The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-07-05
HEMEXICAN FOURTH
How Our Sister Republic Cele-
brates National Holiday.
ANNIVERSARY or FRENCH DEFEAT
The Rural Guards and Their Wonderful
Cnirorms-Brigandsw Who Have
Become Soldiers.

CRY OF MExIco. June es.-ISpecisl Cor
respondence. The Mexican F0arth Of
July IS celebrated on the SIN Of May. II
was on this day twenty-aiae years ago that
the French troops OF Napoleon III. who
were marching 10 Mexico City, were met
Al Pueblo. about 300 miles from the CAPT
tai. by the Mexican army under General
Zaragoss and effectGaIly routed. The
French wanted 20 establish a monarchy
and 20 keep MAMMALIAN on the throne OF
Mexico. Through the victory the Mexi-
cans regained their republic. and they re-
gard the anniversary Of this victory their
greatest national holiday. For week BE-
fore the day comes every town and ham,
let from the Pacific ocean TO the Gulf Of
Mexico. and from the Rio Grande 20 Gus
tenala Is preparing for il. The streets are
decorated with Tags and bunting. the
small boy lays IN his frecraekers and fZ-
zers. and stump speakers. young and old,
prepare their spread eagle oratiOns.
Mexico has gres; national bird as are have.
This bird IS the Mexican eagle. IL forms
q part Of the coat Of arms. il roosts
on one side Of every one Of the twenty odd
millions of silver dollars which the Next
can minis turn out every year. and with
its feet resting on thorny cactus and =
serpent firmly held in its mouth and
talons, ii flaps its wings and screams over
the whole of the republic IS loudly as
ever does the great American bird on our
glorious Fourth. The Mexican Is natHr-
ally q patriot. His blood moves quick
IN his volatile veins and he is rs fond Of
stump speech as his brother across his
northern border. This patriotism is grow
ing. For more than twelve years the
country hiss been 1T peace, end the alb
sence Of revolutions has given the Mexi-
cans = chance TO look az themselves and
their wonderful country. The result IS
their self-esteem Is growing. their love for
Mexico is growing. and every year sees
the 5th OF May more and more enthusiast
tie2lly celebrated
The greatest Fifth in the country takes
place at the capital Mexico City Is then
out in all It's glory. The president, his
cabinet and al the employees Of the govern
ment participate in il. from 5000 to -, 600
OF the picked troops Of the army form :
part OF the great procession. and iags and
fireworks. stump speeches, and cannonad-
ing, added 20 the blaze Of clad and IN
clad humanity, make Mexico on this day
one Of the great sights of the world This
year by the night Of May 5 the capital was
gay with flags and bunting. The houses
and shops, their fronts in their usual
bright co.ors Of white. pink. blue and
yellow st0cco were trimmed with colored
cloth and paper. The Erecrzckers had
begun their din and this decoration and
firing went on NJ 10 the morning OF the 18th,
when the whole city smelt OF powder and
the streets shown out under the clear.
bright sky OF Mexico their walls one blaze
of streamers and aags and their sidewalks
filed with one Of the q1eerest and most
picturesque masses of mixed humanity
you viii ind IN the world. There were
oark-fsced Indians BY the tens OF thou
sands dressed in white cotton and wearing
blankets Of red. blue. yellow and all the
other colors Of the rainbow. solid and
mixed The men among these had on
hats of all states OF splen6or, color and
diIapidation, and these hats had brims
foot wide, and around many OF them were
gold and silver cords, some of which were
fully an inch thick Many OF the hats were
of straw, others were of plush-like velvet,
and they were worn IN all shapes, some
with brims turned up 81 the sides, and
others pulled down over the eyes and
turned np 81 the forehead Their only
similarity was that all had wide brims
and tall cornucopis crowns. and these, look
ing down 81 them from the balconies on
San Francisco street appeared ike great
army Of sugar loaves walking on with the
red blanketed humanity below them Not
only the Indians. but the Nexlcans from
the country. wore these hats. and the COS
TUNES Of some Of them bsaze3 with silver
and gold buttons. The women were
less picturesque than the men. bat
with their dark faces shining
out Of blue. brown. white and
bright colored shswls they threw the dress
OF the other sex into the gsyer contrast
and made the whole queer combination
which seemed a part Of another world
streets was quite as interesting rs the SIDE
walks. Mounted policemen IN gay clothes
dashed 10 and fro on spirited horses. the
Mexican stee1s u rich young hacseaGGa0s
from the country bore their owners more
goreeousiy attlred than the star Of any
circus procession from one part 10 another
ana the young swegls Of the city were out
in their gay riding costumes on imported
horses, which are here more gorgeously
clad than the horses OF any other part Of
the world
Long before the time for the procession
the roofs and the balconies along
the line Of march were hlled with
The upper tendon OF Mexico Caty.
Dark-eyed senoritas looked out of