MEXICO AS IT IS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10252, 31 May 1911, Page 7

MEXICO AS IT IS.

THROUGH THE REVOLUTION. EXPERIENCES OF A NEW ZEALAXDER. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, May 29. Mr David Russell, a New Zealander, who has returned after an absence of twenty-five years spent mostly in Mexico, comes direct from the seat of the revolution. Ho was the owner of a largo ranch m that troubled State, and is fully conversant with Mexican affairs. "Since the time of the previous revolution, twenty-five years ago," Mr Russell said, "the country has gone ahead at a tremendous rate, and in a solid way the progress lasted up to four or five years ago. President Diaz, apart from being one of the greatest of generals, in a military sense, that Mexico has ever produced, < has shown himself at the same time to be the possessor of tremendous ex- j ecutive abilities. He took hold of the Government when it was bankrupt, and governed a sta; 'ng mob of subjects, and a ruined country. With his brain, energy, and executive ability he mado a nation out of unpromising material. Ho threw the gates of the State wide open to foreign capital, and gave it every facility that a new country can give to capital. THE SEED OF DISCORD.

"Of course, like all great men. he had his enemies. Many people benefited in the early days of the Diaz administration by selling their haciendas, their industries and the materials to make industries, to the foreign capitalists. These, people, then unaccustomed to luxury, hurried with their newly acquired wealth to Europe and lived most lavishly until they came to the end of their resources. Then their minds reverted to Mexico, where they once- had landed proper- ] ties, and back they went without land lor money to form a certain class of I agitators against the foreigner. They J saw that the foreigner had prosperJed in their absence, by working the land as the Mexicans themselves never knew how to work it. DOWN WITH THE "GRINGOS." "They imagined that they had in some way been robbed by the foreigner, and in a quiet way started an agitation against foreigners, or, as we call them in Mexico, 'Gringos? "The mistake made by Diaz was the appointing, in the late part of his administration, of Ministers who, with only one or two exceptions, were mere figure-heads, and who fell into the routine of office, but had no executive ability. Diaz considered them honest, straightforward and capable men, and in his old age leaned to some extent on them, and refused to believe anything against them. In the smaller towns the petty officials appointed by the Ministers gave grave dissatisfaction, and their actions caused great suffering amongst the working classes, or peons. These docile people were afraid to rise till they had a leader. THE TWENTY THIEVES.

"After showing great patience, and having a number of private conferences with the President, they induced Diaz to move in the matter of reform. Before this was done a certain section of the Ministers formed themselves into what was called 'Los Yeinte Cientificos,' which means the 'Twenty Scientists,' or, to make myself clearer, 'the twenty scientific thieves,' of Mexico, which they proved to be in tho last year or two. These fellows, while Diaz leaned on them, thinking the administration was going on as in early years, secured all the concessions that foreigners required from the Government, and sold them at enormous personal profit. In the transfer of these deals enormous sums of money were received, and in one instance one man received eleven million dollars —quite a comfortable little present." Mr Russell stated that these things woko Diaz up. and he held a conference with well-known public men of Mexico to endeavour to have the petty officials elected bv popular vote. ' MADERO'S MARTYRDOM.

Tho only man who had the backbone to stand up to Diaz was Fran- j cisco J. Madero and he made an agree- j ment that he should go before' the j people, and stand against Diaz for the Presidency at an election of the j people. Mr Russell says he believes that. Diaz honestly intended to carry out tho agreement, but "Los-Veinte C'ientiflcos" had Madero thrown into gaoi on false charges during the election. Madero eventually secured his freedom, and feeling very bitter against Diaz he crossed to the United States. After realising his large properties he matured his plans for rebellion, and when a writ of extradition had been issued for his arrest he recrossed the border and headed the revolutionaries. He showed his military quality by sending his plans for an attack on the city of Jaurez to the Federals, with the result that those troops were concentrated there, and he isolated them by dynamiting all the railroads in the neighbourhood. Tho war then proceeded as has been detailed in the newspapers, and Mr Rirsell estimates the loss on both sides at 2500. The revolutionaries appeared to have the better of the fighting, and Mr Russell was of opinion that this was due to a great deal of sympathy expressed for their just THE "CAUSE" OF THE "TNST7RRECTORS. In replv to a question a:; to what was tho "cause" of the revolutionaries. Mr Russell said it was simply seeking for reform in the administration, the retirement of Diaz, the abolition of the petty officials, more freedom of speech, and the right to vote. Though Diaz had done very well for the country he bad been very manv years in office, and the people were tired of him. He was not elected by the people, and it was now proposed to have a president elected by the people. Madero had given his word that he would not stand for the Presidency if Diaz retired within six months, and he had shown how the people could bo instructed to exercise their vote inI telligentlv. { ' THE OUTLOOK. ! *'T think that in less than three months," Mr Russell continued, "the i country should be governed on a ' peaceful basis again, and the peace should easily last for ten or fifteen years. The people did not want the war. They are fond of money, and money can bo made there in times of peace. Diaz has left the administration in such a way that the. laws. which are excellent ones, cannot bo overthrown, and with a fair and sensible man as President, and an honest Ministry, Mexico mav look forward to i£ prosperous future/'