Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-05-16
Imontolr. Mnnoz and MnrlsraI

washington anu new 1olk IN reference
to the scheme for placing Mexico ON a
gold standard basis. which the Roths-
chllds, who are the principal holders Of
Mexican bonds, are anxious TO have
done os speedily as possible.
IL Is also well understood that they
would like to see J. Ives I.imantour Sc
cure the nomination for the presidency,
as he Is considered by far the most able
finanoler and diplomat Mexico has yet
produced.
Senior Limantour was ncting.presl-
dent OF Mexico during the visit Of Pres
ident Dlaz 10 Mexico IN 1901, and has
always been considered the choice OF
Daz for his successor, although he Is
run close In that respect and IN the ia
vor Of the Mexican aristocrats by Gen.
Bernardo Reyes, who as secretary Of
war and head OF the army, has strong
claims TO the place.
Don Jose Ives Lmantour has been
called an "anti-American,' but there
are grave doubts as TO wether there
was any serious ground for such a
charge. Senior Limantour became as
slstant secretary Of the treasury In the
Dlaz cabinet In 1898. He was educated
In France and Mexico. At one time he
was professor Of political economy in
the school of Jurisprudence. Later he
was sent 10 Europe by the government
on a delicate financial mission. He is a
broad minded specialist, a practical
theorlst and q far sighted statesman,
The senior Is wealthy
Gen. Bernardo Reyes Is governor Of the
wealthy state Of Nueya Leon, besides be-
ing a general Of the division OF the
Mexican army and secretary Of state
for war He has a more engaging per-
sonallty than is possessed by Senior
Llmantour but his mistake was made
In showing too plainly his aspirations
for presidential honors.
The surprise manifested here over the
candidacy Of President Diaz for another
term Is due 10 the strong rumors Of his
retirement which have been current
rather than 10 any decrease Of popu-
arlty on the pant Of the Maker Of Mod
ern Mexico. These rumors were based
upon the known wishes OF the Roths-
childs, who are ready TO place a large
loan 10 put Mexico on a gold standard
In the same manner as they arranged
for the change from a silver TO a gold
basis in Japan They are known TO
wish the retirement Of Diaz solely In
order that his successor may be firmly
established In power before he dies, the
belief being held that the president Will
die suddenly with the result that the
country will be plunged In confusion
and that soldier will then seize the
presidency; others will then dispute Il
and no one can tell how long war viii
last IN which case the bondholders will
be the principal sufferers.
Dlaz has hitherto been known TO ad-
NIT that he fully realized the force Of
this argument In favor OF his retire
ment and was willing 10 sacrifice HIM
self 20 the situation. He has watched
Tor years how Reyes IN the cabinet and
bimantour have watched each others
acts with suave hostility
Mexico Is not republic in principle.
With a fundamental law declaring that
all government rests In the people. the
people OF Mexico have nothing 10 say
as TO who shall rule them or by what
methods or form the government shall
he carried on With all the machinery
of an election provided for IN the stat
utes Of the country. an election has
never been held in Mexico In which the
popular viii was actually registered by
ballots. The government Of the country
rests primarily on the military power.
but Of late this power has been
strengthened by a strong community Of
interests between its benenciarles and
the powerful representatives Of the for
eign capital which owns everything in
Mexico pertaining to the nineteenth or
twentieth centuries.
The government OF Mexico Is a strong.
personally conducted, centralized organ
ization. It's power is maintained BY an
efficient military force, by supremacy
IN all political positions and by a wise
encouragement and friendllness toward
the capital Invested I'm enterprises
which bring employment 10 the people
and wealth to the investors.
The development OF the military arm
has Kept pace with the increase In the
industrial army Education has been
made compulsory among the people and
at the same time no politician opposed
to the administration In power is al
lowed to draw political breath. The
people. with a suffrage guaranteed them
ny those who freed the country from
the Spanish yoke have no knowledge OF
their political privileges nor do they at.
tempt 10 exercise them
There are but two classes Of people IN
the country-those who rule and those
who obey the rulers The former are
few In number but I'm their hands lies
the wealth Of the nation and It's power.
The traditions Of centuries demand sub
serviency of the many TO the few and Il
Is granted without question
The MeNicans are unable 10 model
their plan for the succession 10 the
presidency In case Of the death Of the
president upon precisely the same sys-
tenn as was adopted IN the United
States several years ago for the reason
that in the Mexican republic no vice
president Is elected co-Incidently with
the president 1t has been the rule
there 70 regard as virtually vice. presi-
dent the presiding officer Of the con-
gross, but even this official Is not an alb
solute fixture for the house elects a
new speaker il is understood, once
every month during the continuance Of
It's session, the presiding officer at the
close OF its session continuing TO be re-
garded as speaker until congress recon
venes.
In an probability the order Of success
sion In the Mexican cabinet would pass
first to the secretary OF state, thence
to the secretary Of the treasury and
from him 20 the secretary Of the inter-
Tor as that has always been regarded
as the next most important post in the
cabinet after the two named
This method OF succession would
bring yet another candidate for the
presidency into the field in case OF the
retirement OF demise Of President por-
firio Dlaz The present secretary OF