New-York tribune., 1884-12-14
PRESIDENT DIAZ.
THE HOPE OF A MUCH SUFFERING PEOPLE

Mexico has seen to-day what tic limited s,sio.
has never scen President go into office without
heartburnings or regret in any bosom but with ,bo
deep and unanimous Joy of nll parties and ali
classes, She has seen, too, u President step out
loaded with almost universal hatrod aud .xecra
tion, with no ono 10 utter kindly word In he be.
half General Gonzales had the power tho ability.
aud tho bravery 10 impress his name forcyrr
upon the hcaris of his countrym,n. Aa il
IA he barely walks ont of Office with hs lfs-.
barring little fortune OF acycga mllliona. seldom
has amy tuo, entered office as General nhs ha, "a.
day, He enters crowned Si,h fond hopes and o..
pecationa such as few mortala have over horne
aud none have hcon able to rcali4e-the hopcs and
expectations of all from iho rrctdont IT tina
supreme Court 10 The smaloat Indian hoy that can
hsp the name Of rorliFlo.p Aud al these eApecta.
tons he must carry ont with no resources but ths
love of his people. lie steps to the command of an
army unpaid aud IN many places hali-fed; to tho
door of Treasury literally stripped of is last cont
and with its credit actually below zero.
lho Inauguration ceremonies were few and sim
pie. There was an abundance of gold lace, broad
cloth and white kid gloves a. the Theatre Of Iur.
bidc where as early rs half past eight O'clock in
the wommg. the Army and Navy officers, tho
Diplomatic Corps and citizens had assembled to SEQ
the new President take the oath of office before tho
General Dlaz dressed in plain black with white
necktie, was ushcrcd into the presence
of Congress and from the President Of
the Chamber of Deputies received tho
OATH With no further formaities and no speech
making he returned to his carriage and drove to
the National Palace, amid the firing of cannon and
tic combined. changing Of all the twenty odd bells
in the two towers OF the great cathedral. Upon
the daIs at the end Of the great Ambassadors hall
General Gonzales stood waiting to hand over tho
reins of government. He received General Diaz
with a little speech in which lie spoke Of his own
efforts to promote tho welfare Of his country and
announced that be should retire with clear con-
science In spite of the sOlcmnity of the occasion
some OF the audience had to cough and
snccze at this. General Daz replied
IN another lttle speech concluding with the hone
that wien his country called him. General Gonzales
would be ready as before. Ii Is 10 be feared that
this hope may never bloJm. Gonzales may bs
called but not III The way to which General Diaz
This little specch-making being over, the ex.
Pres lent went down 10 bis carriage and drove
away amid thousand Sowing faces outside,
while the new President stayed to receive tho
pubic. Some OF his old companions in arms who
lad suffered Imprisonment with him he embraced
most .tectionateY, but with other friends he
merely shook hands rs he did with the crowd.
General DaZ seems TO be between iorty-iiye and
fifty years DID, Is about tive feet nine inches IN
he ght and very gOOd-oOking lie has tinge Of
color, but not enough 10 attract attention any
where. lie has n KIND expression that makes
one feel that If there is any reliance TO be placed
upon the decetful c0untonance of man, here at
least II Il good heart. That he will try To elevate
and improve his country there is litle doubt. But
to do 80 to the extent OF peoples hopes requires
something more than good qualities aud bravo
heart No one outside Of Mexico can realize what
this people has endured. The History Of Coma
les and his Government IN Mexico work in
twelve inatalnents of thrty-two pages
published this week. will be the frt
&, e I,.va Al,
tO print the tiuth the telegraph has not dared to
flash 1t the -p0ndon has not dared TO tell IT,
That they have got through 1t without bloody
revolution shows the great advance that Mexico
has lately made in peaceful methods oi rlghtlug
wrongs. That the country is still prosperous IN
spite of an empty treasury shows its great vitality
and shows that II has a true solidity independent
of rs mines Orit romance. That, during ali this
time. foreign enterprises have been ENCOURAGED,
residents (who behave themselves and let politics
aluneD treated IN the kndest manner. shows
that foreigners have nothing to fear here even
under the worst of governments and that the peo-
pie generally are not opposed TO progress
70 visitor IT seems that the greatest force with
whlch General Dlaz or any other benefactcr has 20
contend is the tremendous inertia of the lower class
Even If into that class can BE infused anything "
the spirit oi progress, y s apt to decline tle u7e IT
any 0f the mot lUds likely tO bring n about. n
eiines with Chinese fundness tU ancestral WAYS of
dong everything. The agricultural resources ~
MeSiru are enormous, ana worth illinittly
more than al ts times. " hey were deyelepel ~
tnp- fupitl the extent iu which thusp of nn,st &c
ihe t1uial aiaiHs are now developed " would ts-
hupnd % q inpntnt linni is present iepitssiuV vb
faiirf il could not have bapii depressed br a iigt
iUigies has dose, ttt fainiha hpit is precisely
ihp satup ~ llqt - u Wis HNp hNhiipi ipais aat
! ~ tanning lhat hiNfpl worthless " idlilNiha 10
dl ihdi ln 4ieH hHiNs fp- lay, lhe last ilai win
lhn WalhaR inW aHd tIasi ~ fnyiiaAge alnf fAo
'tph % ss'G y"aH ',' vi, s'' " nsAip" tbits 20
,uGar sYstrms thar have ~ Caiifoinia done
81 Well under tar Wolse conditipn, American
ploWs sometimes brought IA here
The hrs aet OF the labOier Is 10 cut on one handle
81 as to gel Il like his old wo0don plow tho next
10 ihi0w Il aside because II oan be worked with
one handle. lhe owner of the farm SHOWS nothing
oi work, md the superintendent probably knows
no more, 80, that tho laborer has no one, to
snow him. This i but "a sample Ot the rocks that
lie IN the path oi all progress that is to be ELECTED
through the lower class.
In Inc path to political freedom this lower class
forms a srrboyian bog, which until hIled IN with
{ ~ solid ground Of middle class VIII eiieciualiy
check all advance. 1t Is not because he ha, just
emerged from bondage that the late peon has no
know Ic or even thought Of what his citizenship
is vOlth. The children of MODteZUma are lard
woIi.Ing patient and cheerful utterly unlike tho
indians al the United States VITA few wees but
weakness for Ight pllier.ng aud gambling. lhey
need only higher aspirations 10 make them much
superior to the lowest classes III the United states
and make them good ciIlZens But tney are too
easily csntented. they want no cares, no troubles.
and above ali dangers They have never seen nlors
han results from taking an interest IN public al
but second, the strong probability OF getting shot.
Experience Of this isind is not liSely to do'eop
tacsmen among peoplc who want only enough
10 ea aud wear and are willing to work for IL.
10 will be many years before these things are
changed. Mexico Will ia time come to the 'front.'
aud be n splendid country. But her people have
much yet 70 learn. The readiness with which they
adopt the electric light, telephone and all otner
and their encouragement OF ra'i-
roads. show that they are not adverse
to mproyeneut But tie upp0r class is as yet 100
small 10 DO all. TOO small to resist the army, 10
snail to force ITS opinions against the indifference
OF the great mai r,ty. Ge cral Dlaz may bring
and happiness 10 his country but he Will
he To do II by virtue OF powers that may pass
n very different Successor. Under the present sys-
tenn fhele i, httle check upon any misuse of such
peYers and il Is difficult 90 see how DiaZ can effect
ann reform that would be- permanent. The late re-
be!liOn OF the Congress againste IN VIII oi Gonzales
a. .o,.s 4 great awakening upon this point Gulli-