The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-01-06
WILL DIAz SUCCEED HlMsELFa

Our neigh bors, the Mexicans, are ap-
preaching the eve of An agitation which
may wake them up. On November 30,
1896, the present term of President Porfrio
Diaz will expire. By the terms of the con-
stitution of 1857 the President is not re-
eligible; but in 1887 this provision was
modified. and President Diaz is now serving
his third consecutive term. not counting
the term which began in 1876 The ques-
ton which is now agitating the Mexican
mind is whether Senior Diaz shall be again
reelected for term of four years.
There can hardly be a question but he
will be if he chooses. He has stronger
hold on the Mexican heart than any leader
the country has had since Santa Anna.
Like Benito Juarez he is of pure or nearly
pure Indian blood. and is idollzed by the
race from which he sprang. with the
upper classes he stands for law and order.
for respect for life and property, for ma
tional progress and national faith. he Is
honest and disinterested, being contrast
in this respect TO his predecessor Gonzalez.
who went into office pauper and retired
q millionaire. Moreover be Is not re-
strained by the scruples which tie the
hands of men of our race. If he runs for
President it will be an unwholesome bust
ness to oppose him. The army is devoted
to him and formidable competitors might
disappear from the face of The earth.
1t must always be kept in mind that.
though the constitution of Mexico is almost
a COPY word for word of the constitution
of the United States. the methods OF the
two nations are entirely different. Mexico
is supposed to contain 100000 people. of
whom 800 900 are pure whites. but the vote
at national elections is believed 10 be
about $4,000. We say believed" because
no one knows, 90 records being kept
Few Mexicans are aware OF the day OF
voting, or of the place where the polls are
opene d. This information is transmitted
to the State Governors, who hold one or
more polls, at which officials and few
white landowners cast ballots. The result
is transmitted by the Governors TO the City
of Mexico. The President is absolute and
supreme. His will governs state ard
national officials. and his messages TO Con-
gress are practically dictates. a Mexican
who proposed to dispute his authority
would be laughed at. Such despotism
would not be submitted to for a moment
"
Mexico, where 100000 of the people
belong to the race which CoreZ conquered.
Diaz himself is of humble birth and did
not learn TO write fluently until he had
married his second wife, Romero's daugh-
ter. But he has turned his opportunities
TO good purpose; he can now write dis
patch in excellent Spanish and delivers
neatly turned speech. He first rose TO
notice when the M'xiean nation flew to
arms TO oppose Maximilian. He estab-
lished a reputation for skill, bravery and
vigor which won him the confidence of the
army and the nation, and made him the
darling of the Mexican women. In off e
he has been conservative, clear-headed
and incorruptible, and he is probably the
safest man to whom the interests of his
country could be confided.
Mexico is poor country, and from the
scant supply of rain and the cost of irri-
cation it WIFI probably always remain so.
Even on the rich soil of Vera Cruz and
some of the western States only one crop
a year is harvested. The people are POOR,
docile and pious they have not much in
centive to energy, and they tread content
eddy in the footsteps of their forefathers
Wages have improved somewhat since the
Introduction of railroads, but it has been
impraeticable TO find natives to fill the
posts of engineers and conductors. Pos
sibly new era may open for Mexico when
Tampico, after being connected by rail
with the City of Mexico and the mining
belt of Guanajuato aud San Luis Potosi.
supersedes Vera Cruz as the chief seaport
on the gulf, and when the Tehuantepec Rail-
road completes actively with the Panama
line for interoceanic business. That has
all along been tie hope and belief of Por-
frio DiaZ.