The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-11-21


 10 open formally the line, the train stopped at a station not far from the town up among the Sierras from which Diaz went forth nearly fifty years ago to light the battles of his country. An old Indian woman with her son came down to see the train
 There he Is! There he isl" she cried In the dialect of the town. as she saw the president appear on the platform. General Diaz caught the familiar words, He left the car, went to the old woman and embraced her. She had known him in his youth. Among the mountains live hundreds of thou sands of Indians. They mingle but lit tie with those who live in the valleys and on the plains, They never ac- knoWledged sovereignty to the Span iards. They yield allegiance to the Mexican government, though they still claim not to have been conquered, Delegations from these powerful tribes make their way on foot to the City of Mexico and are admitted to see the president. General Diaz never fails to send them away appeased if they have a grievance, and satisfied if they are seeking information.
 The tact of Diaz is as wonderful as his will. This was illustrated when, at the outset of his career as president, ne called together the leading bandits of the country and offered them more money to become soldiers than they were making by robbery. He mobil- ized several thousands of these bad Mexicans Into a corps known as the rurales, gave them picturesque uni form and the best of arms, mounted them upon fine horses and put them on the army rolls with lieutenants pay for privates The rurales of Mexico are to-day the finest body of mounted men on the continent.
 Foreign capital sometimes shivers with apprehension at the suggestion of president other than Diaz But in the course of nature there must come an end to these successive terms. The birthday celebrated with so much en- thusiasm in September was the sixty sixth Diaz is still robust At the opening of congress the president came in with that swinging walk which was so characteristic of the late Senator Plumb of Kansas. He is careful of himself, He eats regularly. He drinks little. What Is still more marked, in a country of indulgence in tobacco, the Mexican president smokes rarely --ncw and then a cigarette
 Four o'clock in the morning has been for many years the rising hour of Diaz. This is not so extraordinary in Mexico IA nt.s<o Tlax light comes early for the Tropic of Cancer Mexicans in the city and country are astir two hours or more before their neighbors above the Rio Grande. Work on the farms and in the mines begins with daylight. At noon, when the suns rays come down almost vertically, long rest-the siesta-is taken. Stores close in the cities. Fields are deserted in the country. The American who goes to the govern ment officers to transact business be- tween twelve and three in the after noon is astonished to find the doors closed. But at D. m. the second half of the Mexican day is under way
 President Diaz is up at four o'clock in the morning, and out of doors lit- tie later for his horseback ride. In that he finds his favorite exercise. He goes everywhere without body guard, and often entirely alone. In country which has known so many revolutions, such turbulence, which maintains a larger standing army than does the United States, which garrisons every city and town of importance, the fear lessness of the president Is matter of note.
 Returning from his ride, General Diaz is served with the regulation first meal of Mexico, the cup of coffee. Ar ter that he devotes an hour to the newspapers, the interpreter assisting and calling attention to such things as he thinks the president may wish to hear. Official business engages the president as early as seven o'clock in the morning Between noon and three in the afternoon General Diaz break lasts and rests at home. At four o'clock begins the cabinet meeting or the official reception. Between that hour and seven o'clock is a busy time for the Mexican president. Then comes dinner, after which the president
  night.
 During the past year the routine of this busy life has been several times broken. Those having business with the president have gone to the palace only to be told of postponement of the regular reception because the general has been detained at home by illness The explanation is unusual. The man of iron physique and iron will has had few sick days in his long. eventful life The president has realized for some time that old age was creeping on, and now the~people begin to see 1t.
 'Tell the gentlemen" said President Diaz to his interpreter, while receiving recently a party of Americans, that our country is open to them. They can come and live here and when they die they will die old"
 The Americans laughed and one oi them said:
 How long do people live here, MT President"
 General Diaz replied that seventy seventy five, ninety, one hundred and ten and one hundred and fifteen years were not uncommon ages in Mexico. wen come here to live then" said the American.
 Come on; come one, come all, ," said the president with hearty emphasis. The even climate of Mexico is condu- cive to longevity This dark skinned man, cordial of manner, tireless in in