Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1916-09-15

- IUDAD JUAREZ, the scene OF
the recent important events in
connection with the trouble
with Mexico. is situated on the
right bank of the Rio Grande, direct
ly opposite Ell Paso, Tex, and 1928
miles north of Mexico City. The
very name of the city of Juarez sug-
gests noteworthy events in the history
of the southern republic, and the con-
ferences which have been held there
recently by the representatives of the
military forces Of both the American
and Mexican governments add another
interesting chapter to the community's
annals, says the National Geographic
society bulletin.
For more than 200 years Juarez was
known as FL Paso del Norte (the pass
of the North), and it was not until
1885 that the city was renamed in hon
or of one of Mexico's greatest states
men and patriots, BenitO Juarez, who
established his capital here during the
troublous times when Napoleon LII of
France was abetting the ill-fated Max
imilian in his effort to found an en-
pire in the western hemisphere.
Juarez, a full-bloOded Zapotec Indi-
an, born in an obscure village near
Oaxaca. succeeded to the presidency
of Mexico when Comonfort, weary Of
the internal strife. "quit the job" and
went to the United States, leaving af-
fairs in the hands of his chief justice.
Immediately Juarez was embroiled in
civil war by the assumption of the ex-
ecutive office by Zuloaga. 1t was
while trying to displace his rival that
the Indian patriot endeavored to bor-
row money from the United States
and, as a part of the bargain, he
agreed to a treaty the terms of which
brought forth a storm Of protest from
England and France. By this treaty,
which was never ratified. the United
States was to have a perpetual and un-
restricted passage across both the
Isthmus Of Tehuantepec and the north
ern states of Mexico, and the right to
employ American troops to enforce
these rights as well as to protect
American citizens against levies and
loans.
Start of Maximilian's Attempt.
A short time later Juarez precipi.
tated an international crisis by his de-
cision to suspend for two years the
payment of interest on the national
debt. England, Spain and France sent
fleets to Vera Cruz to force payment
but England and Spain soon withdrew
while France, her soldiers once ON
Mexican soil, decided to press hel
claims, and gradually NapOleon's
scheme for a western empire began to
assume definite form. His scheme
eventuated in the abortive attempt to
establish Archduke Macmillan of Aus
tria on the throne of the MOntezunaAs
It was during the famous defense OF
the city of Puebla against the invad
ing French army that a young Mexi
can soldier, who was to become the
most conspicuous figure in the history
of modern Mexico, distinguished him
self by his bravery and his exception.
nj powers OF leadership. This young
hero was Porfirio Diaz, now known tc
fame as "the strong man OF Mexico
II was in the center of the interna'
tional bridge which connects Juarez
and Ell Paso that President Taft and
President Diaz Che who had been
Juarez's military right hand) met In
1910. upon the occasion Of the cen
tenary celebration Of Mexican inde-
pendence.
The traveller who passes through FL
Paso on his way to Juarez may choose
any OF four times by which to set his
watch-Central, Mountain, Pacific and
Mexican. Mountain time is an hour
slower than Central, while Pacific is
an hour slower and Mexican is "a
minutes faster than Mountain.
Famed for Its Bull Fights.
On account Of its bull fights and coci
fights, Juarez has long been a city OF
feast-day pilgrimage for Americans ir
search of a new sensation. The Span
iards, who became addicted to the bull
fight habit in the twelfth century, dur
ing the occupation Of the Iberian pen
insula by the Moors, introduced this
sport into Mexico shortly after theil
overthrow Of the Aztecs. The fights
in Juarez are not so elaborately staged
as those In Mexico City, for native
bulls are used customarily. and these
have not the ferocity of the animals
imported by the capital from Andal
usia at a cost, frequently, Of $1,00(
! (Mexican) each.
On important bull-fight days tn,
population Of Juarez tops the -10,O0(
mark. while there is a relative TEN
porary decrease In the size Of the nfti