Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Address of the President to Congress December 8, 1914

File No. 812.63/22.

[Untitled]

No. 43.

Brazilian Legation,
Mexico City , September 29, 1914 .

Sir: Confirming my September 28, I have the honor to enclose herewith a translation of the decree of August 29 ultimo, relative to the mining titles and other proceedings which were started during the past administration, but all of which are now declared null and void by the past [present] Government. I have also enclosed in the above mentioned translation, the rulings which the Department of Fomento has issued to mining agents, throughout the country, and by which they should be guided in order to revalidate the applications so presented. These rulings give all the information necessary as to the mode of procedure now necessary to obtain the titles of such mining lands as were applied for during the past administration.

We await the instructions of the Department in regard to the course we should follow with regard to American interests as the decree will create great trouble and will be the source of heavy expense to interested persons.

With assurances [etc.]

J. M. Cardoso de Oliveira

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[Inclosure—Translation.]

Circular No. 1.

Department of Fomento.

In order to carry out the dispositions of the decree issued by the First Chief of the Constitutionalist Army, in charge of the Executive, by which decree are declared null and void all the acts of officers, powers, or institutions that took place during the time that such authorities exercised usurped an unconstitutional power (that is from the 19th of February 1913 to the 15th of August last) all denouncements, rectifications, reductions, titles issued, and, in fact, all acts executed within the mining branch, by the mining agencies of this Republic, or by this Department, are hereby declared null and void.

As a matter of equity all interested persons are hereby granted sixty days from date, during which term they may make application to the mining agents to revalidate proceedings or for issuance of new titles, under caution that on the expiration of said term, without having taken such steps, the land will be considered as free and denounceable by any interested person. Before said term expires mining agents shall accept no other applications for the same land, but those of the interested persons.

In the applications made before mining agents relative to revalidating proceedings of denouncements of mining claims, the same provisions and rulings required by the mining law now in effect shall be observed; interested parties shall furnish the mining agencies with accurate reference to the number given to the proceedings (expediente) starting at the time when they made such applications for the mining lands. Interested persons are also entitled to ask that such plans of the ground as may have been presented before, be accepted, for the new denouncement.

In all new applications made to replace those now declared null and void, interested persons shall be required to make a new deposit at the rate of ($5.00 per hectare) to cover the stamp tax for the new title.

Mining agents will deliver to interested parties within three days from the date on which the new application is presented, an abstract of same, so that the applicant, for his own account and risk may cause such abstract to be published, within the following 30 days, and to appear once, in the official paper of the respective state or territory.

Mining agents are entitled to receive fees for these new applications for revalidation of proceedings, at the rates followed by the mining law.

The acts and resolutions of mining agents and other authorities appointed by the Constitutionalist Government, shall remain legal and in full force.

Mexico , September 3, 1914 .

Pastor Rouaix

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