Page:Mexico of the Mexicans.djvu/218

182 is a pity that his country was not ultimately able to avail itself of his ability. Of French extraction, he was a Mexican born; was a close student of political economy; and, besides being a successful financier, was an exceedingly successful diplomat, as was demonstrated by more than one political visit to Europe. But, successful as he was, the Mexican public did not repose perfect confidence in Señor Limantour, whom they blamed for "juggling" with the finances of the country and finding public offices for so many of his friends. He became, along with Corral, one of the bêtes noirs of the Maderist party, who selected him as a special target for their fulminations against the "dictator" and all his satellites.

The Vice-President, Ramon Corral, was in his own way as strong a personality as Diaz. Shrewd, clever, and active, he combined his Vice-Presidency with the  portfolio of Minister of the Interior. He was the first occupant of the vice-chair and, before being elected to it, had been Governor of the Federal District of Mexico city. Madero sought to show that, through this appointment, did Diaz die before his term of Presidency came to an end, the chief power would then vest in Corral, and the policy of one-man rule be perpetuated in his person. This, in fact, was one of Madero's strongest cards.

Again, thousands in Mexico had been for years groaning beneath the yoke of the slave-master. To talk of a slave system in connection with any modern nation claiming a degree of civilisation would seem absurd; and surely a Republic, where all men are nominally free and equal, should be the last community to tolerate within its bounds a system so barbarous, so utterly opposed to every Republican principle. Yet here, in Mexico, we find a state of things existent which was nothing else than slavery—slavery in its most crude and obvious shape, with all its revolting conditions and incidental horrors. A large proportion of the populace