A PATRIOT'S END.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 48, 25 February 1913, Page 4

A PATRIOT'S END.

Francisco Madero has come to the end. appointed for moat patriots in. America. According to the official report, an attempt was made to rescue the posed president as he was being oon-.vey-ed at midnight from xhc palace to the State prison, and in the melee thet ensued between the ■guards and- the con-

spirators, Madero and the ex-vice-'presi dent were killed. But the general im-

pression convey-erfi by our cable is that tbe prisoners were officially murdered. There is nothing in the past history of Mexico or in the past records of th_ Diaz faction to-render such a. supposition improbable; in fact, it is generairy understood that a revohitioirary chief in the Latin American republics takes his life in his hands. There was a period in English history when all retir-crg Prime Ministers expected to be impeached. In L»atiii America all presidents forcibly dispossessed of power expect to be shot, and Madero has added only one more name to a long list of political victims. But it is certainly to be regretted that the tradition of the country has been kept up so scrupulously in his case. For Francisco .Madero was no ordinary rebel or adventurer. He camp, of one of the best families in Mexico, uniting the most aristocratic lineage with the best social advantages -thai wealth and culture could supply, j Possessed of very large properties and i estates, he bad spent many years in investigating the resources of his country i and in familiarising himself with the habits and manner of life of its people. ln spite of his wealth and high social rank he was a genuine Democrat at heart, and he believed that the Mexican people could be trained to govern themselves on democratic principles. But Ms high hopes were doomed to grievous disappointment. Disgusted with the absolute despotism established by Diaz, and ' resenting bitterly tbe exploitation of the lower classes by the oligarchy which supported the old President, be sacrificed Lis own wealth and his prospects of ease and comfort by organising the insurrection which drove Diaz from the land. Hut though his people had every reason to foci genuinely grateful to Madero. they failed him as soon as the test was applied. Tlie wealthy classes resontecl bis interference with their policy of despoiling the masses: and the masses were disappointed in him because he made no attempt to plunder the rich, and be could not provide them with the new heaven and the new earth that they had apparently expected to enter into when Diaz fell. Deserted by two of tlie generals whom he had helped rise to greatness, Madero has made a bravefight against overwhelming odds, but bia enterprise was predestined to fairnre. ..Neither" the Mexican people nor tbe Mexican plutocrats are yet fit for responsible government: and the fate of Madero in all probability heralds the re-estab-lishment of a military despotism, which may yet compel the ungrateful countrymen of Madero to regret not only his untimely end, but tho tyranny of Porfirio Diaz, which he gave his life to overthrow.