| OCR Text |
Show iSONORA CRISIS TESTS CARRANZA I PFALMF STATE RBELIEF Mexican Republic Watches Carranza Efforts to Bring Province to Terms MARTIAL LAW IS PROCLAIMED IN CITY Military Measures Are Necessary Neces-sary as Federal Troops Move on Agua Prieta AG L A PRIETA. Sonora, April 15. Mnrtil law was proclaimed in Agua Prieta today in preparation for a possible pos-sible attack by Carranza forces should the Mexican president's troops break j throush the barrier of soldiers thej new republic has stationed between here and the Chihuahua-Sonora boui;- clary. ' Carranza troops were reported at Casus Grandes, 200 miles from here, making ready to march into Sonora and toward this border port. General. :J. M.' Pino,- command.qr of the firslMon.rfLth from Nacozaii to complete arrangements arrange-ments for the defense of this city find! the territory endangorod by the Car-, rahza expedition. General P. Eliasj Called, commander-in-chief of the Sonora troops and acting head of the new republic, telegraphed yesterday he would arrive here this week to confer con-fer with local military officers or. the defense to bo waged. Test for Carranza. Sonora leaders here forecast the'' Sonora secession as the moat critical 1 lest President Carranza has faced. They freely admitted military success by federal agencies over tho slalo state would make him stronger than over. On the other hand they declared de-clared success of the Sonora movement move-ment will ultimately cause the Mexican Mexi-can president's downfall, when '-ho seceding se-ceding state again would enter the national federation of states. The Sonora state authorities hid been notified by Carranza that ho would adopt military measures to put down the revolutionary movement begun be-gun here. When Carranza refused to negotiate with the state over sending federal troops into Sonora, Genoral Calles and Governor Ue la Huerta called upon the pooplo to rally the state government. Where three or four days ago state officials expressed the de.-dre for a peaceful scitlejncnt of ihe controversy, contro-versy, they now say military measures are necessary, and that when the military mili-tary strength of tho state ia forcibly demonstrated other states will join. No News of Battle. Official confirmation is btill lacking of the first reported battle between Carranza and Sonora soldiers ut thei Slnaloa frontier. The report was re- Francisco Ellas, one of the most wealthy residents of northern Sonora, and wno is said to be one of General Calles' closest friends, said today tnut the secession of Sonora costs the central cen-tral government more than ?1,000,UOU in revenue monthly. Half of this amount went to the federal government govern-ment from customs collections ana the balance from state taxes. Of all taxes laid within a Mexican state haif goes to the federal government and naif to the state treasury. Senor Elias was asked to take charge of the customs service i'or the new government, but so far has not accepted the post. Many Armed Troops. Military authorities hero said the state would have approximately 25,000 fully equipped and armed troops to meet any invasion by Cnrranza. They said Carranza has 10,000 troops in Chihuahua, but that lessoning that number to send men to Sonora would mean the rapid ascension of Francisco Villa to his former power and control of the adjoining state. Recent roports have SAid Villa Is moro active than he has been at any time since last June, when- he attacked Junrez and U. S. troops crossed into Mexico and drovo him from tho ci.ty. Tho report from Mexico City that General Alvaro Obregon, candidate for the presidency of Mexico, and General Gen-eral Benjamin Hill, his campaign manager, has fled from the capital greatly cheered their adherents hero today. Both are residents of Sonoru. Nothing direct from Obregon has beon received in Sonora for several clays, it was said. Fear Cnrranza Tricks. At military headquartora hero It was forecast that tho national elections in Mexico would not be held in July un- less the Sonora situation had been sot-tied sot-tied previously. Officers said they expected ex-pected President Carranza, In tho event Sonora still maintained Independence, Inde-pendence, would declare tho elections could not be held because of war conditions, con-ditions, a procedure, they said, which i often had been resorted to by Mexican : executives. |
