Chapter VII: The Cabinet

General Porfirio Diaz has been elected and inaugurated to his eighth term of the presidency. This is something unprecedented in the history of republics. He has surrounded himself with honorable and judicious ministers of his Cabinet, who have devoted their entire lives to the interests of their country. At the expiration of their term it is the custom for the Cabinet to resign in a body, leaving the selection of a new Cabinet to the president. This is a delicate and courteous custom that would relieve the head of the nation from an embarrassing position, but with the exception of some changes in the Department of War and Navy, the same ministers have remained in office unless ill health has forced their resignation, or death intervened. The Secretary of State sends in his resignation through the sub-Secretary of his department, but all the others tender theirs through the Secretary of Foreign Affairs. To these letters the president replies that their resignations are not accepted, and begs their co-operation in the public administration. This is but another proof of his statesmanship, as each of his ministers is carefully chosen with a view to his fitness for the work entrusted to his judgment and abilities.

The Cabinet consists of eight Secretaries: the Secretary of State (Foreign Affairs), the Secretary of Finance, the Secretary of Public Works, the Secretary of Industry and Colonization, the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Justice, the Secretary of Public Instruction and Fine Art, and the Secretary of War and Marine.

These members of the Cabinet must be native born Mexicans, and the Minister of War must be a soldier holding distinguished military rank and record. The office of Vice-President was created in 1904. Before that time the Secretary of Foreign Affairs stood next in rank to the President. Señor Don Ramón Corral has the distinction of being Mexico’s first Vice-President and is one of the progressive spirits of Mexico. For many years he was Governor of the State of Sonora and is regarded by the people of that State with great respect and affection. He did many things while Governor to merit their kindly regard, and his integrity of purpose and wise supervision of the affairs of the State of Sonora attracted the attention of Mexico to him, and he now holds the distinctive position of being a great factor in the affairs of the Republic.

During the Centennial Celebration he was the head of the Commission which accomplished so many great things for the entertainment of foreign envoys to the capital. He is a quiet but shrewd man and, unlike most Vice-Presidents of republics, he has a great power in the affairs of the State, and in his high office he brings to bear his rigorous and unquestioned talent. He speaks French and English perfectly and is a friend to all foreigners who have occasion to invoke his aid.

The Ministry of the Interior has charge of general elections, relations with the Federal Congress, Citizens’ Rights, Police, Public Health and Immigration, Federal District and Territories, the National Guard in the Federal District, all hospitals, public buildings, national festivities and the Government Printing Office. Señor Corral is the Minister of Interior as well as Vice-President and Speaker of the Senate.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has charge of all relations with foreign countries, treaties and diplomatic affairs, boundary questions, the naturalization and rights of foreigners, the National Archives, the arrangement of ceremonies, and is custodian of the Grand Seal of the nation. This seat was held for nearly half a century by Señor Licenciado Don Ignacio Mariscal until April 16, 1910, when Mexico sustained a great loss in the death of so noble a man. He had served his country and his President faithfully, and besides being a diplomat of great talent he was a brilliant litterateur and his poems are widely read and loved.

Señor Don Enrique C. Creel, Governor of the State of Chihuahua and former ambassador for Mexico to the United States, succeeded him. Señor Creel has long been noted as a great statesman. His brilliant mind and diplomatic tact have already demonstrated the wisdom of selecting him for so important a post.

The Department of Finance, Public Credit and Commerce has charge of taxation, customs tariff, commerce, national prosperity, loans and public debt, the valuation of lands and the budget.

Señor José Yves Limantour, the Secretary of Finance, has an international reputation as a great financier. He has been in the political life of the republic since 1893, and during that time he has safely engineered financial feats that have surprised and enlightened the world. He is a man of very strong personality. One might call him unsympathetic, not knowing that his wonderful reserve is merely a part of his education, but a closer acquaintance with him draws out many characteristics of his remarkably strong nature. He has been sent to Europe on many diplomatic errands, and has always succeeded in showing the financial powers abroad his wonderful accomplishments and strength as a man of diplomacy and political wisdom. He was born in Mexico of French parents in 1853, and his education while a boy was gained in the best home schools and in travels abroad. He graduated from the School of Jurisprudence and has fulfilled more important missions abroad than any official in Mexico.

The Department of Communications and Public Works has charge of the interior mail service, telegraph and telephone lines, postal union, railways, port-works, all public improvements and the drainage of the Valley of Mexico.

Señor Ingeniero Don Leandro Fernández, whose brilliant career as a civil engineer won him this important position in the Cabinet, has made a life study of all engineering questions and his travels abroad in the interest of his work have given him a great experience. He was formerly the Governor of Durango and made a great name for himself in the important office he held in that State.

The Department of Public Instruction and Fine Art has charge of all matters pertaining to education in the Federal District and all territories, the Academy of Fine Arts, the Conservatory of Music and Elocution, Arts and Crafts, Commercial College and all future educational institutions, all normal schools, copyrights, museums and libraries, archæological and historical monuments, encouragement of culture, art and science, and all conventions of this nature.

Señor Justo Sierra, Minister of Public Instruction, is one of Mexico’s literary men. His beautiful poems are widely read. In 1905, Señor Sierra took his seat in the Cabinet and has held his position with dignity and honor, and all educational interests have in him an able administrator. He was the Secretary of Justice before he became the Minister of Education. Speaking many languages, his magnificent personality and bearing make him a great favorite in Mexico.

The Department of Fomento includes all matters relative to agriculture, vacant lands, colonization, agricultural colleges, trade marks, patents, weights and measures, observatories, survey, making of maps and all industrial, agricultural or mining statistics.

This office is held by Señor Licenciado Olegario Molina, who was Governor of Yucatán until he was called to the Cabinet three years ago. He has shown himself able and has aided much in the development of his country’s welfare since taking his seat. He was born in Campeche in 1843, and has been identified with all the commercial progress of Yucatán, having been Governor of that State, and under his able generalship much was done toward the rapid advancement which has marked Yucatán within the past decade. He has borne his great dignity with intelligence and discrimination and is regarded as a wise administrator.

Señor Cosío, the Minister of War and Marine, was born in the State of Zacatecas, and, besides having occupied the position of governor of that State and that of congressman and senator, he displayed great ability as mayor of the City of Mexico. He is one of the most popular men of the Cabinet.

There is quite a romantic episode in the life of General Cosío. During the Civil War of the United States he was in New York in company with two other young officers, destitute, but anxious to return to Mexico to fight for his country against the French. None of the three had enough money to take him back, so they decided that one of them should be selected by lot and enlist in the army of the United States, obtain the eight hundred dollars in greenbacks which were given as bounty to each enlisting man at that time, and give the money to the other two to go back to Mexico and fight for their country.

The lot fell to Cosío, who was on the point of presenting himself at headquarters in New York and enlisting in the army so that his two companions could go back to Mexico with the money thus obtained, when General Mejía arrived in New York. He was visited by the three young officers and acquainted with their intention, and he gave them all passage-money and sent them back to Mexico as commissioned officers. Thus it was that instead of fighting for the American Union, as Cosío came very near doing, he battled for his own country until the French were banished from Mexico. The popularity of General Cosío is unquestioned. He is a man of large intelligence, long experience in civil affairs, and proved capacity. A man who has fought in revolutions, won distinction for gallantry in the war against the empire, suffered imprisonment in France as an incident of that conflict, served twice as governor of Zacatecas, been a deputy and a senator in the Federal Congress, and for ten years held the most conspicuous place in the municipal council of the City of Mexico, is surely qualified to hold an important ministry in a great country.

The War and Marine Department controls a standing army, navy and merchant marine, the National Guard, Military Legislation, Military Justice, Pardons, Naval and Military Schools, Hospitals, Fortresses, Warlike Indian Tribes and Military Colonies.

General Manuel González Cosío is a war veteran and has given his life to the service of his country. He was Secretary of the Interior before his appointment to the War Department. Few men in Mexico have the ability and energy that he has developed in the numerous offices he has held for his Government. His record as a soldier is brilliant with success and his career forms part of the history of Mexico. He is called “El Ministro Perpetual.” His family are all scientists and around him are always gathered people of brilliancy and talent.

The Department of Justice has charge of all relations with the Courts, pardons and commutations of sentences for offenses against the Federation and ordinary offenses, relation with the Courts of the Federal District, Prosecuting Attorneys and Notaries and all criminal statistics.

Señor Justino Fernández, the Secretary of this Department, is one of the most intellectual men in the Republic, being very active in war politics.

As an opponent of General Santa Anna, he suffered the political fate of one who dared to express his opinions, but he rendered his Government many good services and for a time retired to the practice of law, winning a great name as a man of letters. He was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. He has filled many important offices, Congressman, Governor of one of the States and Director of the National School of Jurisprudence. He has devoted his life to his country and has met with the appreciation he so justly merits.

The brotherly love that exists among these splendid administrators and the manner in which they co-operate in the government of their country, makes Mexico’s Cabinet conspicuous among those of Republics and the eyes of the great outer world are centred upon them with wonder and admiration.

Congress granted permission for the officials of state to receive decorations from the monarchs of different nations. Besides the Grand Collar of Charles III., which was conferred upon the President by the King of Spain, the Grand Collar of the Red Eagle was the honor sent to him by the Emperor of Germany, and the Order of the Imperial Dragon granted by the Emperor of China.

Minister Enrique C. Creel was empowered to receive the decoration of the Imperial Order of the Double Dragon, first grade, third class (grand cross) conferred upon him by the Emperor of China; the Grand Cross of Isabella Catolica from the King of Spain; and the Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of Prussia from the Emperor of Germany.

Minister José Yves Limantour, now absent in Europe, received the same Chinese decoration of the Double Dragon.

Lic. Francisco León de la Barra, the Mexican ambassador at Washington, was decorated with the Double Chinese Dragon, double cordon.

Señor Francisco Gamboa, who has been for so many years the sub-secretary of Foreign Affairs, the Chinese decoration of the Double Dragon but of the first grade (grand cordon), also the Order of the German Red Eagle, second class with badge.

Lieutenant-Colonel Porfirio Diaz, Jr., received also several distinguished decorations.

Among the distinguished men who surround the President and have his confidence are Governor Guillermo de Landa y Escandón, Señor Joaquín Don Casasus, who was at one time the Mexican Ambassador at Washington; Señor Pimentel y Fagoaga, Señor Pablo Macedo, and Señor Rosendo Pineda. These gentlemen are all intellectual and progressive, and wield a great power in the affairs of the state.

A peculiar custom of the country is the “Bando.” From time immemorial it has been the fashion in Mexico to proclaim publicly any changes in the government; this was the custom long before the day of newspapers, and is still followed, on instructions from the War Department. This is done in Mexico City, soon after the election of the President, in the following order. A division is organized consisting of two brigades, one of infantry and one of cavalry, accompanied by a light battery. The chief of staff is attended by an adjutant with two captains and three subalterns. The infantry brigade is commanded by its general, accompanied by two captains and two subalterns. The cavalry brigade is led by its general, a major, two captains, and two subalterns; and a platoon of mounted gendarmes accompanies both generals. The “Bando” is inaugurated at nine in the morning. The aldermen and the city notary accompany the military parade in carriages, affixing the proclamation at certain street corners, and otherwise making known the result of the presidential election to the inhabitants of the city, with proper formalities and the pomp and circumstance of military parade. This is a curious and highly interesting custom.