File No. 812.032.
In this message the President deals, first, with Mexico’s foreign
relations and expresses the hope that the Pan American conference at
Buenos Aires will result in great benefit to the American Continent. He
observes that an agreement has been reached with the American Government
by which the long-standing Chamizal question is to be arbitrated; and he
mentions the fact that the growing commerce between Mexico and Germany
has necessitated the appointment of additional consular officers in the
latter country.
Passing from the business of foreign relations the President then takes
up consecutively matters concerning the departments of [Page 730] interior, justice, public instruction and
fine arts, fomento, communication and public works, finance, and war and
navy.
[Inclosure—Extracts.]
President’s message.
Foreign relations—Celebration of the
centennial.—The presence in our midst, in connection with
the celebration of the centenary of our independence, to which I but
now alluded, of distinguished special representatives of the foreign
nations with which Mexico has diplomatic relations, affords
unequivocal evidence that those relations are in every respect
cordial and satisfactory and that the efforts of our country for
years past have reaped their reward by winning for her at last that
place in the concert of nations to which she had long been entitled,
a result which, gratifying as it is, should make us resolve to carry
still higher the good name of the Republic.
Pan American conference.—On July 12 last,
according to agreement among the nations concerned, the Fourth
International Conference of American States convened at the city of
Buenos Aires, and its labors were prolonged into the second half of
the month of August. Time enough has not yet elapsed for the
resolutions of the conference to be known in detail, but, in view of
the spirit informing them and the acknowledged competence of the
delegates to the assembly, there is every reason to hope that those
resolutions will be highly beneficial to the countries of this
continent.
Treaty with Denmark.—A convention having for
its object the development of commercial relations between Mexico
and the Kingdom of Denmark was signed in this capital by duly
authorized plenipotentiaries on April 3 last. The convention in
question has already been approved by the senate and the
ratifications will shortly be exchanged.
Promulgation of Russian treaty.—The special
commercial convention between Mexico and the Russian Empire, to
which I referred in my message of April 1 last, was promulgated in
this capital on 22d of last June.
Postal convention with Italy.—The convention
concluded between Mexico and the Kingdom of Italy on December 4,
1909, for the direct exchange of postal parcels without declared
value, was in like manner promulgated on 21st of the last May.
Telegraphic convention with Belize.—The senate
was pleased to approve, on May 28 last, the convention negotiated
and signed in this capital by duly authorized plenipotentiaries on
27th of the same month of May, for the connection of the federal
telegraph lines of Mexico with the telegraph lines of British
Honduras.
Mexico at Edward VII’s funeral.—A special
mission, consisting of two ministers plenipotentiary, appointed to
represent the Government and people of Mexico at the funeral of King
Edward VII of England, discharged satisfactorily the duty assigned
to it.
Centennial commemorations abroad.—Instructions
have been conveyed to the legations of Mexico in foreign countries
to hold suitable celebrations in commemoration of the centenary of
our independence.
New consular act.—The Executive has presented
to the chamber of deputies a new consular bill, of which the
approval during the present period of sessions is to be desired, as
it will give a needed impetus to this important branch of the
administration.
New consuls in Germany.—The ever-growing
cordiality of the relations between Mexico and the German Empire has
necessitated an increase in the number of our consular
representatives in that Empire, and recently a new consul general
was appointed, on which occasion the former jurisdiction of our only
consul general hitherto residing in Germany, with headquarters at
the port of Hamburg, was divided into two.
Consular conventions.—Consular conventions are
being negotiated at the present time with Italy, Holland, and
Turkey.
The Chamizal arbitration.—Our ambassador in
the United States of America, acting under special instructions from
his Government, affixed his signature at Washington on June 24 last,
to a convention for the settlement by arbitration of the
long-standing, important, and delicate Chamizal question; and in
order that this convention may be carried out it will in due season
and according to constitutional precept, be submitted to the senate
for consideration and discussion.
The “bancos” of the Bravo River.—In the course
of the investigations which the International Boundary Commission
has been conducting in the lower Bravo River, 23 new “bancos” were
found, which will be dealt with according to the stipulations [Page 731] of the convention between
Mexico and the United States of March 20, 1905, for the elimination
of such “bancos” in the Bravo and Colorado Rivers.
International bridge convention.—A convention
was signed in this city on August 9 last, by the minister of foreign
relations and the minister plenipotentiary of the Republic of
Guatemala, for the erection of an international bridge over the
Suchiate River; and this convention will also, for constitutional
purposes, be referred to the senate.
The centennial celebration.—The executive
considered that the first centenary of the proclamation of our
independence should be commemorated with due pomp and solemnity, and
to this end not only was a national centennial commission appointed
to organize a series of festivities and to designate local
committees throughout the Republic for the same purpose, but
numerous entertainments and ceremonies have been arranged under
official auspices, including the dedication of important
institutions, edifices, public improvements, and monuments of art.
The great monument of independence was dedicated to-day, and the
monument erected in honor of Juarez will be dedicated shortly.
