BANCROFT LIBRARY
The Religious Question in Mexico
BY A MEXICAN CATHOLIC
I. C. ENRIQUEZ
CATHEDRAL PLAZA APARTMENTS
NEW YORK, 1915.
THE RELIGIOUS QUESTION IN MEXICO
BY
I. C. ENRIQUEZ
So much has been written about the religious difficulties in Mexico,
so many groundless accusations against the Constitutionalists have
been made by the Catholic Clergy, that I, as a faithful Catholic and
Mexican revolutionist, feel it necessary to answer the numerous
charges which are being unjustly heaped upon us. It is a lamentable
fact that everyone of our accusers, either wilfully or through sheer
ignorance, is overlooking the most important laws of the Mexican
Constitution. They seem utterly ignorant of the history and the con-
ditions of the country, its people and its aims, about which they are
writing. Every one of them is hiding behind the cloak of religious
bigotry and in the name of Christianity and the Catholic religion tries
to bring naught but sorrow to a people that is struggling for justice
and independence.
It is a sad commentary upon the Knights of Columbus Organiza-
tion when it permits its organ to be used by a man who is afraid to
sign his name to any article or argument that he may wish to present
to them. Who is this man who, for fear of divulging his name, signs
himself "An American Citizen." Why does he fear to make his -name
known ? Is it because he had the audacity to attack President Wilson's
policies, or is it because within his heart he realizes that he is not
telling the whole truth about a question of great import to millions of
struggling Mexicans?
The alleged influence of Masonry in the present revolution of
Mexico, as claimed by many Catholics, is absolutely without founda-
tion. Every one who knows anything at all is aware of the
fact that Masonry in Mexico is nothing more than a huge joke. That
the Catholics are harboring wrong notions on the subject, is evidenced
by the fact that Huerta's and CarbajaFs special representative at
Washington, Jose Castello, was a prominent Mason. Huerta sent him
here under the impression that he would be assisted by his brother
Masons, but he soon discovered that the Masonic Order would not
mingle in politics, or have anything to do with the Mexican affairs.
3
The whole question of Masonry and its influence in Mexican
politics as argued by the many American Catholics, is en exploded
theory, it is an attempt to discuss a subject they always feared and
and did not comprehend.
If the men who plead the cause of the oppressed Mexican Clergy,
are to be taken at their word, it would seem that the whole Mexican
Nation is composed of inconsiderate brutes and beasts. They would
like to create the impression that murder and rapine are rampant in
that country, and that the main attacks are directed against the Catholic
Clergy. Nothing is more ridiculous than such accusations. ' As a
Mexican who has fought in the revolution against Huerta, and as a
Catholic, I know that every Mexican is at heart a faithful believer
in the Mother Church. More than once I have seen hundreds of
soldiers kneel in prayer imploring the Almighty that he might bring,
peace to our land of strife ! The first thing our soldiers did when we
entered a city was to seek out the houses of worship and offer our
prayers in thanks to Him who brought us victory. No, nothing is
more false than the accusation that the Mexican people are against
the Catholic Church and its priests.
To understand the true causes and reasons of dissension and strife
between the people and certain members of the High Catholic Clergy,
one must go back to the first struggles of Mexico against the Spanish
domination. It is the same struggle. The same battles which the
Mexicans fought a hundred years ago, they are fighting over to-day.
Unfortunately, with the end of the Spanish domination and the libera-
tion from the Spanish yoke, all the roots of he evil influences left by
that regime were not torn out. The rulers of Spain left, but many of
their harmful institutions staid behind, and it is against these institu-
tions, which have been slowly devouring the minds of the Mexican
people, which usurped all their rights, and kept them in ignorance,
that we Mexicans are still fighting and struggling against.
To say that we are nothing short of murderers, that we wantonly
persecute the priests and the nuns, is to slander the Mexican nation.
They are falsehoods which are being utilized by certain men in this
country who are seeking the intervention of the United States Govern-
ment in Mexico. They are working hand in hand with the enemies of
Mexican freedom; they are the evil forces which are seeking to curb*
the independence of our country.
4
One need only go back to the history of Mexico to see that it is
the lower clergy who have always championed the cause of the poor
and the oppressed. It was native members of the Church, who led
the rebellion against the Spanish domination. So long as there is a
\ican or any other lover of freedom, the names of Miguel Hidalgo,
Jose Maria Morelos and others too numerous to mention, will never
be forgotten. They were priests. They were Catholics who had the
interests of 'the people at heart. They were true Christians who
realized the plight of the people and who, at their own sacrifice, led
the people in revolt against the iron rule of Spain. Does any one
believe that a nation which attained its freedom by the aid of its priests,
would, a few years later, turn against them ? Is any one naive enough
to believe that ?
But the priests who fought for the liberty of the Mexican peons,
are not the high Church-dignitaries of to-day. During the three hun-
dred years of Spanish rule over Mexico, the church comprised the
secular and the regular clergy. The entire country was covered with
convents and monasteries, filled with friars and nuns, for the most
part living in idleness on the labors of the starved poens. At the time
of the conquest, the King of Spain had given vast grants of land to
the various religious orders. They were empowered to do anything
they desired, so long as they kept the Mexicans in submission. They
had the legal rights to enslave those who lived on the estates granted
to them by the King, and christianize them. Those who failed to obey,
or showed the least sign of disobedience, were punished with the well-
known "Spanish Inquisition," the tortures of hell. Not content with
their enormous original land-grants, the priests continually used their
power to withhold Extreme Unction from the dying, as a means of
obtaining death-bed inheritances. By such practises, the Church and
certain high dignitaries of the church, became the Supreme Power of
Mexico. With it also came the members of the church who were
from the people, and who saw within the Christian Doctrine, not means
of attaining fabulous wealth, but of securing liberty and justice for
a suffering people. They were the Morelos, the Hidalgos, and others.
Thus it was that the Mexican people have learned to discern the
difference between the High Clergy, who grafted and lived off the
poor, and the poor clergy who helped the people and fought for them.
It was to those poor native priests that the oppressed and town-trod-
den Mexicans went, in time of dire need. They felt and knew that
5
those priests were the true representatives of the Mother Church, and
not those foreign, rich Spaniards or Frenchmen who lived on the fat
of the land.
To illustrate what a power of wealth the church was in Mexico,
I will quote "Mexico a traves de los Siglos," Vol. IV, Page 317.
"With the exception of a certain amount of land owned by the aristocracy,
almost all the valuable lands of Mexico were in the hands of the Church, and
even those not so owned were under heavy mortgage to her, or were crushed
with tithings and taxes which went into her coffers."
The same historian has this to say about the higher clergy :
"The clergy, mainly the higher officials, had accumulated and taken out
of circulation an incalculable quantity of riches. In 1809 the tithings of six
Bishops amounted to the sum of $2,500,000 immense wealth in those days.
There were Bishops and Archbishops whose salaries amounted to more than
$100,000 a year. Indeed, a careful estimate of the revenue of the Church, just
previous to the War of Independence, reveals the enormous figure of $50,000,000
a year."
It is but natural for any people which has been burdened with such
obligations, to rebel. No matter how law-abiding or God-fearing
they might be, it was impossible for them to endure the shameless
conduct of the high dignitaries of the Catholic Church. The struggles
for independence were but the beginning of a real uprising, against
the stifling power of the Church. The Church had become such a
powerful force in the political life, due to its enormous possessions
that it could change the government any time it wished to do so. The
people realized that they were at the mercy of a few foreign high
church dignitaries, who could perform with their governments acro-
batic tricks similar to those performed by a Japanese juggler with his
five balls. A change was necessary, and it came after a three years*
struggle, from 1857 to 1860.
The first important article of the Constitution of 1857, (Las Leyes
de Reforma) dealt precisely with that sore upon the life of the Mexi-
can Nation. Here it is :
Article 1. The immediate suppression of all monasteries and convents, and
the immediate and complete confiscation of all church property, to the use of the
Nation.
Article V. The establishment of civil recording authorities for births,
marriages and deaths, thus abolishing the much abused privilege of the Church
in the matter of establishing the civil status of persons.
It will be noticed from these articles, that the revolution was
greatly concerned with the powers of the Church, and that it devoted
much of the new Constitution to the elimination and the divorce of
the Church from the State. However, it will be borne witness by any
one who lived in Mexico any length of time, that every one was ac-
corded religious liberty and that every one had the right to worship
his God.
But I will not even attempt to answer all the charges that are
being showered upon us. I will let someone else tell the story of our
struggles and our plight. I will quote the Rev. Dr. John Buttler who
has been a missionary in Mexico for forty years. I have never met the
gentlement and do not know who he is. My first knowledge of him
came when I read his open letter to the New York Evening Post. In
this letter he frankly tells the sad story of our miserable life, our
futile attempts to free ourselves from the yoke of centuries of slavery,
and our heroic fight to keep up with the march of civilization, regard-
less of the stifling influence of the many reactionary forces.
I will not touch the phase of his letter in which he shows the uft-
fairness of the American attitude towards our political upheaval, nor
will I quote him where he answers the many groundless accusations
of Col. Theodore Roosevelt. I will confine myself to the religious
question only. The letter appeared on January 5th, 1915.
Mexican historians make clear why such drastic measures were necessarily
incorporated into the Constitution and emphasized by the reform laws of 1859.
It was, as one of them says, "because the Church became a very prominent
factor in politics and could upset and establish governments at its pleasure,
fomenting the many revolutions which were constantly breaking out." (Romero,
Page 94). Therefore, it was that the political power of the Church was
destroyed by effecting a complete independence of the Church and State, and
the confiscation of all Church property from the most magnificent cathedral to
the smallest chapel, and from the most extensive convent to the humblest
shrine in the country. Hence all Church property not built in recent years
belongs to the Government, which, in turn, gives a free lease to the Church of
such edifices as are required for public worship. All this was brought to pass
by the Liberal party, whose members lived and died in the Roman Catholic
fold, though they were decidedly opposed to the Church as a political institution.
Rare indeed the case when a Liberal declared himself opposed to Christianity.
We repeat, then, that reports of the confiscating of Church property in these
days is a mistake such confiscation occurred nearly sixty years ago.
"Another mistaken charge is that the present leaders of the revolution are
expelling priests, nuns, and other religious orders from Mexico. The same
reason given above as to the political influence of the Church applied, and with
special force, to all secret religious orders. Hence in 1873 Mexico believpd
it was for her best interests to promulgate additional reform laws, which
expelled all such secret societies from the country. In this they only did what
several countries in Latin America and many countries in Europe had found
it necessary to do before them. (1) Now if Jesuits, nuns, and members of the
kindred orders have recently been found in Mexico they were there against the law,
of the existence of which they certainly were not ignorant. If any previous
Administration "winked" at their presence, that did not signify a justification
for their remaining, and certainly the present authorities were fully authorized
in reminding them of the law.
"It has also been asserted that many of the clergy have recently been
expelled from the country. I believe, absolutely, in toleration and protection
for the followers of all creeds. The Constitution of 1857 provides not only
for the separation of church and state, but it also guarantees full religious
liberty. This means for Roman Catholic, Protestant, or Jew, and no one has
more reason to be grateful for these reasonable and just provisions of the
Constitution than the ancient people of God whose descendants in Mexico
were, in former times subjected to much cruel treatment simply for following
the faith of their fathers. (2)
"Now, it appears true that a considerable number of priests have been sent
out of the country, but the revolutionists claim that all such were foreigners
and had given provocation. They likewise claim that many of these left
"because of troubled consciences," or for fear they might be expelled. All
foreigners who have resided in Mexico, whether priest or laymen, knew of the
existence of the famous thirty-third article of the Constitution. This article
was framed at a time when these secret orders were giving trouble to the
Government, and it empowers the authorities to expel from the republic, without
process of law, any fo'reigner found meddling with politics. We readily confess
it "is a tremendous power to place in the hands of any man. But the experi-
ence of the past called it into existence, and flew are the foreigners in that
land who have not heard of thirty-third article, and who have not a clear
understanding of its significance.
That, however, is not the whole story concerning the high Catholic
clergy. Of late much has been written about the ignorance and im-
morality prevalent among the poorer classes of the Mexican populace.
It is said that a large majority of them totally disregard the marriage
ceremony and live in open violation of the sacraments of marriage.
What the causes and reasons are for such religious transgressions has
never been offered by any of the accusers of Mexico's poor. One thing
is certain and that is that the peons or Indians are not violating any
of the canons of the church because they have ceased to believe in it.
Far be it from such. An investigation has proven that the price for
marriage sacraments, instituted by the high Catholic clergy, is so un-
reasonably high that it almost impossible for the poor to meet it. In
this manner they are practically forced by the church dignitaries
themselves to violate the canons of the church.
(1) This statement is not quite correct; European countries divorced the
church from the State many years after Mexico had set the example.
(2) Before the overthrow of Spanish rule in Mexico, the Inquisition burned
several Jews at the stake for refusing to be converted to the Catholic faith.
8
That demands for the lowering of the prices for various sacra-
ments has been made by the populace of Mexico is well known to any
one who has lived there. That those demands 'were made in vain,
that the high Catholic dignitaries absolutely refused to comply with
the demands of the poor is well known to every one in Mexico. To
illustrate the benighted ways and means utilized by certain high clergy-
men I will quote Carlo de Fornaro from his book "Diaz, Czar of
Mexico."
"The following incident will exemplify the insidious and treacher-
ous ways used by the clericals to surpress opposition or liberalism in
their midst.
In 1901 a priest called Joachin Perez, 50 years old, wrote to Mon-
signor Averadi, apostolic delegate, letters in which he begged for the
modification of the high tariff for the administration of the sacra-
ments. The petition was signed by thousands of Catholics. Mon-
signor Averadi diplomatically answered that he would consult the
Pope. But instead of so doing, the Archbishop of Puebla and the
Monsignor gave a private dinner to Mucio Martinez, Governor of
Puebla, and convinced him that Perez was hatching a political con-
spiracy.
By order of the Governor the unfortunate priest was attacked
in his parish, at Atlixco, at midnight, beaten and then taken to jail.
All his property and chattels were confiscated and although suffering
from rheumatism, he was kept in confinement for over fourteen
months. Eventually through the efforts of his sister, who went to
beg the intervention of her uncle, Ignacio Mariscal, Minister of foreign
affairs, he was freed."
The instance sighted by Carlo de Fornaro is one of hundreds that
can be brought to show wherein the high Catholic dignitaries always
acted against the interests and desires of the poor and oppressed.
But the greatest tragedy of the Catholic Church in Mexico is
that it is a house very much divided against itself. It possesses no unity
of purpose, it has no honest desire to uplift, to educate and alleviate
the needs and sorrows of the masses. The true condition of the
Catholic Church is that it is composed of wealthy, foreign, high
clergymen and of poor priests who are native Mexicans and Indians.
Those native priests have a complete understanding of the hopes, aims
and desires of the poor people. The wealthy, foreign high church
dignitaries have always brought naught but sorrow upon Mexico. They
were responsible for French intervention, it is they who in the present
struggle are trying to bring about the intervention of the United States.
Instead of ministering to the soul needs of the Mexicans, the shame-
lessly indulge in the low game of politics. They intrique, they scheme.
They are the friends of the reactionary forces; the kow-towed with
Diaz when he was in power and used Huerta and his henchman, Dr.
Urrutia, when they reigned supreme. It will be seen from this that the
Mexican people can have no love for those high church dignitaries,
who always allied themselves with their enemies. In fact, they were
the enemies for they always upheld the benighted forces of Mexico.
The shameless manner in which the high Catholic clergy forsook
their religious offices and dabbled in politics is illustrated by the
numerous letters which were left behind by Dr. Aureliano Urrutia,
Minister of Interior in the Huerta cabinet. In the letters left behind
by him it is to be seen that the Catholic clergymen were the real law-
breakers of the country, violating wilfully and maliciously every law
that has been set down by the Constitution of 1857. They did it quite
openly, without hesitation and with branzeness that is not at all ecclesi-
astic.
When Dr. Urrutia scented danger and saw that the diabolic rule
of Huerta was about to crumble into dust, he did not waste any time
in leaving the country. In fact, he was in such a hurry to get out that
he left behind him all his archives, consisting of many letters written
to him by various high church dignitaries, such as Bishops, Arch-
bishops and others. All those Dr. Urrutia pilled into a basket and
turned over to an old woman for safekeeping. The dear old lady
hardly realized what historic documents were in her possession.
It is a sad commentary upon the dignity of the Catholic church
when its highest clergymen plan the overthrow of laws and order at-
tained by the people after a struggle lasting three years. And that is
just what they did. In one of the letters Archbishop Mora of Mexico
suggested that Dr. Urrutia secure a million dollars for the Catholic
Church for alleged damages. Both Archbishop Mora and Dr. Urrutia
were fully congizant of the fact that they were acting against the laws
of the constitution. They knew that they violated the sacred principles
of a constitution for which thousands died. How can such men like
Archbishop Mora and Urrutia command respect when they are secret-
ly planning to violate the laws of the country?
10
Is it at all surprising that Constitutionalists are forced to drive
them out of the country, especially when they wantomly ignore the
laws?
The thing that strikes me as most peculiar at the present time is
the loud cries which the Catholics are raising against the Constitu-
tionalist forces. At the same time while they are demanding pro-
tection for their coreligionists in Mexico, Germany is devastating
one catholic country after another. The Mexican revolutionists never
have made ancient and gorgeous cathedrals the targets of their shells,
as the Germans have done. One cathedral after another was destroyed
by the Germans who invaded Belgium and France. Nothing of that
sort ever happened in Mexico. Still not a whisper has been heard
from the Catholics of this country against German barbarism. Is it
not strange that they should not ask the United States Government to
intervene in behalf of the oppressed Catholics in Belgium, while they
demand immediate action in Mexico. What are the reason that they
shut their eyes to real atrocities in Belgium, while they are so care-
fully watching events in Mexico? The truth of the matter is that the
high Catholic clergymen are awakening to the fact that the success of
the Constitutionalists means the carrying out of the laws of 1857. It
means the divorce of the church from the state. It means the end of
the influence of the Catholic clergymen in affairs of the state. The
high catholic dignitaries are realizing that their power is coming to an
end and the only way possibly to retain it is to bring about the inter-
vention of the United States or some other power.
However, the cries of the clergymen that the United States
swoop down upon Mexico and at the point of a gun perpetuate the
power of the Catholic church, is in itself the greatest indictment
against the leaders who are working in that direction. No honest
Christian would ever seek an unnecessary war with another nation.
Fortunately the American people and the Washington administration
are beginning to realize that not all is* well with high Catholic dig-
nitaries in Mexico.
11
TRANSLATIONS.
LETTER from Archbishop Gillow to URRUTIA.
Hacienda de Chautla, July llth, 1913.
Sr. Dr. Aureliano Urrutia,
Minister of the Interior,
Mexico.
Esteemed Sir and Friend :
I returned to this Hacienda yesterday and was informed that up around
Huejotzingq, capital of this District, things are rather unsettled, due to a few
disturbers who molest the authorities, and consequently disturb, public peace.
Having in mind the kind offers which you made to me during my recent visit
in that city, I now take the liberty of addressing you.
The disturbers of Huejotzingo are a certain Luis Pinto and his brother.
They own real estate and small houses to the amount of may be Three Thou-
sand Dollars each in that locality. They put on airs of caciques, and have
for some time even gone so far as to pretend to subordinate the local authori-
ties. They have become more overbearing since the time of Madero.
While Mr. Alberto Garcia Granados was Minister of the Interior, the
referred-to Pinto brothers attempted to overthrow Mr. Enrique Acevedo from
his position as Governor of the Province. Mr. Acevedo has maintained the
peace and well-being in this district ever since he came into office. As Mr.
Granados, owner of the Hacienda de Chagua, near Huejotzingo, knows Mr.
Acevedo, he maintained Mr. Acevedo as Governor, and the Pinto brothers did
not molest him any more until Mr. Grandos resigned the secretaryship.
As Mr. Acevedo is well acquainted with the intrigues of the Pinto brothers,
he has kept them well watched, and they, resenting this, have hostilized him,
to the degree of having trumped up false accusations against him before the
municipality of Puebla. They did not however, obtain their end, for they were
unable to obtain his removal, .though he was for a time suspended from office,
much to the regret of the honest contingent of Huejotzingo. The Mayor
replaced him during this time.
On the other hand, Mr. Ramon Vargas, Judge of the Primary Court of
Claims of Huejotzingo, has been for three months working unceasingly to put
to date all pending causes, which had been accumulating, due to the fact that
his predecessors, partly due to indifference and partly to fear of the Revolution,
often absented themselves, abandoning their offices. Among those, who most
distinguished themselves of these last mentioned,, was a certain Felipe Ramirez,
whose wife is a Huejotzingo woman, on which account he was of course
interested in holding that position in Huejotzingo. The mother of the lady in
question also found a way to take advantage of the situation, and arranged
things so that those who wished their cases attended to, had to have a recom-
mendation from her, if they wanted a favorable judgment. For this she was
of course paid a certain sum, and she managed to derive quite a fine income.
This by-play came to the knowledge of Mr. Garcia Granados, and he
managed to obtain from the Puebla Municipality to offer the Judge Felipe Ramirez,
to transfer him to Matampros, which offer he declined, staying in Huejotzingo
and exercising his profession of lawyer. This Mr. Ramirez works in harmony
with the Pinto brothers, and the three of them, openly antagonize Acevedo
the Governor, Ramon Vargas, the Judge and Sidronio Primo, Commissioner
of the Ministry, who is an old employe in this locality and who works together
with the other two last mentioned?
12
With the foregoing details, and prompted by the desire to maintain- order
and peace in this district, I beg you to exert your good influence with the
government of Puebla, to have Mr. Acevedo return to hts post, and to have
Mr. Ramon Vargas the present Judge, and also Mr. Sodronio Primo, stay in
their positions. The presence of Mr. Felipe Ramirez, who still pretends to
occupy the position of Judge in this District, is very harmful to public interests,
as is also the presence of the Pinto brothers, so that although I harbor no
feelings of personal enmity towards them for I do not know them except from
hearsay, I oeg to suggest the advantage of their being removed from this
locality, in whatever way you may deem most appropriate.
Kindly forgive the length of this letter, but I feel justified in giving you
all these details, for the sake of the preservation of peace in this region, which
has some importance due to its relations to Puebla and Mexico.
Thanking you in advance for whatever you may deem fit to do in the
interests of the honest citizens who have given me the above information, and
which I transmit to you confidentially, I beg to remain,
Very respy etc., etc.,
EULOGIO G. GILLOW,
Archbishop of Oaxaca.
From Archbishop Mora to Urrutia.
Mexico, July 12th, 1913.
To the Minister of the Interior, Dr. Aureliano Urrutia, Present.
My Esteemed Dr. and Friend:
You have said to me more than once, "Profit by the present times. No-
one will give you more than ourselves" which to me signifies your 'good will
towards the church. Therefore, counting on it, I beg to put before you, for
your consideration, the following:
1. Violating the laws of disentailment, the Archbishop of Mexico was
deprived of his palace in this capital, and same has not been put to any use
for government offices. Could you not see that it was given back to me, so I
could repair it and occupy it and then leave it to my successors? If this could
be done, he whose servants we are would take account of your good action,
and we would all be very grateful to you. I do not think this is an impos-
sibility.
2. It also has occured to me that the Government might make to the Cathedral
some restitution* for which, even accepting the new laws as just, should have
been respected and left, such as: Cash, sacred vases, such as chalices, shrines,
lamps, articles of silver, jewels, all of which was taken from the cathedral.
The cathedral was also deprived of the Seminary next door, and the houses of
the chaplains, all of which is excepted in the laws of disentailment. All this
amounts to a big sum, for in only gold chalices, there were eighteen lost. How
is this to be repaid? I have an idea, which is: The expenses of the church,
salary per month of the Archbishop, chaplains and priests, sacristains, amount
annually to about Sixty Thousand Dollars. And you need not believe that the
salaries are high, for the Archbishop has a salary of only $750 per month,
and with this sum he has to attend the victualling, dress, servants, household
expenses and alms, of which he has many as all the poor of the city go to him
for help. The canons have a salary of $120 monthly, and the chaplains of the
choir from $30 to $40. So that as you can well figure out, their living has to
be very modest, for out of these salaries they have to pay house rent, food
and dress. What is left out of the $60,000 mentioned, after paying expenses, is
used for repairs to the house and ornaments. At present, we have a deficit
every year, which deficit we of course try to keep as low as possible. The
parishioners contributions, which is the only thing we can count on towards
the support of the church, diminishes every year.
13
In consideration of all the above, the Government could do us a great
favor, by giving us a capital which should produce enough to be able to keep
what we have now. This capital should be of ONE MILLION DOLLARS,
and this would be less, much less than (even admitting the laws which at that
time deprived the church of its property), was taken unjustly away from the
Church.
This capital could be handed over to the church in parts, from economies
made on certain expenses, and the money could be put into shares, bonuses,
etc., etc. This would enable the Cathedral to be better attended to, making the
necessary reparations, and decorating it conveniently.
Think this over well, my dear Minister, and act according to the dictates
of your good heart of Christian and patriot, and we shall be pleased to call
you our Great Benefactor.
With all due respect, I remain, etc., etc.,
JOSE, Archbishop of Mexico.
LETTER from the ARCHBISHOP of PUEBLA to URRUTIA.
Puebla, July 12th, 1913.
To his Honor Minister URRUTIA,
Mexico.
Very Esteemed Sir:
Your favor of the 9th inst. duly to hand and, in reply I beg to say that I
shall be very pleased to assist you by working along the lines suggested by
you. I shall only wait now until I hear from Mr. Gillow so that we may come
to an understanding on a matter as delicate and important as the one in question.
May the Lord bless you in all your undertakings, and I beg to remain as
always at* your service.
Very respectfully, etc., etc.,
RAMON, Archbishop of Puebla.
LETTER from the ARCHBISHOP of OAXACA, to DR.
URRUTIA.
Oaxaca, July 24th, 1913.
My Esteemed Friend:
In view of the benevolence which you have always shown towards me, I
now beg to address you regarding a subject which I consider of the utmost
importance. Although it does not regard the department in your charge
directly, it is nevertheless closely connected with it, and is a matter of universal
importance to the republic.
Before granting concessions for the international and inter-oceanic rail-
ways, General Porfirio Diaz organized a commission, consisting of a lawyer,
an engineer and myself, to study and report on the already mentioned con-
cessions which meant so much to the country. During two months I gave
myself up to the study of this question, and the Commission presented eighteen
reports embracing the different points of the subject, including a special state-
ment by me, as I did not agree with the two others on certain points which I
considered essential, and because I was of the opinion that a big reduction
could be made in the subventions demanded by the grantees.
Time has proved that my ideas were correct, relative to the delay in the
construction of the interoceanic roads, and as to the advisability of building
a broad-gauge railway from Mexico to Laredo right from the start.
At that time, the Tehuantepec Railroad did not have the importance that
it has now, and the Commission did not give any consideration to that point,
taking it for granted that later on the interests of the nation would take up
the question of connections with the Isthmus and the extension south to
Guatemala, which would put us in communication with Central and South
America.
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Just now, I cannot get it out of my mind, that of all the R. R. that are
being planned for the republic, there are two lines which shoulld have the
preference, because they will be of the greatest importance in the future and
because they complete our railway system across the country. I refer to the
prolongation of the Oaxaca R. R. to Tehuantepec, and which, starting from
the Isthmus R. R. would connect us with the different states of the Yucatan
peninsula. I understand that this concession has already been granted, and
that the plans were being made ready when the revolution started.
The prolongation of the R. R. to Oaxaca or rather to Tlacolula, as the
track is already laid up to that city, is that to which I wish to call your best
attention, and also that of the President of the Republic. At present, to com-
municate from Mexico to Tehuantepec, the Government has to make use of
three different railways: the Mexican RY up to Cordoba, the Vera Cruz
Pacific up to Sta. Lucrecia, and the Interoceanic of the Isthmus. For any
military mobilization, the inconvenience and delay occasioned by this system
is evident, and, should one of these three lines be cut by the revolutionists, the
Government would have no communication with the Tehuantepec and Pan-
American R. R. which connects us with Guatemala.
This proves the necessity of completing as soon as possible, the line from
Mexico to Tehuantepec, via Puebla and Oaxaca, which line, though not the
shortest, at least has not the inconvenience of the steep ascent and decline of
the summits of Maltrata, but which instead, descends gradually from Puebla
to the coast.
The Isthmus of Tehuantepec has without doubt, a great future ahead,
for it is, using Baron Humboldt's expression, "the bridge of the universe" con-
necting on one side, Asia and Europe, and on the other North and South
America.
If it is true that the Isthmus of Panama is to give us a route by water,
without having to trans-ship merchandise, one must not lose sight of the fact
of the increased distance by water, between New York and San F,pancisco, and
at the same time the inconvenience of passing the locks and the charges for
same. Whereas, the Tehuantepec R. R. has already sufficient traffic assured to
guarantee its existence, and the cost of transshipment can therefore be reduced
to a minimum.
The prolongation of this Railroad regards closely the department of Sec-
retary of the Interior, for in time of revolution this would give them a firmer
hold on the State of Oaxaca. Lately it has been seen how, once the Southern
Mexican cut, we have been without communications with Central Mexico for
a long time, whereas, if the prolongation referred to existed, going round by
that way to Tehuantepec, the State would be better off and the Federal Govern-
ment would have the necessary means to successfully fight a rebellion.
This is of greater importance in a state like Oaxaca, because it is so
mountainous and because it has an outlet to both oceans, the Gulf and the
Pacific.
To finish herewith, I am greatly interested in the construction of the prolonga-
tion in question for the advantage of the people of my diocese. I have travelled
through the state twice and I can assert that it is one of the richest in the
republic, for its mining as well as for its agricultural products, but I consider
it poor in spite of its having one million inhabitants because it lacks rapid and
economical ways of communication.
While waiting for the construction of railways along the Pacific coast and
the coast of Tuxtepec to this capital, it is necessary to construct at least a
central line which will traverse the State up to Tehuantepec.
These valleys which surround the capital have an exuberance of inhabitants,
and the products of their lands are hardly sufficient to supply their own needs.
This explains the general poverty existing, there being no exports, and it is
also explained by the emigration of oaxaquenos to other states, it having been
calculated that only in Mexico City there are more than three thousand oaxa-
15
quenos, who would surely come back to their native state, could they make their
living there.
I hope you will excuse my having occupied your time with such a lengthy
letter. I have read in the papers that the Government was negotiating the con-
struction of some railways, I have thought it right to call your attention to the
above, so that if possible, you might give them the preference.
With the assurance of my profound respect, I beg to remain,
Very truly yours, etc.,
EULOGIO G. GILLOW,
Archbishop of Oaxaca.
LETTER from DR. URRUTIA to the ARCHBISHOP of
Oaxaca.
August 2d, 1913.
Very Illustrious Sir:
Your favor of July 24th received and I have read it over with great at-
tention, and considering your suggestion relative to the construction of a
Railroad from Oaxaca to Tehuantepec, of great importance!, not only from the
military point of view, but also for the convenience of the public in general,
I shall take an interest and see that your suggestion is carried out as soon as
circumstances permit, which I trust will be very soon, for we have good reasons
to believe that peace will soon be established all throughout the republic.
I beg to reiterate my appreciation and respects.
URRUTIA.
LETTER OF THE ARCHBISHOP of MICHOACAN to
Minister URRUTIA.
September llth, 1913.
My dear Compadre :
The timely measures taken by you saved this city from being ravaged by
the rebel gangs which have been concentrating in these localities to the number
of over a thousand strong, but now, I think I can assure you that if the detach-
ment which has just arrived, pursues them, this part of the State will soon be
pacified.
The principal ob'ject of this letter is to ask you to relieve me of a great
anxiety under which I am laboring, and which has been caused by the aggres-
sive and almost scandalous attitude taken in public by Mr. Calero and a small
group of porristas, against your good self. I can well see that their object is
to tarnish the glory which you have so justly won, and to alienate your adherents
all over the Republic.
But they will not accomplish anything, because all the sensible men know
full well the envy and intrigues that animate these degraded people. Although
I am at ease on that score, my profound sympathy and affection for you make
me fear that these men's intrigues might put obstacles on the path that Our
Lord and His Blessed Mother have put before you to climb to the culminating
position of Chief Executive of the Republic, which position will require of you
the greatest sacrifice, but will at the same time lay before you a vast field in
which to exercise your activity for the glory and honor of God, and for the
benefit of our beloved country.
In the meantime I beg of you to tell me confidentially if this threap of
Calero is to be feared, or whether you think it will be easy for you to humiliate
the efforts of these upstarts.
Your compadre, etc.,
JENARO MENDEZ.
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