Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-11
Special corre.pondsnes Of The Evening Star.

bpociAl ~orreslOnds1ce OF Tue Esetlus s'ar
MEXICO CRY, July. 1891.
II HAVE JUST HAD A LONG INTERVIEW
Il with President Diaz on American and Mexico
matters The audience was arranged for me
by the secretary of foreign affairs, Mr.. Mariscal,
and Il took place in the great national palace.
which stands on the site where Montezuma held
his court when Cortez came to see him, and it
was upon this same spot that Cortez lived after
the death Of the Aztec king. II was in this
structure that many of the Spanish viceroys
reigned. and here Macmillan held his court.
The building Is several hundred years old and
its architecture is Of the old Spanish order.
Imagine a low, gray, two-story building cover
ing many acres Let its walls be of gray stucco
and let it have many courts within it. rooted
only by the blue sky and paved with great
blocks of stone Some of these courts are SO
large that q regiment of cavalry could go
through their evolutions within them. and the
entrance to the palace is by great doors or
gateways faced with massive columns, against
which soldiers in uniform stand and scrutiniZe
carefully all those who so In or pass out There
more soldiers YOU go into the courts and at
every corner you meet guard 1t was through
these gates that the carriage of the American
minister with its liveried coachmen took myself
and Mr.. Butler. the secretary OF our legation,
yesterday afternoon. and it was in one of the
y
ard let out at the marble stairs which lead
rp To the offices of the secretary of state and also
TO the audience rooms of tine president OF the re-
public. The secretary of state 5 rooms are fur
nished after the French style. with bright
cOlOred carpets. many pictures and some stat
uary. The aute-room to the presidents Office
Is right ne 1t to the parlors Of MAMMALIAN, and
here We waited for a moment amid a crowd Of
Office seekers much like those who hang about
the White House ut the beginning of the con-
the gorgeous aid-de-camp in charge. The fact
that We came from the United States legation
passed rs at once into a secon waiting room,
devoted only to the favored few. and q moment
later the word came from President Diaz that
he would see at once. Among those waiting
for Evidence In this room were half a dozen
noted generals, one or two Senators, Mr.. Yer
ger. Q partner Of the late Senator Hearst in his
large Mexican investments, and the son Of
President Jaurez. The room was well fur
nlsked. Paper OF red satin covered the walls.
The chairs and sofas were finely upholstered
and q velvet rug was spread upon the hOor.
We had scarcely seated ourselves before the
door opened and the aid-de-eamp mOtioned for
Us 10 enter.
We stepped across the threshold and found
ourselves In a large. well-hghted and plainly
furnished room in which two men were stand
ing One Of these 1 recognized Senior
lgnaciO Mnri-cal. the secretary OF state, and
the other was n straight, dlgnified man of me-
dunn height dressed In citizens clothes. This
was President Diaz. He looks more like a
practical business man than the average Next
can. but his face and figure striking. and
without ostentation OF s,H-assumptiOn. he I'M
presses YOU at once a man of great strength
Of character snd % extraordinary ability. His
looks DO not belle him. lie l., by ali odds. the
greatest man In Mexico TO-DAY. and his work
shows him 90 be one Of tbs greatest states
men and greatest executives Of the world He
took Ne xico In a state Of revolution. and he
has brought II into a state of peace. He
grasped the country when 1t was in anarchy,