The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1904-12-10
ABOUT GEN. poRF,Rlo D,Az
Remarkable Career Of the Many Times
Elected President Of Mexico.

y
Students Of the life Of Porfirio Diaz
made the claim that history does not
hold, this side of the crusades, q per-
sonal record so varied and eventful,
says the San Antonio Express. The
man of Mexico is credited with the
most kaleidoscope career since the
days of Richard the Lion Hearted
Hale and hearty at 70 years Of age.
clear-eyed. and frm-footed. his life
spans half q century Of incredible ad-
venture, and stands for political devel-
opment which probably is shown by
no other nation in the nineteenth cen
fury.
Within the memory Of San Anto-
mans Mexico was the most revolution
airy of countries; SO infested by ban
dts SO powerless to afford security to
life and property that parties in the
United States suggested this failure Of
government as a pretext for assisting
Texas in her struggle for independ-
ence. To-day. outside of the United
States, Mexico Is probably the best
governed country on the hemisphere
Porfirio Diaz was born in the city Of
Oaxaca Sept. Is. 1880, the night before
the anniversary of Mexican Independ-
ence day. His greatgrandfather, COM
ing from Spain, had married a woman
of the native race and to that extent
he is an Indian.
He was left an orphan at 3 years Of
age. When a mere boy he helped at a
country store. At II he cut himself off
from the help of friends by leaving the
theological seminary, but he gained
the friendship Of Benito Juarez, the
great commoner Of Mexico, then Gov
ernor of Oaxaca, who obtained for
him guardianship. At the age Of -
he was made a professor Of Roman
law.
In a plebiscite offered by Santa Ana
Diaz was one of two in Oaxaca who
dared openly to register vote against
the dictator He paid the penalty Of
Punishment, escaping narrowly with
his life.
He now tasted warfare In a guer-
rilla organization operating against
Santa Ana, and within eight years had
risen from a captaincy to commander
in-chief of the Mexican armies and to
a place in the government second in
importance only to President Juarez.
During that time he won many sell
sational victories and made a series
Of hairbreadth escapes. At the
same time he evinced a remarkable
talent for civil administration. In the
midst of the stress and rigor of war
he paused to establish girls schools in
Oaxaca, which are now the models for
similar institutions all over the repub-
lie. At practically the same time he
gave Mexico one of her national holi-
days by winning on the Cinco de Maya
the battle of Puebla with raw Next
can levies pitted against armies train
ed in France.
In April, 1877, he was elected Pres-
dent and except for the interregnum OF
Gonzales from 1880 to 1884 he has
been at the head Of Mexico ever since.
The chaotic country experienced its
first peace in seventy years.
Corruption in public service was re-
formed, taxes were reduced and public
improvements begun and prosecuted
upon an elaborate scale. The country
was cleared Of bandits. Laws favor
able to investments were passed and
industrial development invited by the
liberal spirit of granting concessions.
Factories, libraries, telegraphs and
scientific commissions were all fos-
tered and have been brought to high
standard. The valley Of Mexico has
been drained. Education has been
made free and equal to ALL
Change in Mexico has progressed at
such leaps and bounds as to be almost
incredible and all has been wrought
by the Orphan Of Oaxaca, the savior,
unifier and father of the United States
of Mexico"