Hellraisers Journal – Sunday October 2, 1910 “Mexico Replies to the Appeal to Reason” by C. M. Brooks
From the International Socialist Review of October 1910:
HE exposures of the horrible conditions in Mexico by John Kenneth Turner, in the Appeal to Reason, are arousing a spirit of inquiry all over the United States that is going to prove increasingly embarrassing to the government on this side of the border line. Famous captains of industry who have invested heavily in Mexican industries are becoming alarmed. It is interesting to note the sudden bursts of enthusiasm experienced by some of the radical magazines and newspapers on matters Mexican these days. Evidently somebody’s palm has been crossed, or somebody’s pocket-book has been touched or somebody’s skin has been threatened. One grows curious to see just how far the epidemic will spread.
Appeal to Reason, June 4, 1910
Diaz has always been a warm friend of American capitalists. Whenever a multimillionaire decided to invest in Mexico, Diaz sold him one economic advantage after another, and by all the strength of his armed power he has since protected him.
And it is chiefly because the United States Government stands back of the American plutocracy and the Diaz regime of blood, that Mexico has become known over the whole world as the home of murder and brutality to workingmen and women. A knowledge that the powerful government across the border line has stood ready to support Diaz, has always deterred and checked any widespread revolt against the oppression of the Mexican government.
Until men like John Kenneth Turner and John Murray and others began to pry into the affairs of Mexico and disturbing newspapers and magazines to publish the truth about them, the working people of the U. S. had no way of learning of the miseries of their comrades. And it is highly important that the American people continue to be deceived in regard to the character of the President of Mexico and his miscalled republic. Otherwise it might prove impossible for the United States Government to support Diaz when the Mexican people arise to demand a democratic form of government.
It is rumored that nothing could be further from the desires of the Guggenheims, William Randolph Hearst and the Standard Oil Company than a new and democratic president in Mexico, who would insist upon giving the Mexican people the rights common to a republican form of government.
A capitalist’s idea of heaven is a state where he may exploit workingmen and pile up profits without let and hindrance with a government at hand to see that the working class is rendered unable to interrupt him.
In the Aug. 18th. number of Leslie’s Weekly, Senor Don de la Barra, the Mexican Ambassador, replies to the critics of Mexico in the following naive manner:
If the charges made by Mr. Turner and others are true,
“Why”, he says, “does Mexico’s credit stand so high in the money markets of Europe and this country ?” He does not know, poor man, that a high credit means ability to exploit labor and he has not one inkling that he is proving the things he swears are false.
“Why does capital, seeking safe and profitable investment, go to Mexico, as is proven by the $600,000,000 which is estimated to represent the capital from the United States?” Why indeed! Why does capital generally migrate from one country to another? Because conditions are ripe for higher profits; and what do profits come from? Exploitation of labor, of course.
His Excellency, Don de la Barra continues:
First, the Mexican nation is rich and prosperous. It is first among the silver producing countries and third among those producing copper…..Petroleum deposits now make up a new and abundant source of wealth…..
Third, the laws of Mexico are just and the courts apply them equitably and promptly. A deficiency in this requisite, which makes up the guarantee to enjoy civil life, would not explain the influx of foreign capital.
General Diaz, the creator, so to speak, of modern Mexico, in his wise, honest and patriotic work, surrounded by men of skill as his collaborators, has shaped the course of events, made use of ALL WHICH IS PROFITABLE (the italics are ours) and set ideals for his people.
There is a good deal more in this same strain, but we think we have quoted sufficiently for our readers to know the basis of Don la Barra’s refutations.
We thank Senor de la Barra for his illuminating article. John Kenneth Turner, and Dorothy Johns and John Murray had assured us that Mexico was a hell upon earth for the working class, but it remained for the Mexican Ambassador to call our attention to the unparalleled felicity of Capitalism across the border.
The following quotation from an article on Wall Street in Mexico, from the Saturday Evening Post is more frank than articles dealing with U. S. capital in Mexico usually are;
The sober reality is that Mexico, with or without Diaz, will continue to develop and to thrive very much as it has during the last generation.
Why? Because, should anything serious happen to Mexico, like a revolution or a civil war, for instance, Wall Street will be the first to be affected. Wall Street’s distress would promptly spread to all those who have dealings with Wall Street, thence to our whole country and to the other big money markets of the world. All those numberless Americans whose money has gone into Mexican investments would be quick to feel the pinch. Nobody has any idea how many of these there are.
All these people in our country would soon be heard from should anything happen to Mexico. Our Government, rather than stand idly by to await the spoliation of American capitalists and investors—good contributors to campaign funds and good voters—will be compelled to bow to popular clamor and Wall Street pressure. In a word, there would be “American intervention” in the interests of stability and financial security, like the intervention demanded for Nicaragua today.
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