The Wanganui Chronicle "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." THURSDAY, MAY 2, 1912. MADERO OF MEXICO.
Wanganui Chronicle , Issue 12856, 2 May 1912, Page 4
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The Wanganui Chronicle "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." THURSDAY, MAY 2, 1912. MADERO OF MEXICO.
" The trouble in Mexico " has become a stereotyped heading in the world's newspapers. There does not seem to have been a time when trouble of some kind did not exist, but the brief cable, messages which are being published daily fail to give a true indication of tho fierce warfare which is being waged. For long, long years, the name, which figured most prominently in ' the news relative to Mexican troubles was that of President Diaz, the Dictator who ruled with, an iron hand.* The going of Diaz, however, was the coming of Matfero, the man who started the Mexican Revolution, and who to-day is the leading man in Mexico. The story of Madem is uncommonly interesting. Lacking that certain poise necessary in the manufacture of greai men, he ha-s Jo rued himself forward by the sheer merit of his cause and the universal popularity of his demands. In that way he lias, been made by circumstances. He was born in 1873 near Parras, in the State of Coahuila. The ranch had been the home of the family for a half con-* tury. After a short time at a privato school, he was sent to a Jesuit College, where, he remained till his fourteenth year In his earlier years he exhibited a warlike spirit and enjoyed nothing so much as fighting, bufc, under tho guidanco of tho Jesuit fathers, so deeply was ho affected by the spirit of religion that he almost immediately announced his intention of becoming a-priest. The next year was spent at St. Mary's School, Maryland. In his sixteenth .year, he had given up his ambition to bo a priest and calmly announced his Intention of becoming a farmer. Unlike the average man of wealth in Mexico, Madero's father wished his son to become- self-supporting and to choose his own scheme of lift*, sr» tnc? changeable youth was accordingly packed off to the University of California tr> learn agriculture He was to become manager of bis father's cotton plantations in Southern Coahuiht. Only ono session was .snout in tho University and in 1899 the whole' family removed ta Europe. An armed resistance to the appointment of certain ofiiceis in the State was-expected, and. while no members of-the family participated in cither j side of the affair, it was thought safrist to leave the Country. Apart from, extensive travel* in all parts of the Can- j tinent, young Madero'.s time was spent in Paris, and, with -a younger brother, he studied in the Paris School of Com- j mores. Six years wore spent in Fr-an« ] .nn;l at the ond young Madcro had developed that democratic and iu.depandent
spirit which have put him where he is. He returned to Mexico and took charge of his father's properties, handling them on shares. He also became a cotton planter and remained such till just before tho outbreak of the revolution. Members of the family say that young Madero was strangely serious on his return from the Continent. He was successful in business, and made, it is said, three-quarter of a million pc?.os, not one of which was actually given by tho wealthy father. This fortune of about £100 5 0D0 has boon cheerfully, spent on the revolution. The political career of Francisco Madero commenced^ in a minor way. Madero assisted in a political fight in the municipal elections at San Pedro, Coahuila. He worked against the appointee of the Governor, for municipal chief of tho town. The official candidate won and Madero claimed that his man had been robbed of victory. This appeared to open his eyes to a oonditons of affairs previously scon but nob observed. Then Madero mixed into State politics, working mostly through the press. He wrote many articles wliich aroused the proving notice of the people and the venom of the authorities. He assisted in tho-establishment of two independent newspapers. In this work he was assisted by two independent political parties, operating only in the State. Through bis efforts the two parties were joined, -each group prcsenrting a nominee for Governor. Madero's choice was defeated in the nomination, bat Madero put all of his power in working, for tho opposition candidate. It was this demonstration of fair play which thrust Madero into prominence and popularity among the independents. Tho independent .candidate was not elected, and Madero •became more and more ardent in his bitterness against the political system of the Diaz regime. Then Madero wrote a book called "The Presidential Succession," in which he handled Diaz without gloves. It was published in 1898 and created a furore. Members of xfio Madero family wore snubbed., and the writer w.as generally denounced as an enemy of the Government. Following the circulation of the book, Madoro interested himself in the task of joining tho many independent factions of the country into organised political resistance to re-election of the President. The task was. difficult, but Madero made swift progress. In 1909 Madero had made himself so well-known that, at a general convention in Mexico City, at which 200 delegates from all parts of Mexico were present, he was made a popular candidate for the Presidency. The elections came iii June, 1910. and just after Madero concluded one of his meetings ho wais arrested on a charge of sedition. He was admitted to bail on a surety of £10,000 provided by a friend of the family. Escaping in a coach ho made his way to San Antonio, where he was met by his wife and his closest associates. They told him that the people were demanding a revolution with war as the means. Madero's arrest; was generally accepted 'as having been made to ruin his political chances, since no man under arrest can run for any office according to Mexican law. The revolution was planned to break on November 20, 1910, but , the plot was discovered at Pueblo, and the only result was the riots more or leas general throughout Mexico. It had been planned that the cities should rise in revolt, but only disorders resulted. Then tho rauohmen of northern Chihuahua rose up in arnisj and with this frail beginning the revolution had been made. The revolution was slow, instead of rapid, as calculated. But in spite of the disappointment, Madero did not hesitate to join a group of not more than 200 men at a border village. That band of plainsmen and mountaineers grew, to an army, and, as ■everyone knows, Diaz fled to Europe, and Madero rilled his nlae:-. With the departure,of Diaz, however, peace did not come to Mexico, and the fortunes of Madero .are* still in the balance.
