The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-29
MYSTERIOUS STATUE
Connected With Story Which Has No
Parallel in Civic History.

Connected with the recent visit of
President Diaz of Mexico to the city
of Guanajuato is a story which has no
parallel in civic history. In again en-
tering the home of the patriot Hidalgo
and the former hotbed of Mexican in
surrection the president broke vow
which he had kept for more than a
decade. The last time he set foot
in Guanajuato angry mobs of patriots
thronged the streets and sought to do
the president harm. AS he rode
through the streets his carriage was
stoned and he narrowly escaped Sc
rious injury if not assassination.
Once safely back in his palace in
Mexico City, President Diaz swore that
he would never again enter the city OF
Guanajuato. Times change rapidly in
Mexico, however, and revolutions and
instructions which We're wont to
spring up in a day have now become
rare occurrences. Guanajuato became
as safe for presidents and as law
abiding as any other city of the re-
public. Many invitations came from
the governor of the state and from
the patriotic citizens of the city, but
the president was obdurate and could
not forget the indignities he had Suf-
fered there.
Several public enterprises were
started, among them being the con-
struction of the Juarez theater, which
muse in all Mexico. The plan was to
have the president open the theater,
for it was expected that he could be
induced to come to the city by the time
1t should be completed.
The city also planned to erect a
handsome statue on the public plaza
which should be typical and comment
orative of the progress not only of the
city but of the nation. The selection
of the statue was left to a committee
and its exact character was to be kept
a secret until the president came and
unveiled it. In due time the statue
was completed and set up. 1t was
completely covered with a heavy
shroud, however, and not a citizen of
Guanajuato except the committee
knew what it was. Rumor had it that
it was a statue of Liberty. The theater
and the statue were completed about
unopened and unused and the latter
yelled until the coming of the presi-
dent.
The story is told that during a heavy
windstorm at night the shroud was
torn from the statue and the policemen
travelling that beat did not stop to look
at it, but fastened to the house of the
committee chairman. The latter
aroused the other members of the COM
mittee and before morning light had
broken a second shroud covered the
statue. The strange fact about it all
was that no one in Guanajuato seemed
to have the least bit of curiosity regard
ing the yelled statue, which was
somewhat grewsome thing to look upon
perched as it was high above the street
upon an artificial mound.
Neither was there any Impotence ex-
pressed regarding the theater, the peo-
pie resting content in the belief that in
his own good time the president would
recognize the loyalty of Guanajuanto
and come to them. When the president
did come, and pulled aside the curtain,
there was disclosed a statue not of
but of Peace, typifying the
condition which had come to the city
and the country SO recently. The the
alter was opened with an elaborate ball
and everyone was made happy. Presi-
dent Diaz's visit to Guanajuato was
attended with immense enthusiasm,
and Guanajuato succeeded in wiping
out the stain of disloyalty which for
years had rested upon the city.-Rec-
Ord-Herald.