Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-02-24

Al CITY is WELL PoLlCED.
'essssoese seossoees
United States know very little about
the government and constitution of
Mexico. The surprise of the average
American on coming here is great to
find that Mexico has one of the most
liberal constitutions Of any govern
ment on earth. Under it the inalien-
able rights of man are guaranteed
with great distinctness. After a years
session a Mexican congress- on Febru-
airy 8, 1857, issued "in the name of
God and by the authority of the Mex
lean people the. constitution that is
now in force, and Of which Mr.. Seward
said that he regarded 1t as the best in
strument of its kind in the world. A
brief synopsis Of this liberal constitu-
ton follows:
/. The establishment of a constitu-
tional federal government in the place
Of a military dictatorship
2. Freedom and protection to slaves
that enter the national territory.
8. Freedom of religion.
4. Freedom of the press.
5. Naturalization of 100000, 900
worth Of church property.
6. The subordination of the army to
the civil power, and the abolition OF
special military and ecclesiastical trib-
unals.
I. The negotiation OF commercial
treaties of the fullest scope and liberal
character, including reciprocity OF
trade on the frontiers.
8. 'Tha colonization of Mexico by the
full opening of every part of the coun-
try to immigration, and the encourage
ment of foreign enterprise in every
branch of industry, particularly in
mining and In works of internal i'm
provement.
To carry out the provisions and pur-
posses of the national constitution, and
guard the liberties which it guarantees,
enactments of the legislature called
Laws Of Reform" have been issued,
the leading items of which are as fol-
lows:
The complete separation of church
and. state.
Congress cannot pass laws establish
ing or prohibiting any religion.
The free exercise of religious SER
vices. The state will not give official
+ ISCUSuillOll ally lCllEiouo ASoeASe 'Ao
save the Sabbath, as day of rest.
Religious services are to be held only
within the place of worship.
Clerical vestments are forbidden In
the streets
Religious professions are forbidden
The use of church bells is restricted
to. calling, the people to religious wor-
ship -,
Pulpit dfscourses advising .disobedi-
ence to the law or injury to anyone are
strictly forbidden. Worship in churches
shall be public only.
Gifts of real estate to religious In
stitutions are unlawful. with the sole
exception Of edihces designed exclu-
sively to the purposes of the institu.
! ton. -
The state does not recognize monas-
tic orders nor permit their establish
ment. The association of Sisters of
Charity is suppressed in the republic
and Jesuits are expelled and may not
return.
Matrimony is civil contract and Is
to be duly registered; the religious SER
vice may be, added.
Cemeteries are under civil inspec-
ton and open to the burial OF all
classes and creeds.
No one can sign away his liberty by
contract or religious vow.
Education in the public schools Is
free and compulsory.
This synopsis of the laws OF reform
represents the action Of the Mexican
congress on February IL, 1857, with
the amendments of the same of Sep
tember, 1873, and the circular issued
blythe interior department January 15
1877.
No Salvation Army There.
AS result of the laws with refer
ence to religious professions and the
,, wearing of ecclesiastical yestments or
the streets, there is no Salvation
Army in Mexico. While the vast
majority of the Mexican people is Cath
Ollie, no nuns, monks, or persons dis
; tinctiyely attired as priests, are seer
on the streets. The census of 1906
: shows that there were eighty Roman
Catholic and thirteen Protestant
!, churches in Mexico City. Some Of the
Catholic churches are of great age, ex
: tending back almost to the time of the
Spanish conquest in the sixteenth cen
: fury.
City occupies portion Of the ancien
: Church of San Francisco. The origina
: monastery and church were built abou
', 1907 on lands which had formerly beef
: the garden and wild beast house 0
: Montezuma. Cortez himself provided
q the funds for the building Of the frs
9 church, and the material was secure'
0 in the hewn stone from the steps o
!, the great Teocalli, or Aztec temple
/ In this church Cortez heard masse
0 and for a time his bones found a rest
= ing place. Here the Spanish viceroy
o through the centuries took part in tn
e great festivals of the church. Her
the re Deum in celebration of Mexical
independence was first echoed by 1t
l. walls. Here Protestant services ar
o now held, and the church is in tn
e very heart of the present city.
have been made recently in come {
%bo p,,r1}, d5u{cfnns there hA