The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-05-05
Hexfcans Celebrate Battle of CincO de
 Mayo at Puebla

Mezzicans5 Of all factions will cele- braJte today one of the principal pa- triotic festivals of the so-calIed repub lic-tl1e fiesta of Cinco de Mayo, com ed by the Mexican forces against the French on May 5. 1862. ext to the sixteenth of September, which is Mex ican independence day, Cince de Mayo is the most popular of the state ho1- days of the turbulent country. Dur ing the Diaz regime the day was Sob- served with military pageants, saIutes, the rining of church bells, inapassion- ed oratory and general rnerrymaking.
 The battle of Cinco de Mayo, or the fifth of May, followed a condition of affairs very similar to that which has prevailed in the last few years. Dur ing the proceeding decade the country had been in a very unsettled state. and one dictator succeeded another in rapid succession. Arista resigned in 1858, and Santa Anna, after a struggle with other would-be leaders, made himself dictator. He was soon forced to abdfcate, and Carera enjoy ed a brief rule in 1855, but before the year had passed he had been suc- ceeded first by Alvarez and then by Gen. Coninnfort. In 1858 Comonfort was compelled to retire to private life and Gen. zu1oaga, by g coup a. etat, seized the reins of government. Benito
 
 man who had been vice-president, was declared to be the constitutional president and set up his capital in Vera Cruz. Zu1oaga abdicated, and Gen. Miramon assumed the role of the role of dictator in 1859, and wag- ed war on the Jaurez liberals. While civil WAT was raging, Zuloaga again came to the front and deposed Mira mon, but the latter soon returned to power, only to be defeated by Degol- 1ado. Jaurez finally triumphed and in 1861 entered Mexico City and was made dictator by Congress.
 In 1861 the Mexican congress de- eided to suspend payments to bond holders for two years, and re- ] suit the British, French and Spanish governme agreed to engage in hos tile operations against Mexico. Late l in 1861 a Spanish force captured Vera Cruz, and in 1862. a French military force and a British naval expedition arrived Great Britain and Spain soon 1 discovered that they had been made the tools of Napoleon III. in his plan l to establish a Mexican empire for Archduke Maxin1fl1ian of Austria The London and Madrid governme ents dfsa pproyed the scheme, and. con- vinced of the patriotism and sincerity of Berlfto Jaurez.. arranged a. peace and withdrew their forces.
 Napoleon III. was determined tc | take advantage or the American civil war to bring about the European oc- equation of Mexico. ana in the latter part of April. 1882. dispatched ar army into the interior At. Pueblo about midway between the coast and the capital, the invaders met a Mexi- can army under Gen. zaragoza. IT theb att1e which followed, on the fiftT of May, the French were repulsec and routed.
 Although the French returned tc the task. and, after capturing Puebla marched on to Mexico City and placed ENfaxini1ian upon his new throne, the moral effect of the great victory o1 l Cinco de Mayo continued to exert it. l effect throughout the war. After theil first triumph the Mexicans were of ten defeated. but they learned tha the invaders were not 1nvincib1e, ant they fought on until at last the French lwere driven out of the country ant the Austrian prince faced a. firing squad. Under the rule of Benitc Jaurez, the Indian statesman, Mexico flourished as never before.
 John Bunny, the famous movi