The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1904-12-03
ABOUT GEN. poRFIRIo plAz
Remarkable Career OF the Many Times
Elected President of Mexico.

Remarkable Career OF the Many Times
Elected President of Mexico
Students of the life of Porflrio Diaz
made the claim that history does not
hold, this side Of the crusades, 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 aud hearty at 20 years of age,
clear-eyed, and firm-footed, his life
spans half a century OF incredible adj
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 great-grandfather, COM
ing from Spain, had married woman
of the native race and to that extent
he is an Indian.
He was left an orphan at years of
age. When a mere boy he helped at a
country store. At IT 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 a guardianship. At the age of Is
he was made a professor OF Roman
law.
In plebiscite offered by Santa Ana
Diaz was one of two in Oaxaca who
dared openly to register a vote agains
the dictator. He paid the penalty OF
Punishment escaping narrowly will
his life.
: He now tasted warfare in guer
rilla organization operating agains
Santa Ana. and within eight years ha'
risen from a captaincy to commander
In-chief of the Mexican armies and t.
a place in the government second II
Importance only to President Juarez.
During that time he won many sell
sational victories and made a serie
OF hairbreadth escapes. At tn
same time he evinced a rem8rkabl
talent for civil administration. In tn
. midst of the stress and rigor of wa
:, he paused to establish girls schools 1
l, Oaxaca, which are now the models 70
similar institutions all over the reput
80 lie. At practically the same time b
a, gave Mexico one Of her national hol
. days by winning on the Cinco de May
4. the battle of Puebla with raw Mex
a. can levies pitted against armies trail
A. ed in France.
~ In April, 1877, he was elected Pres
dent and except for the interregnum (
Gonzales from 1880 to 1884 he hi
- been at the head OF Mexico ever sine
~ The chaotic country experienced
o. first peace In seventy years.
m Corruption in public service was 7
- formed, taxes were reduced and publ
= improvements begun and prosecute
~ upon an elaborate scale. The count
was cleared of bandits. Laws fave
- able to investments were passed al
!. industrial development invited by t
liberal spirit of granting concession
Factories, libraries. telegraphs al
scientific commissions were all Il
he. tered and have been brought to hi
he standard. The valley Of Mexico b
Is been drained. Education has be
ed made free and equal to all.
ZEN Change in Mexico has progressed
nd such leaps and bounds as to be alm'
'st. incredible and all has been wrong
led by the "Orphan Of Oaxaca, the saw
md unifer and father of the United Sta
OF OF Mexico"