The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1905-01-05
MYSTERIOUS STATUE.
coNNEcrrD WITH A sTo1x uN-
PARALLELED IN HIsToHY.
How Peace Was Established in 0uanA-
juato Between the President
Of Mexico and His
People.

Connected with the recent visit Of
President Diaz, of Mexico, to the city
Of Guanajuato is story which has NO
parallel In civic history, says the Chi
cago Record-Herald. In again enter
ing the home of the patriot Hidalgo
and the former hotbed Of Mexican in
surrection the president broke o VOW
which he had kept for more than .
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 seri-
Gus injury, II 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 rev.
olutions and 'insurrections which were
wont to spring up In day have now
become rare occurrences. Guanajuato
became as safe for presidents and as
law-abiding as any other city Of the
republic. 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
is the most gorgeous home Of the 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 tine 1t
should be completed.
The city also planned to erect a
handsome statue on the public plaza
which should be typical and commem-
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
secret until the president came and
unveiled 1t. In due time the statue
was completed and set up. 1t was
completely covered with heavy
shroud, however, and not a citizen of
Guanajuato except the committee
knew what 1t was. Rumor had 1t that
it was statue of Liberty The theater
and the statue were completed about
eight years ago, and the former stood
unopened and unused and the latter
veiled 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 po-
licemen travelling that beat did not
stop to look at 1t, but hastened to the
house of the committee chairman.
The latter aroused the ether members
sof the committee, and before morning
light had broken second shroud COW
cred the statue. The strange fact
about II all was that no one in Guam
ajuato seemed to have the least bit of
curiosity regarding the veiled statue,
which was somewhat grewsome
thing to look upon, perched as 1t was
high above the street upon an artifi-
cial mound.
Neither was there any impatience
expressed regarding the theater, the
people resting content in the belief
that in his own good time the presi-
dent would recognize the loyalty of
Guanajuato and come to them. When
the president did come, and pulled
aside the curtain, there was disclosed
a statue not Of Liberty but Of Peace,
typifying the condition which had
come to the city and the country SO
recently. The theater was opened
with an elaborate ball and everyone
was made happy. President Diaz's
visit to Guanajuato was attended with
immense enthusiasm, and Guanajuato
succeeded in wiping out the stain oi
disloyalty which for years had rested
: upon the city.