The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-01-27
Mexico Under Dlaz,

OF Mexico were the fever of municipa
Improvement and the sheer epidemic O
public schools. These are but Iogics
features of the Diaz administration
| probably no more remarkable than the
other methods Of the digestion which hat
asslmilated so chaotic meal, but le,s
familiar, since they are but now ripeninp
TO the harvest. Peace had first to be
secured; and that cannot be had until IL
Is no longer possible for rebels to COM
Dine and drill by the month before the
government even hears OF 1t. Commerce
comes after railroads and hsrbors, and
political reform after commerce. And
only now Is the country ripe for the
Other development which has loaned
logical, but late, in the statesman ansnip of
a decade.
General Diaz came up by a revolui on ;
and that means debts as well as inberi-
tances not OF his choosing. There were
accidental allies to be considered, aud
hoid-overs who could not he all at
once swept awsy-for stability is the
nrst need and the first duty-of any
government. But both these factors are
now practically eliminated. Diaz has
outlived nearly all bis first associa tes, ano
In one OF the most extraordinary games of
chess ever played in statecrsft he has
shifted, cornered, or jumped the hold
over impossiDles. There Is left today in
Mexico not one important figure that
could by any reasonable probability set
face against the government, nor one that
is 10 Its serious pres snt discredit. The
long era of dishonest officials, little and
Dig, is past. There are no more brieand
governors: no more customs collectors
wonted to six the accounts to suit Them
seives"-as President once told a friend
OF mine to do. There is probably no other
country In the New World whose whole
public serSics is today soscrupulously
clean; and this large assertion Is made
neither careiessly nor ignorsnlly. One
has not tn remem Der long to time when
'ven the presidency Of Mexico was den
'f robbery; nor half SO far to tbiev vt,
governors and potty officials. But the
Jiaz administration has never had a
tain; and it has kept up its steady pres
ure until now not State in the republ
spotted as to it's government.
Even to one SIS familiar with the swift |
development of parts of our West as with |
he more conservative growth of our |
Cast. 1t IL surprising to watch the gait
4 almost every Mexican city In munich |
al improvements. Modern wstsr-works
replace the fine old Spanish aaue-
ucts; modern sewerage to replace the
treet sinks OF centuriss ;modern lighting,
,odsrn transit. modern health dsplrt-
'euts putlic bulldogs better tnan our
verage towns OF the like population
nink they can afford; splendid prisons.
markets., hospitals, ssylums, training
are some of the things the
d'sp'tism" of Diaz is planting through
ne length and bresdtn of the county.
s for schools, 1t sometimes made me
nile, hut oftener turned my eyes moist.
note the perfect manis to baye them
I'd to have them OF the bes.. Every
ate capital has It's free pub lie "model
hool' )" on which 1t lavishes a wealth
love and money; and the state earnest
follows its lead. There is now in
exico no hamlet Of one hundred In
ans. believe, which has not its free
Iolic school. This summer Os96) has
hn rad icai change. Hitherto the
hools of the republic had been in
arge Of the munici palities, the federal
vernment aiding In their support with
ont $1,000. 600 year. In July the GEN. /
u government took direct charge of
cry public sctool In Mexico. This Ia 70
'ure homogeneity In the system. For 9
, men and women now in charge of the J
roofs of Mexico, / must admit that 1
We never met more faithful and en- I,
isiastic corps; and they are, on the +
rage, very fairly lifted for their work. 8
every state there are normal schools. {
'erously endowed by the government, u
the ut training Of these teachers a
the attendance is encouragiugly a
&c. There are also countless industrial ',
ools. art schools, proiessio on al schools. p.
the like not to mention the host of n
vsfe schools, of which some are en-. O
'ly admirable. The teaching of reli- g
n in public schools is a lbs oluteIy probi. c'
ID. "Thar," President Diaz said to y
sis for the family to do" The at :.
Ide of Mexico on this point IL curious. q,
stholics have far less rope in Catholic II
tico than in the Protestant United n
les. Church procsssio1s are impossi- e.
even priest dare not walk the m
cts In his chuchly garments. From CO
10 Awakening OF a Nation" by .,
rles +. Lummis, Harpsr's Magazine v,
February. so