The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-02-16
MEXICAN METHODS.
Tue Rights Of Foreigners In Our
Sister Republic,
And the Disadvantages Encountered Ia
That COuntry.
Mexican Laws Affecting Strangers.

aud upon foreigners as the regards the inn
movable properly that they may oWn iu
Mexican territory.
Foieigners ro'iden: In tho republic can
be plaintiffs before the courts Tor ubllBa
lions contract "a with MeX.caus or tor
eigneTs, be ID doEe Ia or out OF the rtpul-
kic.
They can also be plaintiffs before the
courts when not residents IN those places,
provided they hold property IA them
which is affected by the obligations or !.
shoy are executed In those places
Tse civil capacity ola foreigner ~ mod
led according 20 h b qualifications OF being
transient OF resident, and thos- qualhca-
lions are determined By the length oi time
he resides, otherwise hts ttindlng IL equal
In every ning 10 that Ola native Mexican.
A foreigner 10 considered as tfansienl
wien no does not reside ia the place. lie
can stay aud reside la Mexico, hire and &C.
cupy houses for business. transact and
come TO aud leave the country whenever be
wishes aud also take away hls property la
compliance with the laws OF the republic
and what treaty or treaties there may DO
with his nation.
They can 10 into the country freely for
commercial purposes, or In any other one,
without any passports or documents ofsny
kind, II toe exercise OF this right does not
prejudice the legitimate faculties OF the ju-
tlicial or administrative authorities in cases
Of responsibility either criminal or civil.
They can take into the repusllc, besides
their wearing apparel, free OF duty, the FOL.
lowing ARTICLES OF their property: Two
watches aud chains, four kilogrsmmes of
manufactured tobacco, one OF snuff one OF
smoking tobacco with his pipe, one pair az
pistols and accessories and 200 cartridges,
one sword and two musical instruments,
provided they are not pianos or organs.
Groups OF armed men are prohibited I'M
less they deliver 10 the authorities their
arms, who will return them when the Gov
eminent wishes, II should 70 determine TO
do.
A foreigner is considered as domiclsd
when he habitsally resides in Mexico, or
when he has his principal place ~ business
in that repsb bile, and the domicil is pre-
sumed by residing in one place for more
than six months.
OWNERSHIP or REAL ESTATE.
|. The foreigners residing in the republic
of Mexico may acquire Gil kinds Of landed
property, including mir es OF every dtscrip'
ton, by the same titles that the civil law
establishes for Mexican citizens.
2. The exceptions 10 this rule are:
A. That 10 acquire land situated twenty
leagues or less away from. ANY frontier OF
the republic, q foreigner must obtain the
permission Of the president.
Il. No foreigner can acquire real estate
situated within five leagues or less OF the
presidents permission, unless by special
law.
q. No foreigner, born or paturalizsd in
country bordering on the republic, can
acquire public lands by announcement"
when said lands are situated in state or
territory bordering on Il.
3. A foreigner llsses all right 90 landed
property he may have acquired ia the re
public:
A. BY absenting himself with his family
from the country Tor two years without
governmental permission, except in the
case of mines, which may be retained even
in absence.
b. BY residing permanently out Of the
republic, even when the owner leaves
representative or attorney with full rights
to act Tor him. Mines are not included.
G.. BY tran serring the property, by in.
person not residing in the republic. Min es
are excepted. In oil Of these cases the prop
erty must be sold ana the product OF the
sale, minus deduction OF ten per cent. de-
livered to the former owner.
ID. BY not maintaining on Territory, &C.
quired by announcements" as public
land. which in no case must be more than
% 900 hect ares about two and half acres
EACH TO each denouncer one inhabitant for
each two hundred hectares OF its extension,
so that the land may be inhabited at least
10 that extent for four months in one year.
A.. The responsibilities Of the acquisition
Of real estate by foreigners in the Republic
OF Mexico.
A. rne obligation TO subject themselves
TO the laws In force which may be enacted
respecting the holding transfer, use and
improvement OF property, and submission
O the judgment OF the Mexican tribunals
in everything relating TO 1t.
b. The obligation 10 pay all lawful taxes
on the property.
G. TO aid personally and with his means
in preserving order and security in the
place no may reside, exclusive, however,
of disturbances caused by political revolu-
lions or civil war,
ID. The duties OF Mexican cit'z3ns which
the foreigner becomes on acquiring real
estate, unless he declares before hand his
wish to preserve his nationality.
BY application ID the president, or min
ister oil improvements (SeC1etaIIo do pO-
mento) at the city OF Mexico, permission to
hold property with perfect title, where such
permission Is necessary under the above
clauses, can be easily obtained.
The Mexican measures for land are the
vara, 80 IL, and the meter, 80 English In
ches. There are 5,6i6 square varas In on
acre; league, 4,42S acres; sto, the most
common measurement, A, i0O acres.
ACQUISITION AND OWNERSHIP OF MINES.
Foreigners, resident or nonresident, can
acquire, hold and dispose Of mining prop
nrty in Mexico the same as native residents.
The discoveries OF one or more veins or
districts. absolutely new, in which neither
mine nor prospect hole exists, may acquire
on the principal vein three contiguous or
separate claims and If he discovers more
than one vein, on each vein he may acquire
one claim upon registering and stalking II
within ten DAYS. III the district has been
worked he is entitled to two claims.
The discoverer must present himself be-
fore the Judge OF the county, or in default,
before the nearest judge, and IN writing pre-
sent petition giving his name, the names
Of his partners, should be have any, place o
birth and residence, profession or calling,
and particular description OF the location
Of the vein; all OF which data and the hour
at which he presents them will be entered
in book kept by the Judge for that pur-
pose, who certiiies TO the same on the psti-
ton and returns 1t to the petitioner. Nc
Ices thereof must also be posted IN the
door OF some public building. This petit
ton Is called the denunciation OF the mine.
Within ninety days thereafter the peti
TONER must sink shalt on the vein Of
zach cl aim four feet, three inches IN dia-
meter, by twenty. eight feet deep. lie can
hen epply for possession, which completes
his title, subject 10 the condition that, TO |
retain title, each claim must be worked by
four paid workmeu, eight out OF every |
twelve months.
accompanied by his clerk, or, in default, by |
two witnesses, and bya mining expert, or
surveyor OF the district, personally inspecis
Abe location and direction OF the vein, its
width, depth and hardness, the nature OF
lis walls and the principal characteristics OF
its ores. ali Of which an exact account must
oe kent aud added to the registered record
with the act of possession which shall at
once be given In the name OF the supreme
powers of the nation. the claim being
measured and stakes placed at the
angles. This being done an authorized
~onv Of the proceedings is given TO the petit
TONER. which constitutes his title papers.