The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-05-01

body is a figure representing Mexico
mourning for her honored dead.
BENITO JUAREz.
The history and career of Benito
Juarez are among the most interesting
of Mexican annals. In 1880, with the
downfall of Santa Ana, who had set
himself up as dictator a few years after
the war with America, Gen. Alvarez
became president. He made Juarez his
chief adviser, and aided by Gen. Com
onfort they instituted radical reforms
in the government. A new constitu-
ton was framed which Lincoln's Sec
retary of state. William II. Seward,
pronounced 1.-The best instrument of its
kind in the world" European inter-
vention overthrow this administration,
but Juarez and his government were
soon reinstated and again took up their
reform work. The Macmillan usur-
patton once more broke in upon the
programme of the Indian president and
Juarez was for second time an exile
in the United States. Upon the col
lapse of MaXimilians empire and the
restoration of President Juarez to his
rightful place, he entered vigorously
upon the work commenced in 1857. Gen.
Diaz, the present chief executive, was
an efficient supporter of Juarez, but 1T
was not until he himself became presi-
dent, in 1877, that the reforms insti-
tuted by Juarez twenty years earlier
and extended in 1873 under his immedi-
ate successor (Juarez having died the
preceding year, became fully in force.
Following is a synopsis of these laws,
as given in DR.. Buffers sketches Of
MeXico:"
1.-The absolute separation of church and
state.
| Congress inhibited from the passage of
any laws establishing or prohibiting any
| religion.
",Fhe free exercise of religious services
the state not to give official recOgni-
| ton to any religious festivals save the
| Sabbath as a day of rest.
| "Religious services to be held only with
| in places of worship, clerical vestments
| forbidden in the streets and religious pro-
cessions prohibited.
| 1.-THE use of church bells restricted to
calling the people to worship, which should
be public only.
"Pulpit discourses advising dsobedience
| to the law, or injury to anyone, strictly
| forbidden.
Gifts of real estate to religious institu-
tions declared unlawful, except of edi-
! noes utSlBneu tNNlublNNly lOI lHS pul POotS
| of the institution.
1.-The state would not recognize monastic
| orders nor permit their establishment.
| Marriage was made a civil contract to
be duly registered, although religious SER
| vices might be added"
The new constitution and reform
laws provided for the conflscation of all
church property, including cathedrals,
churches, chapels, converts, etc, and
secured the expulsion of all secret re-
| ligious orders from the country. Thus
it was that church property valued at
between two and three hundred mil
lions, and yielding an annual income of
| 500 900, 900, became nationalized. The
churches required for public worship
and so designated were leased for a
term of ninety-nine years, but the title
remained vested in the government.
Much OF the cOnfiscated property-con-
vents, monasteres and houses OF re-
| ligious orders-was sold and the pro-
ceeds turned into the national treas
| ury. That the originator Of this great