MEXICO.

(REPÚBLICA MEXICANA.)

Constitution and Government.

THE present Constitution of Mexico bears date February 5, 1857, with subsequent modifications down to May 1904. By its terms Mexico is declared a federative republic, divided into States -19 at the outset, but at present 27 in number, with 3 territories and the Federal District-each of which has a right to manage its own local affairs, while the whole are bound together in one body politic by fundamental and constitutional laws. The powers of the supreme Government are divided into three branches, the legislative, executive, and judicial. The legislative power is vested in a Congress consisting of a House of Representatives and a Senate, and the executive in a President. Representatives elected by the suffrage of all respectable male adults, at the rate of one member for 40,000 inhabitants, hold their places for two years. The qualifications requisite are, to be twenty-five years of age, and a resident in the State. The Senate consists of fiftysix members, two for each State, of at least thirty years of age, who are returned in the same manner as the deputies. The members of both Houses receive salaries of 3,000 dollars a year. The President is elected by electors popularly chosen in a general election, holds office for six years, and, according to an amendment of the Constitution in 1887, may be elected for consecutive terms. By the Decree, May 6, 1904, which modified Art. 72a of the constitution, the office of Vice-President was formally instituted, his election to take place in the same manner and at the same date as that of the President. The Vice-President is ex officio President of the Senate, with a voice in the discussions but without vote. His term of office is the same as that of the President. Failing the President through absence or otherwise, the Vice-President shall discharge the functions of the President either temporarily or to the end of the period for which he was elected, as the circumstances may require. Failing both the President and the Vice-President, for whatever reason, Congress shall call for new elections to be held at once. Congress has to meet annually from April 1 to May 30, and from September 16 to December 15, and a permanent committee of both Houses sits during the recesses.

President of the Republic.-General D. Porfirio Diaz; first elected in 1876; present term (the seventh), from December 1, 1904, to November 30, 1910.

Vice-President.-Señor Ramon Corral, 1904-10.

The administration is carried on, under the direction of the President and a Council, by seven Secretaries of State, heads of the Departments of:-1. Foreign Affairs; 2. Interior; 3. Justice and Public Instruction; 4. Fomento, Colonisation and Industry. 5. Communications and Public Works; 6. Finance and Public Credit. 7. War and Marine.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

Each separate State has its own internal constitution, government, and laws; but inter-State customs duties are not permitted, though State taxes are levied. Each State has its governor, legislature, and judicial officers popularly elected under rules similar to those of the Federation; and the civil and criminal code in force in the Federal District prevail, with few exceptions (Vera Cruz and the State of Mexico), in the different States. The Territories of Tepic and Lower California are dependent on the Federal Government, and have no resident governor.

Area and Population.

The following table gives the area, census population of October 20, 1895, and that of October 28, 1900, with the population per square mile in 1900:

The population in 1900 consisted of 6,716,007 males and 6,829,455 females. Of the total population 19 per cent. are of pure, or nearly pure, white race, 43 per cent. of mixed race, and 38 per cent. of Indian race. Natives descended from ancient Indian tribes, and speaking little or no Spanish, numbered in 1895, 1,908,707. Distinctions of race are abolished by the Constitution of 1824. Of the mixed and Indian race only a very small proportion can be regarded as civilised. The foreign population in 1900 numbered 57,507. The nationalities most numerously represented were Spanish, 16,258; United States, 15, 265; Guatemalan, 5,804; French, 3,976; British, 2,845; Cuban, 2,721; German, 2,565; Italian, 2,564; Chinese, 2,834.

The chief cities with their population according to the census of 1900, are :—Mexico (capital), 344,721 ; Puebla, 93,521; Guadalajara, 101,208; San Luis Potosi, 61,019; Leon, 63,263; Monterey, 62,266; Pachuca, 37,487; Zacatecas, 32,856; Guanajuato, 41, 486; Merida, 43, 630; Querétaro, 33,152; Morelia, 37,278; Oaxaca, 35,049; Orizaba, 32, 894; Aguascalientes, 35,042; Saltillo, 23,996; Durango, 31,092; Chihuahua, 30,405; Vera Cruz, 29,164; Toluca, 25,904; Celaya, 25,565.

The systematic registration of births, marriages, and deaths is defective, especially outside the Federal District. In 1898 registration was made compulsory for the recognition of children as legitimate. The deaths are probably accurately registered. The figures given for five years are :—

Religion, Instruction, and Justice.

The prevailing religion is the Roman Catholic, but the Church is independent of the State, and there is toleration of all other religions. No ecclesiastical body can acquire landed property. In 1863 the religious houses were closed and the church property confiscated; and since that year many ecclesiastical buildings have been assigned to serve the purpose of libraries, schools, hospitals, &c. Within the Republic there are 6 archbishops and 23 suffragan bishops. In 1895 the population consisted of 12,380,245 Roman Catholics; 40,445 Protestants; 8,972 Jews and persons of other faiths; 61,911 of no professed faith. A dispute with the United States respecting the Californian Pious Fund was referred to the Hague Arbitration Court, which, in October, 1902, gave its decision, awarding to the United States the sum of 1,420,682 Mexican dollars and an annual sum of 43,051 Mexican dollars.

In all the States education is free and compulsory, and the law is now enforced. In 1895, 10,345,899 of the population could neither read nor write; 1,782,822 could read and write; 323,336 could only read; and the attainments of 39,516 persons were unknown. Most of the illiterates belonged to the native races. Primary instruction is mostly at the expense of the states and municipalities, but the Federal Government makes frequent grants, and many schools are under the care of beneficent societies. In 1902 the number of schools supported by the Federation and states was 5,847, and by the municipalities, 2,398; total, 8,245 schools, of which 4,094 were for boys; 2,321 for girls, and 1,830 mixed. They had 659,359 enrolled pupils (415, 197 boys and 244,162 girls), and an attendance of 459,124 (280,800 boys and 178,324 girls). For secondary and preparatory instruction the Federal and State Governments had 44 schools (29 for boys, 10 for girls, and 5 mixed) with 7,347 enrolled pupils (5,044 boys and 2,303 girls) and an attendance of 5,659 (3,674 boys and 1,985 girls). For professional instruction there were 51 institutions and colleges (29 for men, 10 for women, and 12 mixed). These Federal and State institutions comprised 20 normal schools, the others being devoted to the teaching of law, medicine, engineering, mining, fine arts, agriculture, commerce, arts and trades, music, &c. They had (1902) altogether 9,074 enrolled students (6,640 men and 2,434 women) and an attendance of 4,626 (2,903 men and 1,723 women). At all the Federal, State and municipal schools (primary and higher) there were 14,200 teachers, and the expenditure on the schools for the year amounted to 6,594,208 dollars. The private, clerical, and association schools numbered 2,381 with 149,947 enrolled pupils (83,830 boys and 66,117 girls) and an attendance of 119,926 (67,620 boys and 52,306 girls). These schools are nearly all primary, but some of them have classes for secondary and professional instruction.

In 1902 there were in the Republic the National Library, with 180,000 volumes, and 123 other public libraries. There were in that year 37 museums for scientific and educational purposes, and 11 meteorological observatories. The number of newspapers published was 273, of which 7 were in English, 4 in Spanish and English, and 2 in Italian.

The judicial power, which is entirely distinct from and independent of the executive, consists of the Supreme Court, with 15 judges chosen for a period of six years, Circuit Courts, with 3 judges, and District Courts, with 32 judges. The Ordinary, Civil, Criminal, and Correctional Courts are controlled by the Department of Justice and Public Instruction.

Federal Finance.

Of the revenue in recent years about 43 per cent. has been derived from customs, and 35 per cent. from stamps. Of the expenditure about 34 per cent. has gone to the debt service, 29 per cent. to the Army and Navy, 12 per cent. to the administration of the government, and 11 per cent. to railways and other means of communication.

The ordinary receipts and expenditure for five years have been :

In 1902-03 the Customs revenue amounted to 34,784,080 dollars; in 1903-04, to 37,436,058 dollars. For 1905-06 the revenue is estimated at 88,104,000 dollars, and expenditure at 85,474,316 dollars.

The following are the budget estimates of revenue and expenditure for the year ending June 30, 1905 :

REVENUE

:

Import duties

31,350,000

Export duties

862,000

Dues and fees

1,166,000

Foreign Affairs

773,034

Direct taxes

8,609,000

Home Department

11,112,817

Justice

Various

1,943,000

Total

79,965,000

Total

79,562,157

The

In 1904 the outstanding gold debt amounted to 21,993,2407. internal debt in 1903 amounted to 159,195,100 dollars silver, and the floating debt to 1,269,833 dollars. The total debt charge in 1904-05 was estimated at 25,235,044 dollars.

The fiscal value of property in Mexico in 1902 is given as follows:Urban, 470,986,854 dollars; rural, 428,538,987 dollars; total, 899,525,842 dollars; the fiscal value being taken as one-third less than the actual value.

State and Local Finance.

The revenue and expenditure of the State Governments and of the municipalities (including the Federal District) of Mexico for five years are given as follows: