A reconstructive policy in Mexico

A Reconstructive
Policy in Mexico

By M. C. ROLLAND

Notable first meeting of Laborers under an old tree, at the beginning
of the Revolution.

Published by

LATIN-AMERICAN NEWS ASSOCIATION
1400 Broadway, New York City

A Reconstructive Policy in Mexico

By M. C. HOLLAND

The most important and promising movement of modern times
for securing the welfare of the majority of mankind is the Social-
istic. All previous existing systems, including the religious and
the commercial, have failed owing to the revulsion of mankind
since the time of Plato against the exploitation of the masses.
Socialism alone has proved an adequate instrument for convert-
ing humanitarian theories into the hard metal of accomplished
realities.

The progressive efforts of the Socialists in Europe, the bril-
liant showing they have made in New Zealand, and the agitation
throughout South America towards shaking off the remnants of
the feudal yoke, are phenomena on which the gaze of the world
is riveted today.

Among such phenomena, the Mexican Revolution stands out
prominently; and in spite of all the mantles with which Capital-
ism has endeavored to cloak it, the Mexican agitation shows
more and more definite Socialistic tendencies, which are of tre-
mendous importance to every South American country, and no
less vital to the North American people, who, in their turn, will
have to solve the same problems that are now being worked out
in Mexico, notwithstanding the superior material progress of the
northern hemisphere.

HOW LONG WILL THE REVOLUTION LAST?

In Mexico, we have had inexorably to answer the call of civil
war, which will last as long as there is on the one side, a tend-
ency to monopolize the riches of the land, to insist on privileges
and concessions obtained through actual robbery of the rights
of the people ; and on the other side, the strivings of those who
demand equality, justice, and education, and claim the right to
comfort and contentment. Civil strife will cease only when the
working classes, those who have no capital, secure their econor&ic
liberty by means of a political and social organization more in
conformity with the pure moral principles that supposedly govern
humanity.

Our civil war, so long and bloody and painful, has clearly
placed in evidence these conflicting aims and in like manner
has also clearly defined the necessity for changing our social
order, for transforming our systems of government, and for
creating small property holdings as the bases of the economic
liberation of our people, who then and then only will cease from
being a vagrant mass without any exact notion of citizenship
and without any power of resistance as a people.

WHAT THE AIMS ARE.

These are the high ideals that inspire the chiefs of the Mexi-
can Revolution, and if .until now it has been necessary to scatter,
or even to annihilate, those who represent the tendencies of the
privileged classes, it is very important that everybody should
know what are, in the concrete, the first steps towards national
reorganization which are now being taken firmly and seriously,
in the most profound conviction that the Socialist state should
be established. These are the control of public utilities without
speculative aims and the creation of small interests by the re-
apportionment among all the natives of land holdings and of the
natural resources of the country, which will tend to establish the;
Mexican in a peaceful and happy home, and so ultimately make
for the peace and happiness of the entire nation.

•

We do not want a nation prepared to kill, like Germany, or
one organized mainly for material gain, like the United States
of America. We want a nation prepared for happiness, the ideal
toward which mankind has always striven.

WRONG SYSTEM OF TAXATION.

One of the greatest ills of the Latin-American countries con-
sists in the uneven methods of tax levying. The great lords of
the land have always contrived to cheat the Exchequer by pay-
ing almost nothing for taxes, placing all the burden of public
administration on the unfortunate shoulders of the small landed
proprietors and on the humbler business concerns in general.

That is one of the most flagrant evils that the Mexican Revo-
lution is rectifying. The First Chief, with keen perception and
appreciation of the situation, is silently working with firm hand
for the most minute investigation of all the properties in the
Republic, reappraising them and imposing on each one the tax
proportionate to its value. We find today that estates that were
appraised under the old system at a value of twenty or thirty
millions, have risen in valuation to five and even eight hundred
millions. Pause and calculate how much better off the national
treasury will be by the equal division of taxes! On this new
basis, the small concerns will have a chance to breathe, and
the old Spanish system will be eliminated whereby minor busi-
ness houses and the less prosperous citizens used to be the ones
most iniquitously overburdened with taxation, while the influ-
ential and opulent paid ridiculously small sums in comparison.

This policy of the Revolutionary leaders is the first step
towards the doctrine of the single tax.

USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS.

There is also another political change that every effort is be-
ing made to bring into effect and which is of immense improtance
to our people : that is, the genuine establishment of the Com-
monalty Government.

Up to the present, it has been the custom for the dictators
to name a representative, entitled the "Je^e Politico," the Chief
of Politics and Politicians — the odious instrument of all tyrants,
through whom the public funds were concentrated in the coffers
of the various States and of the Federation, where they served
as a distraction for the hands through which they had to pass.
In this manner, although the Government explored even the
remotest corner of the Republic, nothing was ever left that
would serve as an incentive to develop private initiative, since

the only party who could be enriched was the "cacique" — the
political "boss." Thus an atmosphere of discouragement and
dejection prevailed amongst the citizens, who never bestirred
themselves for the betterment of their districts because they knew
too well that the money given would never be applied to its
ostensible object.

The First Chief, who, in the course of his political campaign,
has passed through and visited every place, -and knows fully
every necessity of our people, is obsessed with the idea to in-
stitute free independent municipal government in order to give
the Mexicans, for the first time, the opportunity to augment the
prosperity of their respective cities and towns, and thus en-
courage personal initiative to develop, with the guarantee that
there will be no more governmental exploitation. We feel sure
that very soon in Mexico will come the rejuvenation of the beau-
tiful cities that today lie in the drowsiness and lethargy pro-
duced by the political tyranny and despotism to which they have
been subjected in the past. And thus will be opened up a new
horizon for the Mexican people, who for the first time will be
able to live peacefully and contentedly in attractive cities
equipped with all the modern hygienic improvements.

There are other places in Mexico like Tuxpan which, owing
to its vast supply of petroleum, is one of the richest spots on
earth, but where, on account of the negligence of those who sold
this source of national wealth, owing to the iniquitous centrali-
zation of the public funds, there is to be found neither a water
supply nor any kind of sanitary service, and not even a single
cart for the removal of rubbish and refuse. In thousands of
beautiful spots in Mexico, richly dowered by Nature, the people
drag out a miserable existence in the midst of the most back-
ward conditions of sanitation, positively revolting to the natural
habits of the race, all due to the centralization of political and
economic power.

MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT.

The Revolutionary party is fully alive to the situation, and the
adoption of free municipal government, which is already being
put into practice in almost every part of the Republic, will be
the heroic remedy. In a little while the desired transformation
will have taken place, and if this were the only work of the
First Chief it would suffice to. make him great among us. Being

on the fair road to the democratic Socialistic state, we submit
to the world the example of the organization of our federal tele-
graphic service. In spite of the Revolution, and with a thou-
sand and one other difficulties to contfend against, this service,
still controlled by the government, has been improved and de-
veloped to such a degree that to-day we have a magnificent sys-
tem with very good service, at a price five or six times less than
the telegraphic service of the United States, where many public
utilities are exploited by companies which naturally seek to
obtain enormous profits in order to partition dividends among
the elect.

We prefer to lower the tariffs for the service of the public
instead of making money on this popular necessity.

The wireless service has been improved to such an extent that
we are able to make the assertion that the entire Republic is
covered by stations that control the country in a far more effi-
cient manner, proportionately, than the same service does in the
United States. All this has been accomplished during the Revo-
lution.

In order more concisely to present a case typical of what the
Revolutionary Government has accomplished towards the 'es-
tablishment of the democratic Socialistic State, I am going to
present in as few words as possible the experience of the Govern-
ment in the State of Yucatan, where I spent six months re-
cently studying matters with reference to the Revolution.

IMPROVEMENTS IN YUCATAN.

In Yucatan, the veritable Revolution arrived with General
Alvarado.

The State was formerly organized in such a manner that its
entire wealth rested in the hands of two or three hundred indi-
viduals, and the people, an indigenous mass of two hundred
and fifty thousand souls, were herded together in abject slavery.
On every plantation there was always a priest who exhorted
the slaves to obey their master, the proprietor of the estate,
and promised them the kingdom of heaven as their reward for
such obedience.

All at once the system of debts was abolished. This was the
means by which the peon, the working man, had been held in

subjection and fettered for life. This reform resulted in a new
freedom for the working people. Liberated from debts, they
could move about in search of better wages, and consequently,
wages have been considerably increased.

Next, the priests, who used to be on the plantations, were
each supplanted by a school. It was absolutely necessary to
suppress the Clericals, because it was impossible to make any
progress in the work of reform while they insisted on using
their religious influence to oppose and retard the best social re-
forms which the Revolutionary leaders had planned and wanted
to institute.

The sale of alcoholic liquors was prohibited; cock-fights and
bull-fights were forbidden, and in their stead a new impulse was
given to games and sports such as baseball. In the most out-
of-the-way town of Yucatan today, there is as much interest and
eagerness about baseball as that displayed among players and
spectators in the United States.

There are about five hundred travelling libraries; public lec-
tures are also given, besides which, a department in charge of
public instruction has been organized with a pedagogue of re-
nown as head.

Regarding economics, it was necessary to maintain a very
active campaign against the powerful American Trusts that were
monopolizing the henequen industry, which constitutes the
wealth of the State. With this aim in view, the trusts caused
an investigation into the matter. A special investigation was
made by the American Senate, during the course of which the
justice of the Government of Yucatan was made patent. Just as
Frederick the Great forcibly organized the feudal lords to make
the rural treasuries the economic basis of the German States,
so did General Alvarado compel the planters, by bringing strong
official pressure to bear upon them, to organize co-operatively
and to unite for the defence of the State. The results are now
in evidence. Every one has been convinced of the iniquitous
monopoly which the trusts carried on : and now, eight or ten
million dollars in gold which these gentlemen used to pocket,
pass into the purses of the henequen producers, with the result
that the independence and stability of the national product are
now assured.

In order to fulfil one of the highest ideals of the Revolution —
that is, the economic freedom of the peon — General Alvarado

8

obtained the approval of the First Chief to the decree relating
to the distribution of lands, and then formed an agrarian com-
mission to have it put into practice. This law enacts that
lands within the State, or communal lands, which might have
been taken or stolen, will simply be confiscated and the rest
will be expropriated according to their just value. These lands
are being redistributed among those who want to work them
at the rate of twenty hectares of uncultivated land to each head
of a family, and ten hectares if the land is already in process of
cultivation with henequen. The law lays down certain indis-
pensable requirements in order to make sure that production
shall increase, since it is not the intention of the State to take
away lands from certain persons and to pass them over to others
who would leave them unproductive. He who cannot or will
not work must leave the land to another who is willing and able
to do so. The solution of the agrarian problem is not merely a
platonic scheme to the end that every one may have some land,
but it is expressly stipulated that an increase in production must
be shown. Consequently, this will tend to the prosperity of the
people. Toward the accomplishment of this purpose the Gov-
ernment is using every possible means. A Department of Agri-
culture has been organized with a foreign expert at its head,
and with a plan of operation quite similar to that in vogue in
the United States. There is an organization which takes care
of the circulation of such propaganda as may tend to encourage
the small cultivator in his efforts and to help him out of his
difficulties.

An Agricultural School has been organized and established
and experimental stations are also being started.

The great problem regarding the working classes has been
attacked in Yucatan with ample appreciation of cause, a law
having been decreed which creates special tribunals for com-
pulsory conciliation and arbitration. The State has been divided
into five labor districts and the workmen have organized into
labor unions. The tribunals consist of representatives of the
laborers and the capitalists, and if a friendly settlement of the
matter in question cannot be arrived at in the Council of Con-
ciliation, the Tribunal of Arbitration gives its judgment on the
case within a fixed time, and from the latter judgment there is
no appeal. The Council of Conciliation takes the matter into
consideration and has power to impose, for the term of one month
only, and on trial, an arrangement which shall have the force

of an industrial agreement if none of the parties concerned en-
ters protest within said period. The Tribunal of Arbitration
has full power to study the books of the proprietors and go to
the bottom of the matter in question in order to judge whether
it be really possible to satisfy the demands of the laborers.

Both the working classes and the capitalists are subject to
fines if they do not comply with the terms of the industrial agree-
ments. The purpose is to suppress strikes, which are injurious
to all. Nevertheless the right to go on strike is recognized as
the supreme measure to which industrial unions may have re-
course. The law establishes measures regarding accidents and
provides for the establishment of an insurance department to be
controlled by the government in case private insurance agen-
cies abuse this public necessity. Since this law has been put
into force, the public worker has come to understand its justice
and the authorities have not yet had to debate any difficulties
between labor and capital, these seeming to adjust themselves
automatically before the tribunals mentioned. Hence, the con-
dition of the working man is automatically being improved with
out any painful shocks. Besides, a reorganization of the Labor
Department has taken place, and this now studies, in a general
way, the conditions of the working people as well as the com-
mercial prospects; and it also compiles statistics. This is one
o^ the most valuable and conclusive of the reforms that are be-
ing effected in Yucatan and shows how, if efficient official power
is energetic and well-guided, in a very short time the laborer
gains materially both in an economic and social sense.

With the finances of the State firmly assured, and with the
people living and moving along firmer and more stable social
bases, General Alvarado has launched farther in his trial of the
Socialist state and will endeavor to control public utilities with-
out speculative aims so as to apportion among the people the
essentials for increasing their prosperity.

A company has been organized with a million dollars to con-
struct a railroad that will unite the State of Yucatan with the
Isthmus of Tehuantepec, crossing the States of Campeche, Tab-
asco and Chiapas. These regions are inconceivably rich. They
abound in cattle and all kinds of fruits and hardwoods. Practi-
cally speaking, these regions have been unexplored owing to
lack of adequate means of communication.

Yucatan will be a safe and reliable market for all of these pro-
ducts and there will be no need of importing from abroad any

10

foodstuffs whatever, not even corn. At the same time, this rail-
road will unite the peninsula with the capital of the Republic,
which owing to motives of national importance, is absolutely
necessary. The other works which the company will undertake
are : The introduction of petroleum into the State, constructioif
of the Port of Progreso, and the installation of a line of steam-
boats. Petroleum will cheapen manufacturing and will liberate
for other industries, fifteen thousand men actually employed in
timber-felling to such an extent that the country is being ruined
through deforestation, and the climate is being injuriously af-
fected. These men will then be so many more hands gained for
more productive employment, with the result that public pros-
perity will be greatly increased. Such laborers would be far more
valuable than immigrants, since they are already acclimated.
Besides, with the aid of cheap petroleum more extensive immi-
gration will become possible and thus the day will not be far
distant when orchards full of aromatic fruits and vegetables,
with prosperous, flourishing ranches, will be more abundant.
All these works are of immense social importance, since they
tend to enable the people to gain their livelihood with smaller
living expenses, and will also increase the productive capacity
of the State. Thus benefits will be apportioned among all in
conformity with the Agrarian Law and that of Labor, and an
era of the greatest prosperity and happiness must ensue. The
company is controlled by the government, which subscribes five
per cent, of the capital, and the rest is subscribed by private in-
dividuals. Its purpose, we repeat, is not a business investment;
it is to open up new horizons to private initiative, and above
all, to control those services of public utility for the benefit of all
and not of a few concessionaires as was formerly the custom.

In Yucatan it has been possible to advance more rapidly than
elsewhere in Mexico in the work of reconstruction, thanks to the
characteristic energy and spirit of General Alvarado and also
to the circumstances that there they have had more peace and
less fighting. But in other parts of the country also, experiments
have been made in the line of the general plan traced out by the
First Chief and consistent with the enthusiasm of the individuals
actually in charge. Naturally, it is not in all parts of the country
that things are being well done, and we have to acknowledge
that the true revolutionary spirit does not reign in the hearts
of all the men who have been raised to eminence by the Revolu-
tion. Nevertheless it can be easily understood that all of the

11

men who find themselves to-day invested with power and who
have risen without any previous experience whatever, and the
majority of whom indeed are ignorant of what national recon-
struction signifies, are not entirely blamable. In every case the
man of intellect will be held accountable.

We must fain acknowledge that there are abuses and thefts
of property belonging to the public, and we also admit that there
are not a few whose only aim is to acquire great wealth rapidly ;
but this is natural, and the history of this world proves that
the same thing inevitably occurs. Revolutions do not trans-
form men into angels. But the fact remains that the Socialistic
ideal is incarnated in a directing majority and will not turn
aside from carrying out its aims just because there happen to
be some who are fools and others who are knaves.

This is not mere phrase-making. Keen activity exists in
Mexico for the solution of the agrarian problem ; and the growth
of the schools is such that to-day in some parts of the country
the teacher gains more than the minister, and all this will even-
tually produce unfailing results. Equable taxation and free
municipalities will infallibly yield hopeful results in a very short
time.

The students of sociology of the entire world ponder over
these facts coldly and dispassionately, and realize that, apart
from all false interests and passions, the Mexican problem
points to one section more of mankind that has destroyed the
feudal yoke — by means of bloodshed, it is true, but this is a de-
tail— and is emerging into the fulness of the social and economic
organization of a free and contented commonwealth.

Every honest man, every man who does not have two moral
codes, one private and the other public; every man who is op-
posed to theft in private life must also be opposed to any
strong nation that would try to plunder a weaker one, and
must recognize the supreme justice of the efforts which these
brave leaders are making to form a pathway for the people of
their nation that will lead them to peace and contentment.
Therefore, no one can approve of the conduct of the majority
of those Americans who, in our country, plead for intervention
in order to forward their individual schemes and interests.

I do not make accusations lightly, since it is a well-known
fact that the Americans resident in Mexico are in general Repub-
licans with the desire for intervention. It is not so very long

12

since the entire American population in Tampico, made pub-
lic confession that they had aided the Republicans with money,
and urgently requested assurance and protection for the im-
mense wealth in petroleum that they had obtained there from
the former Mexican Government for nothing, and this when
they were not in the slightest danger.

Recently I was in Mexico City and went frequently to the
American Club. There I was fully convinced how charged the
atmosphere was with the desire for intervention. There they
discussed barefacedly the schemes they had in mind, in like
manner as the jackals doubtless take counsel together when they
see their prospective prey in its agony. The United States of
America will gain nothing whatever by intervention in Mexico,
but will, on the contrary, paralyze, through perverted concep-
tions of humanity, the Socialistic regeneration that is progress-
ing there. On the other hand, it will certainly have great ad-
vantages to gain when to the south there exists a civilized na-
tion with perfect understanding and appreciation of the fellow-
ship of nations.

13

Does Mexico Interest You?

Then you should read the following pamphlets:

What thelCatholic Church Has Done for Mexico, by Doctor.

Paganel I 4ft 1A

The Agrarian Law of Yucatan f

The Labor Law of Yucatan ; ;

International Labor Forum ,

Intervene in Mexico, Not to Make, but to End War, urges I n 1 p.

Mr. Hearst, with reply by Holland f

The President's Mexican Policy, by F. K. Lane }

The Religious Question in Mexico \

A Reconstructive Policy in Mexico > 0.10

Manifest Destiny j

What of Mexico )

Speech of General Alvarado > 0.10

Many Mexican Problems )

Charges Against the Diaz Administration ^

Carranza ^ /- 0.10

Stupenduous Issues '*. J

Minister of the Catholic Cult )

Star of Hope for Mexico > 0.10

Land Question in Mexico /

Open Letter to the Editor of the Chicago Tribune, Chicago, 111. )

How We Robbed Mexico in 1848, by Robert H. Howe > 0.10

What the Mexican Conference Really Means )

The Economic Future of Mexico *

We also mail any of these pamphlets upon receipt of 5c each.

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