Page:Mexico under Carranza.djvu/49

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MEXICO UNDER CARRANZA
33

exists now; just the reverse, and it is plain to the casual observer that the present state of affairs can easily be traced to the inefficiency of the several parties which have ruled the country during the elapsed time.

"Not a single one of the several rebel chiefs, who have been in power, can be said to represent the wishes of the Mexican people. They do represent a small faction and all of the laws made and enforced in that time have been for the benefit of the officials and their friends and not for the people. "The present officials are taxing the people much above the taxes of former years. They are collecting more money but they are not paying their employees. School teachers in the City of Mexico have not been paid for months. Clerks in the employ of the government are receiving half pay. But they do not fail to pay the excessive salaries of the generals and a few subordinates who are so much in evidence in the streets, riding around in high-priced automobiles.

"The generals and their subordinates in Mexico City are the only government employees who are receiving full pay. This pay is increased by graft secured on army business, so that thousands of dollars are expended by each one in the purchase of automobiles and the entertainment of disreputable characters. This was so marked that a history of the subject was published in El Universal, which antagonized the army officials to such an extent that the editor of this paper was thrown into jail where he was kept for more than a month. Needless to say, the article did not have the desired effect as the dissipation increased rather than de-