Arizona republican., 1904-09-29
Gala Times In old rIexIco.

Odld AImSS Lu OIO iIcxICOs
 Thursday. the 18th inst, was Presi- dent Diaz's seventy-fourth birthday. and the congratulations kept him husy. First to arrive at the national palace were the army officers: tre minister of war and marine, General Mena. Diaz' old friend and comrade, was their spokesman. After them arrived the congressman, the judges, the chiefs Of the executive bureaus, and the muni- cipal officers of the capital city. These were followed by a deputation-Iudge Sepulveda, Rev. W. H. Sloan, Major R. B. Gorsuch and G. w. Cook-from the American colony. A little before noon the German minister, Baron Von Wan genheim. appeared with a full-length portrait of the German elnperor-a birthday gift from the original He also placed in the presidents hand an au- tograph letter in which William II. tells Porfirio Diaz that his goverpm. nt is going to take special pains 10 fo- ment and improve the cordial rela ations which happily exist between Germa- ny and Mexico" Porfirio Diaz told Baron won Wangenheim that he yves profoundly grateful. At noon the d;p- lomatic corps arrived. Only the Inili- tary attache of the American embas- sy and a Chinese attache were in uni form. The American ambassador, as dean of the corps, presented their coi- lective felicitations. the president mak- ing brief speech of thanks.
 Then all sorts and conditions of men in the Mexican capital male ready to celebrate Mexico's ninety-fourth inde- pendence day. It was>on the night of September 15, 1S1O, that Hidaigo issued his proclamation-the immortal "Grito de Dolores" The celebration this year followed the precedents. All inc even ing converging streams of citizens poured toward the national palace. By Il the plaza was a sea of upturned faces. Punctually, as the hour struck. Porfirio Diaz stepped out upon the oen- tral balcony and rang with his own hand the bell of Hidalgo. Let the Mex ican Herald's reporter tell what follow ed:
 Instantly there was a blast of bu- gIes and burst of martial music. The shout of Long live Mexico-and Presi- dent Diaz,' was taken up by the thous- ands in the rear like a tidal wave ran back over the city in a confused med ley of sound. Instantly the bells of the cathedral and of all the churches in the city burst forth Tn ] chorus of full throated, thunderous music, and with the turning on of thousands of lights the outlines of the stately ca thedral, as though graven in fire on background of night, sprang into full relief. Rockets hissed forth from the belfries and towers. Bombs exploded high in air. raining their myriad col ors through the starless skies. The city hall frightened with an electric dis play surmounted by craters of colored calcium lights. TorchIight prccessions paraded through the streets. Bands of ragamuffins trooped the public ways noisily footing horns and shouting ichg live everything from the republic to the almighty cestavo. From crowded housetops and brilliantly lighted res- taurants hundreds of spectators look ed out upon the kinetoscopic changes of the surging multitudes, and as the night grew weary the demonstration but grew in proportions and increasing hilarity."
 The next day, brought the usual mil itary parades and the civil commemo> ration in the hemicycIe at Chapultapec. Alfredo Chavero being the orator. Fri day evening President Diaz opened the Twenty-second congress and read his message. As usual it is all business and no rhetoric. Again the man who has