The Truth About Mexico.

New York Times 100 years ago today, February 12, 1913:
    Certain delusions about Mexico which are persistently cherished in the United States must be abandoned before our people can comprehend the gravity of the situation in the sister republic. It is quite possible, for instance, that some supporters of the rule of Porfirio Diaz, dissatisfied with the inefficiency of the Madero Administration, have given some encouragement to certain rebels. But there is no Porfirista party in Mexico to-day, and there is no likelihood of the return of the Cientificos to power. Zapata, the Morelos bandit, has been more or less protected by Madero. His support of Felix Diaz now is questionable. Orozco compelled the banking house of Enrico Creel's father-in-law, in Chihuahua, to buy a large quantity of worthless securities issued by Orozco as self-appointed Governor of the State. The purchase was said, by Creel's enemies, to be prearranged, and was taken as proof that Creel, who was Foreign Minister in the Diaz Cabinet, was covertly supporting Orozco. But the work of that revolutionary leader in Chihuahua was wholly destructive, and he had no chance of success. Creel had publicly proclaimed his support of Madero.
    The idea that the vast majority of the Mexican people are united in a demand for free institutions and equal rights is a serious error. The Aztecs of Puebla and the various other Indian bands have little or nothing in common. Zapata's followers care nothing for the adherents of Orozco. The country is split up in small factions. Diaz preserved order by discipline and the effective use of a strong police force. Madero professed to believe that milder measures would prove more efficacious. But all he did was to reawaken the revolutionary spirit. Outlawry, organized robbery, rapine, and murder prevail in many parts of Mexico, and the only hope of restoring peace and order is in the institution of a powerful central Government.