Mexico of Today 



155 



whole couiatr3\" In other words, they 

 are sufficient!}^ enlightened to avail 

 themselves of the reasonable liberty 

 given by the constitution to administer 

 their internal affairs, and remember that 

 they are only members of that great 

 body called the Mexican Republic, the 

 only sovereign in the true and correct 

 sense of the word. 



The board of health is a branch of 

 this department, and the Federal Ex- 

 ecutive and all the States devote to it 

 special attention. In the Cit}' of Mex- 

 ico a general hospital will be completed 

 very soon, where 22 isolated pavilions 

 have already been finished and where 

 more than 600 patients can be connnodi- 

 ously, hygienically, and scientifically 

 cared for. 



The States have followed this ex- 

 ample, and many of them have finished 

 or have in actual construction similar 

 institutions based upon the same scien- 

 tific principles. 



The efficacy of the measures taken b}^ 

 the board of health in regard to vacci- 

 nation and the prevention of smallpox 

 has received the amplest confirmation 

 from experience. In 1898 an epidemic 

 of smallpox broke out in different parts 

 of the country and in the City of Mex- 

 ico. The total number of deaths was only 

 78, the great majority being foreigners, 

 who had not taken the precaution of 

 being revaccinated. 



We have another institution in excel- 

 lent condition in the Federal district ; 

 that is the police. The whole force is 

 divided in two large sections — the city or 

 urban and the country or rural police. 



The greater part of the first consist 

 of footmen, with a small squadron of 

 mounted police, while the second or 

 rural police is exclusively composed of 

 mounted men. 



The distribution of the city police is, 

 in the opinion of many natives and for- 

 eigners, perfectly organized for public 

 protection. There is alwaj's a police- 

 man stationed at the crossing of ever}^ 



street and avenue, and misdemeanors 

 and crimes can often be prevented and 

 the criminals almost always caught. In 

 general, the policemen are courteous 

 and ready, not only to help when called, 

 but to give an}- information about streets 

 and public buildings — in a word, to be 

 useful to ever3^body. The services ren- 

 dered are entirel}^ gratuitous, and nian}^ 

 persons, especially foreigners, who with 

 the best intention have tried to. give 

 them a voluntary reward for the recov- 

 er}^ of lost goods, can testify that the 

 reward has never been accepted in any 

 form. General Diaz in his last report 

 makes the important observation that 

 well-made statistical tables prove that 

 it is not criminality that has increased, 

 but rather the efficiency of the police. 



The rural police, who guard the roads 

 of the country in general, are formed 

 exclusively by mounted men picked 

 from the best riders of the Republic and 

 are mounted on splendid horses. This 

 force, by reason of their efficiency and 

 beautiful appearance, always attract the 

 attention of the spectators. 



Places for the correction and punish- 

 ment of criminals, or penitentiaries, are 

 being built throughout the Republic ac- 

 cording to the systems proven best by 

 experience, and are all founded upon 

 the philosophical and truly Christian 

 idea that society, when it takes hold of 

 a criminal, does not intend to wreak 

 vengeance on him, but to prevent him 

 from repeating his offensive acts and to 

 reform and convert him by every possi- 

 ble means into a good and honest citizen, 

 and, at the same time, to deter others 

 from following his example. 



Let us now glance briefl}^ over two of 

 the most important foundations of an}^ 

 societ}^, and, more especially, of a Re- 

 public — the department of justice and 

 public education. 



The P'ederal and State authorities are 

 continually trying to perfect the admin- 

 istration of justice and to elect able and 

 honest citizens to the judgeships. (3ur 



