The morning times., 1896-03-22
YANKEE PRoMPTNEss.
The Danger of DEMONSTRATION inDeaL
ing With Blanco.
Chic4qo Record

A gentleman who went to Venezuela
some years q go to secure a contract from
the government tells an interesting story
or his ex PerienCes with GuzTDan BiancO. who
was then the autOcrat OF that country.
For three or four months he was kept
dangling around the Casa Amarilla (the
yellow house,. in which the PRESIDENT r.
sides. and finally told GUzman that he
wanted final answer. Guzman turned
to him with some impatience, and said.
''Come 10 my country house at Antinino
at s o'clock tomorrow morning, and we
viii close this matter up
Il VIII be on hand, Your Exce!lenCy.''
was the reply.
The next morning he was called at four,
gaAoped out TO AntiminO. and was at the
hctatorS residence before the clock IN
the parish church struck six. To his sur
prise, he found twenty or thirty peCpIs
waiting TO lie received, and some OF them
men OF importance, while the president sat
upon the porch, slipping his coffee and
reading the morning paper. II was con-
sidered dreadful breach OF etiquette 20
interrupt the great man when he wa SreaG-
ing, and there was not 4 person in the en-
tire community who dared 40 il. They
simply stood around, or Su by where he
could see them, and awaited his summons.
But the Yankee marched boldly up to the
porch. and said; GOOD morning, Gen
eralr'
Guzman BiancO looked up in surprise
from his paper, but the YHnkee, knowing
his temper anu pecuiiaritieS, did not wait
for him TO speak.
In my country, General" be said, 1t
is not the custom for people TO get up so
early, but IL Is also point OF honor 70
meet an enga cement promptly, and YOU seq
1 am here on time
Have you had your cOffee?'- asked Cuz-
man.
Yes, sir; at the hotel, a few minutes
ago"
lit must have been miserable stuff You
ought TO taste mine l use none but what
/ grow on my own plantation, and always
carry it with me, no matter TO what part
of the world 1 GO and, ringing the bell.
he ordered a cup OF coffee and a roll FOR his
caller.
But the latter did not propose to waste
time, and immediately said, - You did me
| the honor to sa yycsterCiay that YOU would
close up that matter Mt our interview this
morning, and l have come prepared 70 DO
So"
II wish my people were as prompt as
| YOU. Our great fault Us a nation is prOcTaS-
| tination- III we were as energetic as your
CounTymen, Venezuela would be a richer
| and more productive nation and with .haJ
| they went into business
For an hour the details OF the concession
were discussed, and being agreed upon, the
/ President dictated to his Sten0Crdpher the
! terms of the contract. Then, turning to
| his guest, he said:
| My secretary viii write this out, and
| tomorrow we VIII sign it,
Il would prefer To have the document
! signed now" was the Yankees reply.
| You have Just said that the fault of your
! people was proCrastination. and propose
| TO avoid il this morning.
| The secretary looked up in ANA ment.
| He had seen men sent TO the calabOOse for
| less. and evidently expected that the die
| tator would call policeman to take the
! Yankee in charge. Guzman was a little
angry at first, but, seeing that his guest
was not aba shed. smiled, and said:
THAT is neat way OF applying my phil
OsOphy to your own interest We will
| wait until the document is written, and
| sign it here
Handing cigar to the Yankee. he lit
| one himself q nd sat down for chat. while
| the secretary was writing. In a moment
| or two the director general OF police
| tapped at the door and said that he wanted
/ to see the president concerning a matter
\ that required his instant attention.
| You will have to wait until / am
/ through with this Yankee" was the die
| tator's reply: '.he is teaching me the way
y they dc business in the United States"