The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1897-04-08
PROSPEROUS MEXICO.
The Model Administration of President
DiaZ.

The Model Administration of Presiden,
Mexico is republic in chancery; free
as we are, but less licensed; happy, safe
prosperous under the system whereby
we administer our homes; and proud OF
the remarkable man who has done what
no other ruler of modern times has even
dreamed of being able to do, and who
still keeps a quiet, steady fist in the
-waistband of the youngster he has
taught to walk.
Within ten years The brigands of Mex
leo have been simply wiped out. 1t has
been-to such as know the geographical
obstacles-a marvellous achievement;
and the political difficulties were as
great. First, whatsoever brigand was
caught, and Diaz has way of catching
stood just long enough in front of an
adobe wall for the firing party to crook
the right forefnger. There were no
hung juries nor pardon governors. Sec
ond, the same hand-so firm and swift
to justice-knew how to open an al
tentative door. Nowadays the bandit
needs not. There is something else for
him to do; and he finds it not only sa-
lubrious. but more to his taste, to take
part in the development of the patria
he was proud of even when he was her
curse. lie would rather upbuild than
tear down, if he has chance, even il
there were no 'Portirio" and no rurales.
l do not know anything in history
which fairly parallels these 20 years
in Mexico. No other man has taken a
comparatively dead weight of popula-
ton and so uplifted and transformed
it. The wonder is al! the more because
to this day every other colony of Spain
in the new world looks to be the worse
off for the indepencia. Whatever we
may say of the theory of self-govern.
ment, in practice not one of them was
ever SO miserably viceroyed or cap.
tain generated as it has been presi.
denced four-fifths of the time since 1921
Very much the same was true of Mexico
untilrecently. 1t thas had patriotic rulers
sometimes; but that they were at last
sorry rulers the very roster of them
shows. Four presidents in year is
hardly an index Of prosperity.
1t is not far to remember when there
was not a railroad in Mexico, and when
other material conditions were in pro.
portion. The actual Mexico has 40 rail-
roads, with nearly 1000 miles of track,
and everything that that implies. It's
transportation facilities are practically
as good as those of our western states;
and the investment is far more profita-
BILE. 1t is netted with telegraph lines
with the cheapest tariffs in Ameriea), ),
dotted with post Offices, schools, cost
ly buildings for public business and
public benefcence. 1t is freer than it
was ever before-with free schools, free
speech, free press. 1t is happier than ever
before ,and more prosperous than ever in
the bonanzadays of the magnificent sill
yer kings of Zacatecas and Guanajuato,
There are degrees, of course, by local.
variation of impulse or of opportunity;
but there is progress everywhere-ma-
terial intellectual, moral.
If the visible prosperity of Mexico, in
the face of certain of it's circumstances
shall seem enigmatic to sane people
whose sane views are based on radically
unlike surroundings, yet only ignorance
can deny the fact. Mexico is admirably
prosperous, in spite of seven years
drought, in spite of the Cara revolu'
ton (kindled in the United States, in
ways and for reasons too complicated
to be reviewed herc); in spite of a ma
tional debt contracted when exchange
was at from eight to sixteen, and being
paid with exchange at from IS to 102;
in spite even of cheap money. 1t has
been miracle of craftsmanship, but
miracle which will never be repeated
in dissimilar land.-Charles F. Lum
mis-, in Harper's Magazine.