested business men quite out of the range of personal danger helping to pull the strings that have set 27 States aflame; who have caused a rebellion that may be likened to the dreadful strife that set brother against brother in the United States long ago; and who are conceived in greed, born in commerce and nurtured in grab. It is shown that during the dictatorship of Diaz, Mexico has prospered wonderfully, but that it has prospered because of Diaz and his dictatorship cannot be proved. The people of Mexico themselves have not shared largely in the enormous advance that has taken place. They have, as a matter of fact, been very much in the position of a people bought and paid for by foreign capitalists, and used by them as tools for the advancement of foreign interests. The enormous increase in the railway mileage, which is now about 15,000, and all that it stands for, has only helped Mexicans in a minor degree, for the chief reason for the railways is that Mexican raw material may be taken to its owners in the United States. Diaz has apparently watched the phenomenal growth of production, not as the friend of the people, but as the friend of the

foreign capitalist. The enemies of Diaz may or may not know what they want, and are led by those, who arc extremely bitter at being unable to obtain the concessions their enemies enjoy. In the rush for the spoil, somebody has been left, and it appears to be Madero and his supporters. The present position is that Diaz has resigned, and retires to Spain. Evidently he passes away for ever as a political factor in Mexican affairs. 'But although the president is gone, righting has not ceased. It cannot be foreseen should De la Barra assume office whether the internecine strife will cease. The same obstacles to peace and quietness will be just as pronounced as they were under the Diaz regime. Diaz was fought because he was the tool of the foreign concessionaire. The foreign concessionaire will make trouble should a new president'attempt to light his interests, and there is therefore a strong probability of continued strife. Capital will become uneasy because war handicaps industry in the country where it rages. Pacific interference of interested powers could only be effective if such interference righted the real or supposed wrongs of the insurrectos and the army of folk in Mexico who are parasites of the foreign concessionaires. Mexicans must be led. They apparently do not know they are being driven until an educated" firebrand tells them. They have been told that Diaz is their enemy and have fought him. The VicePresident is one Don Ramon Corral, nurtured under the wing of Diaz. The i people who don't want Diaz don't want Corral. The question is, do they want De la Barra? Presuming that the same influences that kept Diaz in Bis position as a despot continue to work in Mexico under the presidence of De la Barra, the system of parasitical dependence on foreign capitalists will in time produce exactly the same results as have plunged the country into civil war. It is alleged that if Mexico cannot live peaceably interested Powers must intervene. We generally mean by intervention a display of force. It will be interesting, should intervention be attempted, to notice whether a blood feud can be stopped by outside peaceful arbitration. If the world is ripe for the settlement of I disputes"by pen and ink, the opportunity to test its efficacy is given by the position in Mexico. The nation fliac succeeds in. calming Mexico and removing from the hearts of the people the causes of their revolt will achieve a wonderful victory.