Mexico, from Cortes to Carranza . read nor write, thanksto the priests who were supposed to educate them, soof course they paid no attention to the notice. Therebythey lost their title to their lands, which were takenfrom them, and sold by the government. The peonswere forced then to labor on the plantations or in themines, where they were paid such small wages thatthey at once fell in debt with no hope of ever gettingfree. This made them liable to arrest if they tried toleave their employers; that is, reduced them to com-plete slavery. So they sunk lower and lower. Alltravelers in Mexico duri
Mexico, from Cortes to Carranza . read nor write, thanksto the priests who were supposed to educate them, soof course they paid no attention to the notice. Therebythey lost their title to their lands, which were takenfrom them, and sold by the government. The peonswere forced then to labor on the plantations or in themines, where they were paid such small wages thatthey at once fell in debt with no hope of ever gettingfree. This made them liable to arrest if they tried toleave their employers; that is, reduced them to com-plete slavery. So they sunk lower and lower. Alltravelers in Mexico during Diaz time, no matter howmuch they were impressed by the surface prosperityof the country, spoke of the appalling poverty of thelower classe*. A prosperity which is founded on suchpoverty must not and cannot endure. It is only fair to Diaz to say that his long rule hasbeen divided by the historians into two periods: thefirst, when he governed without help; the second, when,as he grew older, he came under the influence of a 292. Diaz, DIAZ—THE DESPOT group of advisers, consisting of his Cabinet and the so-called cientificos, who were not really scientific men, asthe Spanish term implies, but merely clever, unscrupu-lous persons, solely on the outlook for their own in-terests. The first part of Diaz rule was much betterthan the last. At the first, the Indians loved him; atthe last, they hated him. Under the influence of hisadvisers, his love of power grew, until it robbed hisadministration of even the pretense of justice. For instance, at the ^beginning of Diaz power thenewspapers were in the habit of criticizing the gov-ernment freely. One day, it is said, Diaz sent his po-lice to arrest some of the most outspoken editors andshut them up in a prison intended only for the worstcriminals. They were kept for a week on a diet ofbread and water. Then they were summoned beforethe President. ^^]^ow, gentlemen, he asked, Vhat do you think ofmy government? Senor^ President, they repl
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