people. The wise ruler was prudent only for the furtherance of his own interests and those of his paymasters, the rich American capitalists. The democracy which, under his predecessor Benito Juarez, had bidden fair to come into its own, was crushed back into slavery, and progress in every branch of civilisation delayed in consequence. Small wonder, then, that the people, reluctant when he first assumed authority over them, found his rule ever more irksome, and hated their yoke of oppression with a hatred ever more sincere and justifiable! After the death of Juarez, Diaz succeeded in establishing himself in the capital. By an impudent manipulation of the electoral machinery (opposition candidates were forcibly prevented from standing, and no contrary votes allowed to be registered!) Diaz had himself elected President, and so entered on a term of office which was to last for nearly forty years. This cool imposition of his authority was at first scarcely treated seriously; but Porfirio Diaz, with a foresight and determination worthy of a better ideal, set about strengthening his position where he judged it would best repay him to strengthen it. From the first, no attempt was made to placate the people of Mexico; but assiduously and to good purpose he cultivated the friendship of foreign powers, established a sound financial relationship with them, and encouraged foreign capitalists to settle in the country.
It is in connection with this latter part of his policy that some of the most disgraceful acts of the Diaz régime were perpetrated. In order to provide territory for the capitalists, the President and the Grupo Cientifico, or "grafters," over which he presided, resorted to unjust and barbarous methods of seizure. Thus for minor or even imaginary offences, large numbers of Mexicans were deported and their property confiscated. Then, because they could not produce the title-deeds to their estates, hundreds of native farmers and land-owners were forced to relinquish properties which had been in the possession of their families for generations. If they
