Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1900-01-31

est. But Mexico was helpless, and
could do nothing. Such Was the al
most constant state Of Civil War that
had been going on for forty years,
that they had neither money nor
credit, and they so frankly informed
both France and Spain.
War was declared against Mexico,
and an army and feet were sent to
Vera Cruz. England, too, was invited
by France and Spain to enforce these
demands, as some of the Queens sub
jects were also owners of bonds. Vera
Cruz was bombarded and captured.
And it was here that the designs OF
Napoleon Bonaparte were manifested.
Neither England nor Spain wished to
be made cats paw to further the
ambitious designs of Napoleon; so
they opened negotiations with Mexico
ard making the best terms possible
with them for future payment of the
bonds, withdrew, and their fleets re-
turned to their respective ports.
MAMMALIAN IS CALLED.
But France began the march upon
the capital of Mexico, and after II
campaign of several months, in which
several battles were. fought, and in
which the French met with several re-
verses, the City Of Mexico was at last
captured and Mexico itself apparently
conquered. The Church party at once
assembled congress of notables, and
the program that had been mapped
out by Napoleon was carried out to
the letter. They made known at once
their desire that Macmillan should
be- their emperor. This was communi-
Gated to Maximillian, who said that
he "believed he had been called Of
God for the post' He and his wife.
bade adieu TO their native land. They
proceeded to Rome, and after receiy-
ing Instructions from the Pope, and
his benediction, they proceeded to
! Mexico. Arriving at Vera Cruz they
received a great demonstration in their
honor. Their journey to the City OF
Mexico was apparently one Of unin-
terrupted joy and welcome. But it
was noticeable that the demOustra-
tions in their honor was only partici-
pated in by the soldiers and the
Church party. Maximillian soon
found that Mexico was not conquered.
But their brave republican pres ident
was organizing and keeping up a fight
along the line.
The first OF October, 1865, Maxi
milan issued his celebrated decree,
ordering that every man found fight
ing for the republic should be shot
without trial. This order eventually
caused Maximillian's own death. The
United States having suppressed the
Southern rebellion, at once demanded
OF France the withdrawal of her troops,
and she was compelled to comply, and
from this hour began the decline OF
Maximillian's power that finally ended
in May 1867. in his capture by the
Mexican troops: and his execution a
month afterwards. And the Church
Party Of Mexico found themselves
again overwhelmed in defeat and dis
aster from which they have never re-
covered, nor never will.
In a conversation that I had with
Pres. Juarez, 1 expressed myself as
believing that the Republic had gone
to the extreme in their act of contisc ca
ton, that they should have confined
themselves to the church property ex-
elusive of the church buildings, that
church buildings, monasteries anc
converts should have been exempt.
His reply was: ''That they knew bet.
ter than anybody, the kind of enemy
they bad to deal with, and nothing
but extreme measures would do.'
Since that time, and for a few years
after the overthrow of Macmillan,
several attempts were made by the
Church party to recover their lost
grounds, but they have all failed most
miserably, and Mexico kept right on
reforming herself. She made a COM
p'ete sweep of the whole Church power.
After her release from the oppression
of the church was complete, she began
the work of the education of the mas
ses; compulsory system of educa-
tion was adopted, and under it It's IL
literacy began to disappear and al
ready Mexico cOmnar4aa fnvnrn II