The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1914-10-27

Out of Office by Madero Revolution
In 1911.
General Porfirio Diaz was the leading ,
figure in Mexican life and history In I
the closing quarter of the nineteenth +
century and the first decade of the !
twentieth. He was more than a Mex
lean figure; his fame was interna ton |
al. Even in quarters in which his die |
tatorship of a nominal republic was
disapproved his forceful qualities COM
manded general attention and admira- |
| ton.
After a stormy career In the army
and politics in the chaotic conditions
| in Mexico in the middle of the nine
teenth century Porfirio Diaz. a man
OF mixed Spanish and Indian descent.
became president of Mexico In 1876.
With the exception of the four years
between 1880 and 1884 and In defiance
of the provision of the Mexican consti-
tuition which forbids the reelection of
a president he ruled the country con-
tinuously until 1911. Then he was
driven from power by the Madero rev.
olution and sought refuge in France.
The time since June, 1911, until the
present has been spent by Diaz In Eu-
rope and Egypt
Diaz developed a sound mind In a
vigorous, healthy body and even in old
age was strong and remarkably well
preserved man. At the age of seventy
he visited the gymnasium of the Ma
tional Military academy at Chapulte
pee one day, and. after watching the
work of the cadets for some time with
keen interest. he swung on to a rope
and climbed thirty feet or more hand
over hand as spryly as any of them.
Sliding down easily, he said. Now.
boys, see to 1t that you SO live that
when you are my age you can do rs
we'll" He exercised daily, taking n
morning horseback ride and a walk
later In the day. He loved horses and
was a splendid horseman. He was fond
of hunting and other sports.
Diax's Stormy Earlier Career.
Diaz was patriotic enough to be
born on the anniversary of Mexican in
dependence, namely. on Sept. Is. 1880
His father was a Spaniard. but on his
mothers side there is q drop of Indian
blood. His mother intended to educate
him for a priest but to her great grief
he chose rather the law. This estranget
= his parents, so he was obliged to carr
his own education.
t At seventeen he enlisted for the wal
Q against the United States, but he wa:
n obliged, to his disgust, to serve as {
V home guard" Better than moth
AZ
en- to these militiamen by the Mexican
. peasants.
His first taste of real warfare wa
when he enlisted under the banner o
Herrera against the usurper, SAINT
Ana. He was the only student In hi
school who had the courage to TAX
. sides against the dictator then In pow
er. The revolution was won. and Dia
~ was rewarded with the mayoralty o
u the town of Ixtlan. There, by his ow
y unaided efforts, he organized the hal
a naked Indian boys into a body of Ell
re fective militia. These soldiers Dia
of soon bad occasion to use In his nativ
at town of Oaxaca. where an adventure
IS named Garcia started rebellion. Dia
\ marched his Indian ragamuffins t
Oaxaca and frightened Garcia into b,
= ing good. Garcia broke faith. and the
~ Diaz captured the town. For this sor'
or ice the president offered him a MOI
Id ey reward. which the young patric
e declined.
He also refused to accept a law d
gree rendered to him by Juarez. tt
conqueror of Emperor Macmillan. pr
to ferring to earn the honor by spendir
NO two more years in study.
ar Then, during Tejada's administratic
an followed Diaz's own fight for powe
which. after several early discourag
ments, was crowned with complete su
lis cess.
Fai President Diax Closely Guarded.
~ Throughout his long rule In Mexi
Ids President Diaz took few chances wi
PTS assassins. despite his personal drawer
rs, 1.-The shooting of our American pre-
ce dents," said an American traveller I
it turned from Mexico, would not ha'
he been possible in Mexico. count
IL where attempted assassination Is o.
Of the expected incidents of COVER
ment. President Diaz never takes
~ walk on the street or in any pub
I'VE place without secret service N
ous watching over him. Nobody with
ass hand wrapped up or with his hand
,dy his pocket could approach him witho
ion being stopped. One morning a lar
oas man carrying heavy cane was pa
ing him on the street. A detecti
brushed against the man as Ii by &C
dent and knocked the cane out of
hand. He picked 1t up and return
1t to the man with profuse apologi
but while he had the cane In his han
da- he gave the head a turn and a pull
pig satisfy himself that 1T was not a swo
III cane. Another time an old woman c.
-, rying a basket on her arm was ST.
ped because her hand was conceal