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201

Presidente Madero Mexican Revolution Banner 1913

Currency:USD Category:Antiques Start Price:2,000.00 USD Estimated At:4,000.00 - 6,000.00 USD
Presidente Madero Mexican Revolution Banner 1913
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Francisco Madero (1873-1913) became president of Mexico from November 6, 1911 to February 22, 1913, after he ran against Porfirio Diaz in 1910. At first he was defeated in an election marred by the usual fraud. Later Madero launched a revolution against Diaz and finally he was elected president of Mexico.

Once in office, Madero found himself quickly besieged with demands from all sides. Only when established in the presidential office did he begin to realize fully that the Revolution had profoundly different meanings to different groups of Mexicans.

The fragile alliance began to break up irretrievably since the artistocratic elite and the revolutionaries were increasingly displeased with the modest steps he undertook. His progress on the agrarian question remained meager. Also labor reform remained slow and the brutal working conditions did not change, and the educational system reforms moved slowly while the annual budgets remained small.

Finally Madero's authority was challenged on February 9, 1913 when General Victoriano Huerta controlled Mexico City, known as Decena Tragica. Artillery fire exchanged between the rebels in downtown Mexico City and the government troops, controlled by Huerta, in the National Palace. Several buildings were destroyed. The streets were strewn with burning cars, runaway horses and abandoned artillery pieces. Live electric wires dangled precariously from their poles. Looters broke store windows and carried off wares. Thousands of bodies began to bloat in the streets.

Huerta joined the rebels and had Madero and his vice-president Pino Suarez and other cabinet members arrested. Huerta was encouraged by the American ambassador, Henry Lane Wilson, in Mexico City, a typical diplomat of the age of dollar diplomacy. Huerta then forced the official resignations of Madero and Pino Suarez. Then Madero and Pino Suarez were sent to the penitentiary and on their way there were ordered out of their cars. The hapless men were then shot point-blank on February 22, 1913.

Throughout the country, demonstrators protested in marches of loyalty against the assassinations, carrying mourning flags to symbolize their grief. Most of these memorial flags were made of wool or cotton with the tricolor centered on a painted portrait bust of Madero, resting on traditional laurel leaves. The name of Francisco Madero and some slogans were painted on the flag.

Just like the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe, two cherubs, one on each side, held a crown, to reveal a saintly image of Madero. In time, most of these flags became holy relics and were cherished. Other memorial flags quickly perished from daily use when they reminded people of the senseless murders of Madero and Pino Suarez. Their deaths set the tone of the Revolution for at least the next five years.

A majority of these flags were made in anti-Huerta regions. They rapidly became a symbol to undermine Huerta's authority, especially from Coahuila's forces Governor Venustiano Carranza, an ardent Madero supporter. In other regions like Chihuahua, Nuevo Leon and Sonora, these flags remained popular. Probably this Madero banner was made of cotton during this era.

This banner, 17-1/2" x 30" is very similar to the banner shown on page 150, "Banderas, Catalogo de la Coleccion de Banderas, Museo Nacional de Historia INAH", 1990.

At the end of the "Ten Tragic Days", 9 to 18 of February 1913, Madero accompanied by the young military cadets who defended Chapultepec during this siege, marched out of the castle under the flag of Mexico. This banner commemorated that event. Found at a yard sale over thirty years ago by Verne R. Walrafen, renown Mexican Revolution authority, then to Joe Flores, another revolutionary coin expert.
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