MEXICAN REBELLION.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14452, 26 May 1911, Page 2

MEXICAN REBELLION.

VIEW OF A MELBOURNE YOUTH. A young Melbourno mining engineer, writing 011 March 12 from San Luis Potosi, in Mexico, gives ills relatives some interesting particulars concerning the revolution and its causes. He writes:— " Sinc3 my last letter things have taken a rather serious turn hero with regard to this revolution, ' There are now 20 ; 000 American troops •on the border, and several gunboats on either side of the country. It looks as if the United States was going' to help straighten things out. Something has got to he done, as things cannot go on the way they are now. The banks have stopped doing any business whatever, no matter what security is offered. Everybody is pounding after their debtors to beat tho band. Credit at the stores is beginning to bo shortened, and I suppose it will not be long be- 1 tore prices go up. Altogether, moneyis very tight. "There is a proposal before the Senate in Mexico to suspend the constitutional guarantees. This is what all -these Spanish countries resort to when pressed to extremes. It means that you can be thrown into gaol without a trial, or; taken out and shot off-hand' if caught in' tho act of committing any of a long list of crimes which are included in tho act. I heard that they were going to shoot anyone found carrying arms, though. I guess this refers to the northern, part, where the revolution lias certainly gained considerable headway. Of ; course, the newspapers 'are closely censored, so that it is impossible to place much credence in what appears 111 the press. There was one paper that was publishing accounts of successes of the revolutionists, and defeats ot the Federal troops. This paper was stopped and the'editor gaoled, "The main points at issue are the breaking up of a Ting of 'grafters/ that surround old President Diaz; the. election of a popular President, and the removal of abuses, like caziqtiism, and the owning of large tracts of land by rich men. As an example of the first case, a new land law was enacted' making it necessary for everyone to have titles to his land../ "When a man has lived on the landi his father and his great-grandfather had before him he naturally thinks it is his, though lie has no title. These big guns send out men to find out the best land, and then demand titles from the owners. Ths owners being unable to furnish same, the land is denounced, according to the law, by the big fellow in Mexico City. The owner refuses to leave when told to. and makes armed resistance. The soldiers are called out, ami he is forcibly oiectod, and perhaps, killed. The grafter then grabs the land. Besides this, bribery and corruption in high circles are common. " Old Diaz is about- past his day. His method was successful thirtv years ago but not now. Times have* now, and a more liberal form of rule is demanded. There is renlly no popular lorm of election, as we understand it. JVhat in reality takes nlace is that the President elects himself! The eaziques are sort of little tin gods, who hold 1 jobs like our mayors, onlv that their rulo covers a district instead of a mere town. They extract tribute for thin/'s that they should by law grant in virtue of their office; thev lew fines and pocket the money; in fact," carrv on a general all-round graft. With 'regard io the last point, 1 will merelv mention that one man 'lVrrazu* * own* nearly the whole Shite <,f Chihuahua! iiou ride ail one day iit ilu i train, and don t_;ret o/l bis laiul.

M-ell, .so it £oos. "We liavo to p:ee 0 V.wOnn- ln,„, n )i( ( j ( . in _ lormation here, and a bit more* some other pin ee. mid limire it ont as b:'st \ve can. the band nlays in the plaza, tho people lam.'h and drink and business apjiears to »r 0 on T j l( . samp.'' ®