MEXICO 



3772 



MEXICO 



THE CITY OF PARRAL, 



Typical of the architecture of the interior towns of the republic, and interesting to Americans, as 

 the city was the southernmost point reached by the expedition of General Pershing. 



The Great Dictator. This title belongs by 

 right to Porfirio Diaz, who became President 

 in 1876. With his advent began the first period 

 of real development for Mexico. Under him 

 the government was not the weak, uncertain 

 affair that most of the Presidents had made it, 

 and peace, though founded upon fear, was 

 nevertheless a real thing for the first time since 

 the declaration of the republic. Since there 

 was a law which declared that a President 

 could not serve a second term, Diaz was not 

 reflected in 1880, but it became clear that he 

 was the man the country needed, and the laws 

 were changed to permit of his continuous re- 

 election. Until 1911 he held office, and a pros- 

 perity unknown before descended upon Mexico. 

 Industries were developed; foreign capital 

 poured into the country, since there was a 

 feeling that the government was strong enough 

 to protect it ; an educational policy was mapped 

 out ; everywhere new public buildings came into 

 being in a word, Mexico was in a fair way to 

 become a thriving, modern nation. 



Civil War. But the rule of Diaz, though be- 

 nevolent in the main, could not please every- 

 one, and late in 1910 a revolution, headed by 

 Francisco Madero, broke out. This resulted, 

 in the following year, in forcing Diaz to re- 

 sign and to flee to Europe, while Madero was 

 elected President. But the spirit of insurrec- 

 tion was in the air, revolts broke out on all 

 sides, one of which grew to such proportions 



as to compel the resignation of Madero and 

 his Vice-President early in 1913. Four days 

 after his resignation Madero was murdered, 

 and General Huerta, who had headed the re- 

 volt, became President. The United States 

 refused to recognize the government of Huerta, 

 and strained relations between the two coun- 

 tries ensued, but President Wilson proclaimed 

 a "watchful waiting" policy, and actual inter- 

 vention did not take place at that time. 



Here and there throughout the country revo- 

 lution and counter-revolutions were in progress, 

 Venustiano Carranza and Francisco Villa play- 

 ing specially important parts. To paraphrase 

 Kipling, it appeared that Mexico was rapidly 



INTERNATIONAL BRIDGE 

 The wooden structure between El Paso and 

 Juarez, over the Rio Grande. It has become 

 famous since relations between the two countries 

 were less cordial than formerly. 



drifting toward a condition where "Never a 

 law of God or man runs south of thirty-two." 

 The lives and property of citizens of other 

 countries living in Mexico were constantly be- 

 ing threatened, and in April, 1914, the arrest 



