The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-01-24

opposed to the one in power could not eX-
pect to succeed in q revolution. When they
Fought against the men who now control the
government, they owned nearly two thirds
OF all the property of Mexico, and they had
The religious enthusiasm of the lower
classes to help them. They had assistance
In both men and money from France,
Belgium and Austria, and France spent
many millions of dollars in their cause,
Notwithstanding all this, they failed and
they are not likely TO hope to succeed
without money and without the support of
the people who now see that the priests
oppressed them and that they We're actu-
ated by personal greed rather than holy
fervor. The government at the close of
their last war confscated their converts
and monasterieS and gave back to the
people the vast amount of church propertv
which they had accumulated. This prop
erty amounted to several hundred million
dollars, and it was all turned to public use.
Many of the monasteries became public
libraries, and the biggest library in Mexico
City IS In what was once a great Catholic
church. Some of the monasteries were
turned into factories and others became
hospitals, colleges and private residences.
the money received from their sale going
into the government treasury. The prizes is
were shorn of their power and today
streets in their clerical robes, but they
must dress as ordinary citizens. Mexico
is still Catholic country. We believe in
the Catholic religion, and as far as the
church is concerned, we respect it and rev.
erence IL. But we do not believe in the
temporal power of the priesthood and there
IS now an entire divorce of church and
state. The greatest trouble President
Dlaz has had with the church has been
through his liberality to it. He has not
enforced all the laws as the suppression
and cOntscating Of the converts, and the
trouble IN Pueblo some weeks ago arose
out of the doing away with the converts
which had been surreptitiously established
there. Pueblo is one of the strongest re-
ligious cities of Mexico, and it was the
stronghold of the priesthood when they
were in power. At one time about four
ffths of the city property belonged to the
church and 1t is great manufacturing
place of nearly one hundred thousand peo-
pie. 1t has one Of the finest cathedrals in
Mexico, and in this was a silver altar
which cost more than hundred thousand
thousand dollars. One of the bells of this
cathedral cost 500, 600, and its interior is
almost plated with gold. The priests are
so many and the old influence of the church
is such that they were able to make
some stir when the converts were sup
pressed, but it was more of mob than a
rebellion and was easily put down. Out
side OF the priesthood the leaders of what
was the church party, are well pleased
with the present condition of the country.
Since President Diaz was first elected
property has been safe and the admins
tration of justice has been in conscientious
hands. The national debt has been reduced
nearly one-half, great lines of railroads
have been built, the cities of the coantry
are growing. wages are increasing and the
condition everywhere is that of peace and
prosperity. No one in Mexico wants
revolution. The majority of the people
are, you may know. what you call the
Poems or Indians. Mexico has about
twelve million people, and fully four mil
lion Of these are of pure Indian blood and
5,0oO,OOO more are of mixed Indian and
white blood. These people are the de-
scendants of those who were in the coun-
try when Cortez came and they are not
naturally revolutlonists. They are con-
servatiN 9 rather than progressive In their
ways, and are peaceful, working,
quiet citizens. They have, l believe. in
them the material out of which a great
people can been made, but this will be by
education and through the increased pros
perity, which will advance wages
and stimulate them to ambition in
the works of peace rather than those
of war. They could only be brought into
revolution by famine or want, or by the
prospects Of receiving high pay as soldiers.
or by fear. The priests have lost their
power over them as a revolutionary ele-
ment through the loss of the church prop
erty and through the fact that the country
still exists and Is IN better condition I'M
DER the new government than 1t ever was
before. The clerical party did not succeed
with all its wealth, and it certainly could
not succeed now with nothing
said ''And what kind of an army has he
got to resist revolution in case it should
arise?'
president Diaz," replied Senior Romero,
sis one Of the ablest statesmen and one of
the most skillful generals on this continent.
His whole life has been one of action. and
he has demonstrated his ability in almost
every field. He is now in his prime and is
in perfect physical and mental condition.
be began life as a poor boy, entered the
army at an early age, attained prominence
and contributed greatly to bringing about
the independence of Mexico through his
generalship in 1867. At this time he was
the idol of the people. His unseltishness,
honesty, integrity and heroism gave him
much the same place among US that General
Washington holds among you Americans.
and his popularity was such that l have
always believed that had he refrained
have been president of the Mexican repub-
lie five years before he took possession of
it when he overthrow Lerdo. He is a man
of great executive ability. He thoroughly
understands his country and his people
and he is, | believe. anxious to do every
thing for the good of Mexico and for them.
He feels very friendly to the United
States and he has done everything he could
to bring the two countries closer together
ana to increase the trade between them
President Diaz is man of great personal
and he is especially popular
with tho army. The soldiers admire him
for his generalship and he has shown him
self their friend during the whole of his
administration. He has seen that thew
have received their pay regularly, and at
one time in speaking of the financial condi-
ton of affairs he said that the soldiers
must be paid, first the interest on the for
eign bonds Dext and after that should
come the civil employees and the other
items OF government expense. President
Diaz carefully watches over the army. He
knows its organization in all its details
and he has made it stronger than it ever
was before.n
GLOW many soldiers could Mexico INNS.
ter in case of war, Mr.. Romero?m 1 asked
I'VE could coll together about two INN.
1red thousand good fighting men, was the
reply. Our regular army contains about
fifty thousand men, and we have a general ,