Show PRESIDENT DIAZ thim THE fact that there is a colony of latter day saints embracing a number of thriving settlements in mexico will lend somewhat of a local interest to the following sketch taken from an exchange of the present president or of that republic the president of mexico is quite well known in this country for many years past gen porfillo Por firlo diaz has been the foremost citizen of mexico his popularity at home and the fame he enjoys abroad have made hla his name familiar in the united states as the regenerator regen arador er ador of a country which by its wonderful natural resources is entitled to a high place among the family of nations anyone acquainted with the condition of mexico fifteen years ago and with the present state of affairs cannot but acknowledge the great progress achieved by mexico during the intervening years and give credit to president diaz above all others for the establishment lish ment and maintenance of that peace and order which have enabled the country to reach its present state of prosperity gen diaz says the new york tribune is regarded by his countrymen aa a the best president that mexico has ever had when in 1887 he assumed the government for the first time the country was bankrupt mining and agriculture were almost paralyzed revolutions and disorders jeopardizing the lives and property of peaceful citizens were of frequent occurrence in a word all was chaos and confusion he started by applying energetic remedies to all these evils punishing the promoters of bevz revolutions tlona wherever they appeared and in a few years succeeded in completely chushin crushing 9 the lawless spirit in mexico once this accomplished he turned his attention to the economical and commercial interests of his bis country the career of president diaz is 18 remarkable at the age of eighteen after securing a common school the began the study of law but when almost ready to be admitted to the bar enlisted in the national guard of Oaxaca and went to the front to oppose the tyrannical government of the dictator santa anna from the beginning his military record was spotless to this he added a series of very lucky and successful victories against the enemies of the liberty and integrity of his country during the war with france which led to the crowning of maximilian of austria as s em emperor eror of mexico he distinguished himself himself and became one of the leading generals of the republican army and the most moat respected by the soldiers of napoleon III when the republic was restored he retired to private life in his country residence of ila la noria near the city of oaxaca refusing all the honors which he ahe government of juarez was anxious to confer upon him nevertheless during his retirement his name was twice brought before the mexican peo people ae aa a presidential candidate but was defeated both times bs b juarez and by lerdo de tejada in 1887 the people who longed to reward the man who had done more than anybody else to crush the empire of Maximilian elected general diaz president by a big majority but after some juggling of votes he was deprived of the trust conferred on him by the people and lordo lerdo de tejada was declared elected reelected re by the partisan mexican congress then assembled this led to a 4 popular revola bioni tion which proving successful placed general diaz in the presidential chair up to that time he was known as a successful soldier nobody dreamed that he should develop into a statesman of the modern type such stich proved to be the case the energy and executive ability which he displayed during his first presidential term reflect much credit upon him as a statesman and a patriot patriot in 1880 he retires retired to private life to giveaway give his successor gen manuel gonzales he did not remain a private citizen very long as a year after he left the presidency his native state of oaxaca unanimously elected him governor which cehe celie held until called again by the people to serve a second presidential term from 84 to 88 the constitution of mexico prohibited the immediate reelection election re to the presidency but the mexican congress in 1887 thinking the continuance of president diaz in power almost a necessity repealed that clause and permitted him to bold a second consecutive term this action of the t e mexican congress met with the full approval of f he people because the question ol of retaining gen diaz and the distinguished men whom he had bad called to serve as his cabinet was of vital importance to the whole country for its contin aed peace and prosperity y |