No. 368.
Mr. Foster
to Mr. Evarts.
Mexico, September 24, 1879. (Received October 14.)
Sir: In my No. 1029 of the 17th instant I transmitted the address of President Diaz at the opening of Congress. This document has been commented upon by the press quite generally, and the prevailing sentiment of the public is favorable to the executive statement of political affairs, and of the condition of the country.
The present administration has been in power for near three years, and even its enemies are forced to confess that it has been successful in its general results. Coming into power by revolutionary means and by the forcible overthrow of the constitutional government, it was to be anticipated that it would be subject to similar attacks, and that its own existence might be terminated by conspiracy. But thus far all attempts at counter revolution (and there have been several) have been futile and never have assumed a threatening aspect. * * *
The general authority of the federal government has been as fully maintained and respected as under previous administrations.
The great embarrassment with which the executive has had to contend has been, and continues, the poverty of the federal treasury. While the expenses have increased, mainly owing to the large regular army, the resources of the government have considerably decreased. The deficit has been mainly borne by the department of public works and the executive branches, the army, the judiciary, and the legislative powers having had preference in the disbursements, especially the army. Considering the depressed condition of all industries, and the straitened condition of the treasury, it is highly creditable to the existing administration that it has been able to maintain a reasonable degree of peace, and carry on the government without resorting to extraordinary contributions or forced loans.
Its success is to be attributed, in a great measure, to the personal qualities of President Diaz. Probably no other individual in the republic could so fully have controlled the turbulent and discontented elements of his own revolutionary party, or have inspired so much fear in the ranks of his opponents.
This fact is so generally recognized that there has been a strong influence within his own party insisting upon his re-election or continuance in power. Notwithstanding this influence General Diaz has declared, in the most solemn manner, as you have seen by his address to Congress, that he will never accept a candidacy for re-election. It is, therefore, to be feared that when the time approaches for his presidential successor to be chosen the country may again be thrown into disorder, if not, as many think, into anarchy.
Another hopeful feature of the present administration is shown in the President’s address. The nation has for some years past been almost [Page 838] without foreign credit, and hence very little capital has been available from abroad for public improvements. But as better means of communication are recognized as the first and great need of the country, the different localities have, with some degree of diligence, aided by the federal government, set to work to do something themselves to remedy this defect, and various lines of railroads have been projected and are in course of construction. A considerable portion is for tramways, and all are somewhat cheaply built, it is true, but the amount of work which has been done indicates progress, and if peace and order could be assured would presage a better future for the country.
I have, &c.,