Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1911-05-26
new HEAD IN MEXICO
De Ia BARRA SUCCEEDS DIAz a.
PRECEDENT OF THE RE-
PUBLIC.
CABINET HAS BEEN NAMED
Victory Of Insurgents Led by Madero
Ends one-Man Ruie--Dlctator Re.
sIans Office He Has Held for Thin
" Years.

Mexico City, Mexico.-Mexico has
new president in the person Of
Minister of Foreign Relations De la
Barra. Porfirio Diaz, long president
Of the republic, laid down the scepter
Of Office and Vice-President Corral's
resignation is already IN. All the
members of the present cabinet will
quit.
Oflcial announcement was made
last night that, with the exception Of
the department Of justice, the new
cabinet had been agreed upon as fol.
lows:
Finance-Ernesto Madero.
Interior-Emilio Vasquez Gomez.
Instruction-Dr. Francisco Vasques
Gomez.
Fomento-Manuel Calero.
War-Gen. Eugenio Rascon.
Rafael Hernandez Madero will prob.
ably be agreed upon as the minister
of Justice. He was suggested by Ma
dero.
Ernesto Madero is the youngest man.
in the new cabinet, being only thirty.
five years old. He is president OF the
Bank of Nuevo Leon, in Monterey. He
Is an uncle OF Francisco l. Madero, Jr.,
and probably the wealthiest OF the Ma
dero family.
The announcement OF the resignation Of
Port1rio Diaz as president Of Mexico, not
| only marks his political death, but
| through the strange irony Of fate. colors
the close of thirty years of virtual sover-
eighty with the same blood red tints that
! marked his accession to the throne" OF
Mexico in 1877, when as popular idol,
| clothed with the romance OF brave deeds
! and bearing the standard OF political pur-
| ity. he marched into the same town where
| he now lies, burdened with years. beset
| with pain and surrounded by enemies. at
| the head of 1900 yelling poems, and took
| possession of the place vacated by Presi-
| dent Lerdo. whom he charged with prac-
| tically the same misdeeds that have been
| his own undoing.
Diaz, the hero of the poems. put himself
| at the head Of rebel army, defeated the
| federal forces with terrible slaughter and
| entered Mexico City with his triumphant
force An election was held and Dias
took the field against Juarez, was defeat
ed, and retired to private life. His ardent
spirit however could not remain long
at peace and soon he was again at the
head of band Of rebels operating against
his erstwhile friend, President Juarez.
Juarez died and was succeeded by Senior
Lerdo who put the rebel leader to flight
by concentrating a large army and NOV
ing steadily toward his stronghold. Dias
escaped to the United States, secreted
| himself aboard boat bound for Vera
| Cruz, was discovered. made prisoner, and,
on the eve Of sailing. plunged overheard.
In the meantime the vessel continued on
It's way to Vera Cruz. with Diaz secreted
in narrow closet, where he suffered
| agonies because of his cramped quarters.
| At Vera Cruz he bribed some boatmen to
] take him ashore and so turned lap In 40;
| very midst Of Lerdo's country. with
naught on his back but a ragged sailors
| suit and naught in his hands but sailors:
| dirk. Like Napoleon returning from Elba,i
| the appearance of Diaz in the country Of
| his birth was the signal for a great up
| rising. The Lerdo regime tottered as tho
| news Of his appearance became current
and, winning victory after victory, he
marched into the capital in 1867 at the
head Of 1900 men, the flag Of the republic
proudly flying over a sea Of flashing
bayonets. to be elected president a few
| weeks later.
This position he has held ever since,
with the exception Of four years, 1880 to-
| 1884, when General Gonzalez was given the
| Office because Mexico's constitution later
amended forebade the reelection of q
| president
AS president of Mexico, Diaz had laid
himself open to the criticism of the world.
| For thirty years he ruled republic with
oligarchic depotism. He has been called
in one breath, the country's savior and
a tyrant; he has been loved at home and
hated abroad: his policies have been laud-
ed and derided, and he himself has been
the object both the hero worship and the
anathemas Of the populace. Beyond a.
doubt both opinions are correct, to a cer-
tain extent. but only a Higher Pepper can
strike the balance that will tell whether
| he was hurt or hindrance to his coun-
try.
Although from time to time minor insur-
rections against this great Central Ameri-
can oligarchy were in evidence, all were
successfully dealt with till in the fall Of
last year, Senior Francesca I. Madero, Jr.,
OF Northern Mexico, backed by the Inn
mense wealth Of his family. commenced
the revolution that has led to the down
! fall Of Diaz. This movement, starting
with small uprising in the northern part
of Mexico. speedily developed till 1t seri-
ously menaced the Diaz regime. Town
| after town was taken. Battle after bat
tie won. Southern Mexico revolted and at
last with the fall Of Juarez, Diaz's cabi-
net, forseeing naught but defeat and fur
| Their bloodshed staring them In the face,
brought such pressure to bear upon the
| old and feeble ruler that he consented to
his resignation with its promise of peace.
| j. .