Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-23
MEXICAN CONGRESS
Ceremonies Attending Its Re-
cent Opening.
SESSIONS IN A THEATER
AL the Members Appear in Evening
Dress.
CIGARETTE SMOKING ALLOWED
New Building to Be Put Up Costing
SIS, 5000, ooo-Not Repre-
sentative Organization.
CIGARETTE SMOKING ALLOWED
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS
Special Correspondence of The Star and the Chicago
Record Herald.

CITY OF MEXICO, April II, 1906
attended the opening of the short ses-
sion Of the Mexican congress Sunday after
noon. Everything of Importance is done
here on Sunday. The bull fights take place
that day and grand opera is given that
night. People. at least the women, go to
mass In the morning, but after they have
confessed their sins they take a holiday,
and the Sabbath is the gayest day of the
week The president is always inaugurated
on Sunday and congress commences its
sessions on that day-the better the day.
the better the deed. 1 suppose.
The Mexican congress holds two sessions
every year. One is unlimited and devoted
to general legislation; the other. lasting
two months, is devoted exclusively, to the
budget and such other imperative matters
as the executive may recommend This
is the short session. and it will be devoted
to the annual appropriations, measures af-
fecting education and the public health.
Congress still sits in the old Yturbide The
alter, erected about seventy-five years ago
and practically unchanged. The stage has
been walled in for rostrum and Is occu-
pied by the presiding officer; the two tiers
of boxes in the first and second galleries
occupied by members of the dip omatic
corps the families of the higher officials
of the government and friends of the men,
bers who bring cards. The third and top
gallery is free to everybody, and is usually
crowded with poems and soldiers off duty.
The members of the chamber of deputies
occupy what was once the parquet. semi
circular row of seats without desks. The
clerks sit where the orc.-estra belongs. and
beside them are the official reporters. At
one side of the circle is a tribune or pull
pit from which speeches are delivered.
member may rise In his place and make
a motion or ask or answer question. but
II he has anything further to say he must
c.tmb the tribune. The presiding officer
occupies a gilded chair with ornate cary
Ing, upholstered in red velvet, with the in
itials r.. M (Republica Mexicana} heav-
lily embroidered in gold. 1t is even more
elaborate than some of the thrones ] have
seen in the old countries. There is twin
chair for the of the chief executive
when he attends the sessions. as he has a
right to do at any time, although he may
not take part in the proceedings
The old theater still retains It's original
decoration of white and gold. and from the
dome hangs a splendid crystal chandelier
with 25o or 800 lights. which makes bril-
liant ornament. Everything else is shabby,
however: the paint is worn off, the carpets
in the corridors are ragged, the furniture
Is old-fashioned and decrepit and it would
appear that congress needs the new S15. 0O0.
zoo building which has already been author
!Zed and located on the Paseo de la Re-
forrna, the grand boulevard that leads to
the Castle of Chapultepec. 1t will be
splendid structure of French design and
built of the white limestone, which can be
quarried in unlimited quantities on the rail-
ways not far from the city. 1t will CORE
spond 10 the Capitol at Washington.
Members in Evening Dress.
All the members of the senate and cham
Der of deputies, for 1t was a joint session to
receive the presidents message, appeared in
full evening dress. with white ties and white
gloves, and many of them wore white waist
coats also. 1t was a striking contrast to
the raiment usually worn by members of
that wise and patriotic assemblage which
Sits under the shadow OF the great dome at
Washington. Think of the Honorable Jo-
seph G. Cannon presiding over the United
States House of Representatives in a boiled
short. a short-horn collar, white tie, white
kid gloves and a spike-tailed coat; or mag
Inc the Jove-like figure of the Honorable
Serene r. Payne clad in the habiliment of
the ball room when he arises to move the
reference of the Presidents message Some
of the Mexican Solons appeared quite as
awkward many OF our representatives
might be In such garments, but, taking
them altogether, they are fne-fooking
body of men. l notice dozen unmistak-
able Indians, with eopper-colored complex
ions and told that nearly half of the
members of the chamber of deputies have
Aztec blood in their veins. The remainder
were Of the Spanish type, and nearly every
one who took part in the proceedings or
moved about the chamber carried himself
so gracefully that they suggested gather
ing of ciubmen rather than representatives
of the people. Several smoked cigarettes
during the proceedings as IL il were toler-
ated 10y the rules, but l saw no cigars or
tobacco chewing. nor were there any cuspi-
dors upon the floor.
Not a Representative Government.
II is often contended that the Mexican
chamber of deputies is not a representative
body and that is probably true. 1t cannot
be truthfully said that Mexico has repre-
sentative government. one half. or perhaps
20 per cent of the population, do not know
who make their laws or how they are made.
They have heard of Ell presidente, el gobeT-
nador. and they may have come In personal
contact with the alcalde and jefe poiiteo,
VINO is the connecting link between them
and the government. but II you would ask
any one of twenty poems who represents
him he congress he would shrug MS Shout
ders and answer:
''Dios sabe" God knows. And that is
sufficient for them.
one of the habitual criticisms of the dis
affected is that the congress In Mexico Is
composed OF the personal adherents of
President Diaz. the relatives of the higher
officials OF the government and others
whom the executive Is able to control. and
very likely there may be some foundation
for this statement. President Diaz is run
ming this country. and he Is running II
right as any one may convince himself by
a brief examination OF the conditions to-
day compared with those when he came
into power: and, furthermore, he does not
care who knows IT, He makes no pretexts,
he is guilty of no false pretenses; he has
had things his way for thirty years
and he proposes TO adhere to the same pro-
gram long as he is In power. There
fore It is better for him and for all con-
cerned that business should run smoothly.
Occasionally some maleontent gets into
congress and raises a row. but he does not
remain there long There are always diff
ferences OF opinion among the deputies:
there are heated and even bitter debates
concerning details, but on the general
proposition. President Diag is always sus-
tanned and his recommendations are usual
ly adopted. He does not ask impossibilt-
ties or ineEpedient action he Is very dis
Greet and diplomatic and while his per-
sonal integrity has never been impeache
and he exacts an honest administration
from every one OF his subordinates. he rec
ognizes the necessity OF permitting con-
gf~ss to open a barrel of pork as they
say in Washington ..cut a watermelon
now and then for the benefit OF their con-
stituencies. He Is not so impetuous or
strenuous as a certain other president. He
has more patience and has learned to wait
but perhaps President Roosevelt would not
be In such N hurry II his term of office
were perpetual
More than one-half the members of the
Mexican chamber OF deputies are LAWYERS.
there are twenty editors nineteen hacien-
dados or farmers. twenty-one merchants.