Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-09-13
GIL IS TO Be
MEXICAN HEAD


MEXICO CITY. Sept. is.-Emilo
Portes Gil, called BY President Gales
to occupy tbs portfolio Of secretary
of state in the emergency created BY
the assassination OF President-elect
Oregon, will be selected BY the ma
tional congress as provisional presi-
dent for the time which lapses be-
tween midnight Nov. 80, when the
term Of President Gales automatic
ally expires, and the date when a
new constitutional president for a
six-year term is elected and takes Of
flee. !.
President Gales answered the call
on him 70 remain in office IN has
message at the opening of congress
and made il clear beyond q doubt
that under no circumstances, n at
no time would he again aspire 70 the
presidency. While he did not say so
in 80 many words, he pointed out 70
the nation the desirability Of get
ting away from the idea Of person
alities and political leaders read be-
tween the, lines that the president
would look with favor on the selec-
tion os some one who did not write
general" before his name 70 fill IN
the provisional presidency. rms
pointed inevitably to Secretary Por-
Deputy Miguel Z. Yanez, was
made president of the congress ma
ioritv bloe and Deputy Marie K
Gomez became majority floor leader
IN the chamber. He ome from
Tamaulipas, of which Secretary
Portes Gil when congress meets IN
electoral college TO pass on the last
elections and to solve the quanaary
brought up by the assassination OF
General 0bregon.
Secretary Portes Gil fulfills as
probably no other man prominent IN
public life in Mexico today, the re-
quirements Of the moment
He is an attorney by profession.
Coming from q family. in very modest
circumstances, he paid ms way
through the law school OF the nation
al university by working as . clerk
in one of the minor courts
He was identified with. the revoiu-
fionary movement from the start. AS
g member Of the Chamber Of Dep
uties, he was identified with the
progressive group but was noted Tor
his serenity and freedom from ora
torical pedantry.
His election TO the goverucrshtp OF
Tamaulipas, in which he was about TO
complete a four year term ~nen
called To his present. post, he distln-
guished himself by. being a trleno
10 all factions without becoming a
uartisan Of any. He was an ardent
supporter Of organized labor and was
instrumental in the organization OF
manv labor cooperatives IN the state,
without becoming q laborite. He took
the keenest possible interest. N 2
agricultural development as Il al
fected the small land owner without
becoming an agrarian.
This state offered him an exception
opportunity for a board national
international experience. Included
within its limits ia the Port Of Tam
pico. the largest petroleum export
Ing mort in Mexico, and there he came
IN contact with the leaders in the
petroleum field. AS the second port
az the country, the activities Of Tam
pico are not confined TO petroleum
and the problems which IT presented
were many and varied.
Tamaulipas borders on the United
States and takes in all Of the Mex
iean side Of the Lower Rio Grance
Valley from Nuevo Laredo to the
Gulf Of Mexico. This brought under
his jurisdiction. the largest border
ports Of entry, Nuevo Laredo and
Matamoros. and his contact with
American authorities n business
interests was always most sa~tisfae-
tory. This experience is expected to
prove particularly useful in future.
Secretary Portes Gil personally
drafted and secured the passage OF the
~so-called "dry law" Of Tamaulipas.
This was intended to act as a protec-
ton TO the laboring and farming
classes and prohibits the sale Of in
~toxicating liquor within. q certain
rumber 81 miles Of any town having
communal lands by federal grant and
in the industrial eenters. The law
a a been rigidIy enforced and has
been generally beneficial Persons
violating this law were gently but
firmly invited to remove themselves
from the limits Of the state and not
To return.