The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-09-17
President Diaz of Mexico,

city on october next at the laying or The
cornerstone OF the new Federal building
there. He assured the special committee
of Chica goans which presented the lnvi-
tation of his great desire TO accept it.
and explained that il would be necessary
for him to first obtain the permission Of
Congress 10 leave. and that Congress
would not meet until September II next.
Autocrat as he really is. President Diaz
is always careful to observe the forms of
law. This would not be his first visit to
the United States Twice he came an
exile. and once while governor Of his ma
tive state, after he had served his first
term as president. The firmness and Sc
curity of his position are seen IN his viii
lingness to leave the country. 1t is not
so long ago that a Mexican president who
would do that would find himself on his
return to his country a statesman with
out a job.
One reason for the undoueted security
of his position lies in the close attention
he has paid 70 the army during his five
terms-his fifth term will expire next
year-as President. Under his guidance
the army has attained the highest de-
gree of discipline and efficiency. a part
Of his plan Of reorganization has been 20
retain and promote only those officers
who displayed qualifications for discipline,
who observed its requirements them
selves and insisted upon It in others.
In the old days Mexican revolutions
were begun by military commanders,
whose troops joined in the movement.
Under Diaz revolts in the army are I'M
known, and as it is loyal to the central
government revolts by anybody else are
hardly possible. General Torres success
] ha far L. df1a 70 he
discipline imposed upon the army By
'Diaz. himself one of Mexico's greatest
and most successful soldiers.
Porfirio Diaz is sixty-nine years old.
He has Indian blood in his veins, but it
is only slight strain derived from either
his grandmother or great grandmother.
who was a Mixteca Indian. Prior TO that
time his ancestry was pure Spanish. He
started in life as a lawyer, but during
his stormy career has found little time IN
which to practice that profession.
In 1854 he helped drive Santa Ana from
the country. That was the beginning OF
his public career He aided In making
Benito Juarez the leader of the liberal
party, and the only full-blooded Indian
who was ever president of Mexico.
When France interviewed IN 1852.
Diaz took the field and kept it until after
Macmillan, deserted by MS French al
lies, was defeated, captured and shot.
He was twice captured by the enemy dur
ing this war. but made his escape both
times. His chief exploits were the re-
capture of Puebla and the City Of Mexi-
co in 1857
The Presidential election came off in
October. 1857. Diaz was a candidate
against Juarez. but he only received %
electoral votes against 45 for Juarez
From that day until he finally succeeded
nine years afterward. Dtaz was a con-
slant conspirator against the govern
ment. He pronounced against Juarez,
but after several engagements in the
field was so badly beaten that he was
compelled to take refuge in New Orleans.
Juarez died in 1872, and was succeeded
by Lerdo de Teiada, president of the Fed
eral supreme court Of justice "a position
corresponding to our chief justice), there
being no vice president in Mexico. Lerdo
issued an amnesty proclamation, and
Diaz returned to Mexico In 1873 ne pro-
! nounced against Lerdo. but. being de-
feated again, he fed once more to New
Orleans. In the following year. 1876, his
partisans recalled him.
On the voyage to Vera Cruz, while the
steamer was at anchor off one OF the
towns of the coast thinking his presence
had been discovered and that he would
be arrested by government officers.
which would mean summary death by
shooting, he threw himself into the sea-
intending, as he afterwards said. TO
swim ashore, but, as his enemies always
commended, to commit suicide by drown
ing. He was picked up and taken back
to the steamer
When Vera Cruz was reached he dis
guised himself as coal HEAVIER and was
smuggled ashore by the purser His
time had come. He routed Lerdos forces
and occupied the capital five days after
Lerdo had fed the country. going by ,the
west coast to San Francisco.
Jose Maria Iglesias. chief justice. claim
ed the presidency, under the constitution
He and Diaz had a conference. but could
not agree, both wanting the same thing
Gglesias said that II Diaz gained dominion
over the republic by force ne would be a
fortunate soldier. but never a constitu-
tionai president" wherein he showed
himself bad prophet for Diaz has been
five times a constitutional president
Diaz had no trouble in defeating Igie-
sias' forces, thus obtaining dominion"
over the republic For a brief period
there were four claimants OF the presi-
dency-Diaz, de facto; Lerdo. de jure
Iglesias as the constitutional successor Of
Ierdo. and Mendez. who was acting for
Diaz while he was In the field. An cleo
ton followed the revolution. Diaz was
duly elected. and on May s. 1871 took the
oath of office and was regularly inau-
gurated TO serve until November 90 1880
The Diaz government was not recognized
by the United States for nearly a year
afterward. March. is72
In 1889 Diaz retired under the provision
of the constitution. which then forbade a
president to be his own successor. and
General Gonzalez. who had been minister
Of war. was elected. Diaz became min
lister Of public works. later chief Justice.
and finally governor Of Oaxaca. mis- ma
tive state.
While occupying this position he got
leave to travel from the legislature and
visited the United States, going as far as
Boston.
Gonzalez made a mess of Il IS president.
undoing much that Diaz had accomplish
ed in the way OF noderniz!nE ard civil
izing his country. So Diaz vas reelected
in 1854 In 1877 the constitution was
amended 50 as to allow him 70 sBcceea
himself for one term. He was reelected
in ISIS. and during that time the ''5ridls
was taken or 50 that no restrictions
remained as 70 the Number q ting
president could serve. and be was re-
elected in 10 and 80
President DiaZ Is beginning % show his
age No one but himself knows whether
or not he slIl b. a candidate GeEt year
for a sixth term Doubtless that viii
depend upon his health. y he g. car
d.date he xil. % course b. elected. for
unlike most atir-Auaerics-s =h5 have
long ruled their country. D.Sz has stssd-
liz zruzu in popularity.