The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1911-05-08
ALL OF THE DEMANDS or MA
DERo VIRTUALLY AccEpED
TO BY RULER.
TERMS OF The MANIFESTO
Presidents Offer to Step Down
Conditional on Peace Being Re-
stored-ProbabIe Successor.

City of Mexico, May Seen. Por-
firio Diaz last night issued a manifes-
to to the people of Mexico declaring
his intention to resign the presidency
as soon as peace is restored. In this
manner the president has virtually
acceded to the remands of Francisco
I. Madero that he make the announce
ment of such intention.
AS to when peace is actually restor-
ed General Diaz reserves the right to
be Judge. It will be, in the words Of
the manifesto, when his conscience
tells him that he will not leave his
country in archy."
The president declared that his de-
termination not to relinquish the
presidency at this time was not due
to vanity or love Of power, because,
as he pointed out, power at this time
had no attraction, accompanied as it
is by tremendous responsibilities and
worries. He said he was prompted
solely by desire to conserve the best
interests of his country.
The president made it clear that he
does not propose to abandon the presi-
dency while his country is at war and
that he would not do so at any time
under compulsion.
Terms Of Manifesto.
Il e. al cabinet meeting this
afternoon that General Diaz announc-
ed 60 his ministers his decision. For
and at the conclusion Of the meeting
there remained nothing to do but to
arrange for its official PRONUNCIATION.
Only in a general way does the
manifesto refer to the revolution. The
governments position is thai General
Diaz could not have nads public
statement at an earlier mo nent and 1t
is indicated that the rsvolutionists
failed to observe the amenities of the
peace negotiations by making them
public.
Prefacing the declaration of his
Willingness to retire, the president
discussed the political conditions OF
the country and the efforts that have
been made by the government to es-
tablish peace. He called attention to
the progress already made in the d.
rection of adopting the anti-election
law and declared that the project of
- he al
of the judiciary were being studied.
He showed further that the govern
ment in all its acts wished to conform
to the demands of the public insofar
as it is wise and for the best interests
of the country.
Regarding the point upon which the
rupture of negotiations occurred, the
manifesto declared that compliance
with the demand for Diaz's resigna-
ton could not be entertained for the
reason that his immediate resignation
would doubtless precipitate a condi-
ton of anarchy throughout the coun-
try, while on the other hand, if the re-
tirement was fixed for a future date,
the government would not have suffi-
cient stability to assume the return
to normal conditions pending the Sc
lection of new executive.
In concluding, Gneral Diaz appealed
to the patriotism of the people, calling
upon them to act together for the
peace and progress of the nation, and
eulogized the army.
May be De la 5arra.
At no place in the manifesto Is
there made mention of new election.
According to che constitution resigna-
ton is equivalent to death so far as
1t effects the succession. The vice
president would assume the executive
chair and he in turn would me follow
ed by the minister Of foreign affairs.
In this case the vice president is Sc
riously sick and is in Europe on an
eight months leave of absence in an
endeavor to regain his health Should
Vice President Corral not be back in
the country at the time the president
leaves his post, the new incumbent
would be Minister De La Barra, the
choice Of the rebels themselves, for
provisional president.