East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1910-09-16
Southern Republic Celebrates
Centennial Of independence
Today.
WHOLE NATION JOINS
IN OBSERVING THE DAY
Celebration on Magnificent Scale All
Over Diat's Dominion Eciipses
Anything Undertaken by Mexicans
-Diaz Orders All Citizens to Clean
up and Peasantry Presents Prosper
our Appearance Other Nations
Are Represented.

City OF Mexico, Sept. ia deafen-
ing salute. which ratified the windows
and awakened the echoes Of grim and
grisly old Chapaultepec, brought out
into the streets Of the capital today a
motley, swarming throng of merry
makers in holiday array, bent on
properly celebrating the great day.
the day Of days in the history Of the
republic. Here where Spanards once
1orded over the people, where Yam
kee soldiers from the north once rails
ed the Stars and Stripes. where the Ill
starred Macmillan won and lost an
empire, hundred years Of independ-
ence were rounded out today.
Just one hundred years ago Hidal-
go, n patriot priest. rang a village
bell and proclaimed to the assem-
bled people the independence of Mex
leo from Spanish domination. Then
followed wars and revolutions, plots
and counterplots, and foreign inya-
sions, and freedom was, little more
than name until the soldier Diaz
seized an iron grasp upon the reins of
government. At times n dictator, Of
ten tyrant. he has yet succeeded in
making Mexico a power among the
nations of the world.
Every year Sept 16 Is observed in
Mexico as Independence Day, but to-
days centennial celebration is on
scale OF magnificence heretofore I'M
dreamed Of Pageantry and display
OF which any city and nation might
well be proud, coupled with music,
grand opera, military maneuvers,
> sports and pastimes OF every kind
known to the Mexicans, including the
inevitable bull fight, fill the days pro-
gram to overflowing.
Nearly every important nation of
the world has sent official representa-
tives to Join in the festal occasion.
Curtis Guild, of Massachusetts, is the
special ambassador representing
President Taft, and a distinguished
party Of senators and representatives
and thousands Of American tourists
Joined in the demonstrations.
General Cleanup.
In preparation for today's grand
elimination of the centennial a gen.
eral house cleaning has been going
on for months throughout the repub-
lie. In the capital all of the streets
and public buildings have been clean
ed and FURNISHED, and nearly every
block in the city is resplendent in a
new coat of paint.
Tourists who have read of the hab-
its and appearance OF the lower Mexi-
can class are greatly surprised to find
even the poorest well clothed in Eu-
ropean or American clothing and "of
q pleasant odor." Mexicans who have
heretofore bathed only once a year.
on the day of st. John the Baptist, are
now as clean as daily ablutions for
weeks could make them.
II President Taft should direct the
American people to take daily baths,
shave every other day and wear GER
tain kinds of cloths, probably every
American from Portland to Portland
would fairly revel in dirt and whisk-
.ers and outlandish garb, merely by
way of showing independence. In
Mexico, things are different. and when
Diaz ordered general cleanup, the
sovereign citizens Of the republic, free
and independent. hastened to obey.
Those too poor to obey the order were
provided with free baths, shaves, hair
cuts and laundried. Those who fail
to come up to the required standard
in the way Of personal cleanliness are
unceremoniously banished from view
by the police. Beggars who at other