New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-22
THE NEXICAN PRrSLnrNCr-


Last weeks episode at Monterey. in Mexico
at first seemed ominous. but appears to have
passed without the trouble which was threat
cncd. It's origin was due TO either the personal
ambition or the popularity of General Reyes. the
Governor of the State of NuevO Leon. who Is q
candidate for the Yice-PresidenCy of the Repub-
lie in opposition 10 Mr.. Corral who Is the can
didate favored by President Diaz The assump-
ton is that General Reyes's opposition is di-
rected not merely at Mr.. Corral but also and
especially at President Diaz himself, who is a
candidate for reelection, and that the real OBJ
ject Of the movement in behalf Of General Reyes
is to get General Diaz out of the Presidency
and. presumably. 10 put General Reyes in his
place.
Now either there is a widespread popular de-
mand for General Reyes, Of which, however, the
world has not been permitted to hear, or that
gentleman IS putting himself or is being put
forward In hope of exciting popular enthusiasm
for him. In either case he should doubtless have
a fair show SO long as his methods are within
legitimate bounds. Anything like an attempt at
a revolution, however, should be promptly and
vigorously suppressed, and it must be said that
there have been some revolutionary symptoms
at Monterey. We are told that on Friday not a
weapon Of any kind could be bought in that city
but that half the men there were CARRYING con-
the connection of cause and effect is sufficiently
Obvious. There was also sufficient suggestion If
threatened trouble to warrant the government in
taking precautions for the maintenance OF order
General Reyes is understood 10 protest against
the perpetual Presidency" of General Diaz
That he has right TO do, within law-abidins
bounds. It is even understood that he charges
or that his followers charge, the President with
securing his own reelection by forcble means
If that were true, we cannot see that it would
warrant a resort TO still more violent force TO
exclude him from Office unless indeed, It we're
shown, as it has not been, that President Diaz's
administration is quite intolerable The fact
Is that his administration has been particularly
I and conspicuously benefcent 10 Mexico and has
presented so favorable contrast TO its prede-
cessors that II might almost be argued that its
character and results justified extra constitu-
tional means for maintaining it. Certainly II Is
far better for Mexico to have had him az its
head all these years than it would have been to
have had n succession Of Presidents OF varying
policies and Of various degrees of arbtrarlness
and weakness, such she had before
The simple fact that General Diaz has been
President for a number of terms and for MANY
years is no condemnation Of him or Of Mexico.
Rotation or succession In Office is no immutable
principle or republican government. We have
that system here, in the Presidency, under an
unwritten law, and shall probably always main
tain IT, but our system IS not necessarily in
fallible nor is this the only republic that ever
existed Indeed We ourselves not only permit
but take pride in long continued oticeholdng
In other places. The states vary as to the terms
OF service of their Governors some limiting
them strictly TO term, as does New Jersey
and others, like New York, permitting reelection
indefinitely. There is no objection to a Senator
or Representative In Congress being reelected
many times. and there is none to judges serving
| for life So If Mexico any other republic
sees MT 10 reelect its President many times II
thereby incurs no reprOach. The question is NOT
how long he has served, brt whether the people
want him for President and whether he has