Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/1126

 1074 MEXICO

(Republic*. Mexicana. ) Constitution and Government.

Mexico was annexed to the Spanish Crown by conquest in 1521, and for three centuries continued to be governed by Spain. In all 64 Spanish Vioeroys ruled the Courts, from Antonio de Mendoza (1535-1550) to Juan O'Donoju (1821-1322). In 1810 the rule of the Spanish Viceroys had become so tyrannical that it caused an outbreak headed by the patriot priest Hidalgo, who on .September 15, 1810, declared the Independence of Mexico. On May 18, 1822, General Augustin Iturbide declared himself Emperor of Mexico, but in 1824 he had to nee, and the Republic was established. Several Presidents (Felix Fernandez Victoria, 1824-28, was the first) ruled the destinies of the country with more or less severity until 1864, when the throne of Mexico was offered to Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian of Austria. He was shot in 1867, and Benito Juarez, who had been President in the northern part of the country, took the reins of government. He was followed by Lerdo de Tejada, who in 1876 fled, and General Porfirio Diaz (died July 2, 1915) made his entry into Mexico City. He ruled the country with the exception of four years (1880-4, General Manuel Gonzalez) until May 25,1911, when he presented his resignation to Congress. On November 6, 1911, Sehor Francisco I. Madero assumed office as President and ruled until February, 1913, when a coup d'itat took place, resulting in the President's murder (February 23, 1913) and his replacement by General Victoriano Huerta.

Civil war broke out in April, 1913, and on July 15, 1914, Huerta resigned. The internal discord continued, until December, 1915, when most of the American and European States recognized General Carranza as head of the Government of Mexico. In May 1920, civil war broke out again and Carranza fled from the capital, and he was shortly afterwards killed. General Adolfo de la Huerta was elected Provisional President in May, 1920, and in September, 1920, the presidential elections returned Geneial Alvero Obregon.

President. — Alvero Obregon. Assumed office, December 1, 1920. A new Constitution, amending the Constitution of 1857, was promul- gated on February 5, 1917. By its terms Mexico is declared a federative republic, divided into States, each of which has a right to manage its own looal 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. Representa- tives are elected for two years by universal suffrage at the rate of one member for 60,000 inhabitants. The qualification is to be over twenty-live years of age on the day of election. The Senate consists of fifty-eight 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 about 7,000 dollars a year. The President is elected by direct popular vote in a general election, holds office for four years, and cannot be re-elected. Failing the President, Congress acts as an electoral college for the election of a successor. If the vacancy occurs during the first half of the President's term of office, Congress chooses a provisional President and arranges for new elections ; if the vacancy occurs in the second term, Congress chooses the President fur the remainder of the term. The Session of Congress is t <. lie from September 1 to December 31. During the recess there is a Permanent