Omaha daily bee., 1897-04-03
MEXICO'S RULER.
sketch of the Romantic Military
Career of President Dinz,


Career of President Dinz.
In his third paper in Harper's Magazine on
The Awakening OF a Nation" (MeXico) Mr..
Charles F.. Lummis gives a vigorous sketch
OF the romantic military career of General
Porfrio Diaz and his remarkable history as
president of TIE Mexican republic. Mr.. Lum-
mis- quotes Diaz as declaring of his political
achievement in lifting Mexico from inter-
mittent anarchy to it's present peace:
1T needed something of the strong hand
va mano dura). But every year it could
relax. Now, though there are some who do
not love Porfirio, all love peace. So the fist
Is wide open. There is full liberty-free
schools, free ballot. free press. They NAV
do what they will so they do not fire gun
at me-"
Here" declares Mr. Lummis. "is the kew
note of modern Mexico-a 'dictatorshin,
which has spent ungrudglngly It's blood and
lts care FOR the country's progress" Curl
0suly enough, Diaz was born in the city of
oaxaca, on September Is, $780, the ami
versary OF the birth of Mexican independ
ence His father was of Asturian stool,
which came to Mexico in the first wears of
the conquest. The mother of the future
president was, however, OF aboriginal blood
her grandmother having been a Mexteca
The young Diaz's career was foreslpadowed
however, when he attracted the attention and
became In sense the protege of the great
napotec, Juarez, then governor of the state
Mr Lltnmls further says
His first taste of war was under IIerraro
IN revolt against the usurper Santa Anna
IN the plehiscite Diaz was the only student
VINO dared walk up to the tables and sign
against the tyrant, and for this audacitv
ne had to fly for his life. In the revolution
which ended in the expulsion of that strange
cross of ass and wolf whom one of the most
naive OF Mexican folk songs celebrates in
La pata de SAINT Anna" young Diaz be-
came jefe politico (mayor) of Ixtlan. In
this mis-, hamlet was the first fair scope for the
m n nv hon l., H., 1.I
IN his childhood. He drilled the half-naked
Indians of his jefatura on Sundays, holding
them by dances a gymnasium and the like
artlfces until he had a really valuable
militia, When Garcia pronounced" in
oaxaca the boy mayor of Ixtlan marched
on that capital with his aborigines and in
duced the usurper to take it back" and
upon Garcia's renewal of the pronunciamento
Diaz returle ed and took the city, and the
small despot fled. For this service Diaz re-
fused the pay proffered him. A little later
he resigned his post as mayor to become
half the pay, and won his first laurels in
crushing the rebellion of Jamiltepec"
1t Is unnecessary to recapitulate the pic
turesque ctreer of Diaz. Mr.. Lummis says
that it reads rather like chapter from the
Crusades than like anything we can realize
as modern American. Probably no other
ruler since the Lion Heart has run quite
such gamut. Hero Of more than fifty bat
tles--and mol by heliograph, but at the head
of his men-ablaze with decorations when
in full dress. but not enough medals to cover
one apiece the scars that earned them; leader
OF desperate charges and defender of forlorn
hopes; half a dozen times prisoner and as
often escaping by the narrowest hazards;
forty years in service, and almost all of 1t
uphill on grades that might have daunted
Sisyphus-it Is wonderful story between
the orphan boy of oaxaca and the head of
modern Mexico"