The Snyder signal. (Snyder, Tex.) 1887-????, 1913-11-07
PORFIRIO DIAZ'S LONG WAIT e :

cal questions by resort to arms. Besides, in
their colonial state they had not enjoyed IN
any degree the local self-government OF the
British American colonies, and not until edu-
cation is more generally diffused among the
masses may we reasonably expect those coun-
tries to be ruled through the exercise OF the
electoral franchise
"The insecurity Of life and property which
] found on first going TO Mexico existed pos
slbly in more aggravated form throughout
the country during the term of President
Lerdo. AT no time was it free from some kind
of revolution, local or general. While
President Lerdo made excursions through
different parts of the country and cited these
as evidence that peace at last relgned
throughout the republic, he seemed obhvious
of the large cavalry escort which constantly
accompanied him and of tine army of guards
which were on duty at every town and village
through which he passed.
The railroad trains always contained one
or more cars loaded with armed soldiers.
The haciendados did not venture off their es-
tates without an armed guard and the richest
of them lived i'm the cities for their personal
safety. Every man of importance travelling
on the roads went armed 10 the teeth and
the bullion trains which brought the gold and
silver from the mines were always heavily
protected by guards"
in 1867 and had gained great popularity in
the war against the French. His partlsans
protested against the candidacy of Juarcz I'm
1877 and Ierdo also declared his opposition
I'm the election none of the three candidates
had a majority upon the returns and the
choice devolyed upon congress, which dc.
cared .Iuaroz president When Juarez ran
n second time his Inauguration was followed
bv n pronunciamcntO by DlaZ declaring ms
election illegal and void because he had pre-
vented a fair expression Of the popular will
bv force and official intimidation, and Dlaz
took no arms with the battle cry of NO re
electionp Terdo's partisaus throughout the
country followed the example of Dlaz, al.
though Lerdo did not leave the capital and
took no open part i'm the revolt. The whole
nation was turned into an armed camp and
bloody battles occurred between the govern
ment troons and the revoutionist- m many
sections of the country. The situation in
dicaied the triumph Of Daz when in 1872
.Tuarcz died suddenly of an attack OF apo
"Rv an agreement between Lerdo, who
was vice president, and Diaz. the former rs,
sumed the presidency and an election resulted
i'm his choice for the constitutional term o.
four wears. Diaz living i'm retirement In
1o-5 when Lerdo's term was expiring. con
rress conferred upon him what was termed
sevtraordinarv faculties the effect OF
which was to suspend the legislative power
and make him a dictator
ain January. 1876 the partisans of DlaZ
revolted and the entire country was again m
fhe throcs of a revolution even more wide
'snread than the revolution of 1871 against
Juarez. In April. 1876 ] reported 10 the de
nartment of state that martial law had been
proclaimed in almost an the important states
and tbev were I'm n state of siege that the
president was resorting 10 forced loans 10 re-
nienish the treasury and mt down the rebel
lion. that the railroad 10 Vera Cruz had been
DESTROYED at different points bv the revolu.
tionists and traffic suspended for more than
a month mast: that mail communication with
Inc seanort and interior was uncertain and
difficult: that the diigences were detained
and robbed in all directions, and that travel
throughout the country was greatly inter
rupted and dangerous.
Diaz made his headquarters at Brownsville
ON the American side Of the Rio Grande
which the Ierdo government complained Of
at Washington as an infringement Of hospi-
falitv and abuse Of American territory
Diaz then Joined his partisans, but was de
feated bv the government forces and again