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Religion and Instruction

The prevailing religion is the Roman Catholic, but the Church is independent of the State, and there is toleration of all other religions. In 1889 there were 10,112 Roman Catholic churches and chapels and 119 Protestant churches in the Republic. No ecclesiastical body can acquire landed property.

In almost all the States education is free and compulsory, but the law has not been strictly enforced. Primary instruction is mostly at the expense of the municipalities, but the Federal Government makes frequent grants, and many schools are under the care of beneficent societies. In 1888 there were 10,726 primary schools, with 543,977 pupils. Higher education is carried on in secondary schools and seminaries, and in colleges for professional instruction, including schools of law, medicine, engineering, mining, fine arts, agriculture, commerce, arts and trades, music. There are also one military and two naval colleges. The number attending these higher schools is stated at 21,000. The entire sum spent on education is given at $3,512,000, of which $995,314 was contributed by the Federal Government; $1,012,000 is spent by the municipality of Mexico, and $2,500,000 by the State Governments and municipalities.

In 1888 there were in the Republic 23 public libraries, including the National Library, with 150,000 volumes, and eight other libraries with over 10,000 volumes each. There were in that year twelve museums for scientific and educational purposes, and three meteorological observatories. The number of newspapers published was 387. JUSTICE.

The federal courts are the Supreme Court (of which the judges are chosen for a period of six years), and the circuit and district courts. FINANCE.