The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-09-12
77IH]TE [FOW[R PRESIDENTS
BY W. [. ALDEN.
Copy right, 1897, by W. L. Aldero

to see the differences between the four
presidents amlcaDly setueu. IN place
like Porto Nuevo the mead OF the nos
pltal is always the most influential man
In town, with the exception OF the presl-
dent and the chief of police. You see
that whenever a revolution breaks out,
and the parties to it begin to shoot, the
hospital fills up pretty rapidly, and the
wounded men are mighty anxious to be
on good terms with the doctor, so that
he won't try any carving experiments on
them.
This particular doctor was the most
level-heaGed man in TorriZonia, and
when he and l had talked things over,
we agreed that the best thing to do
would be for me to arrange an inter
view with the four presidents, and in
duce them to compromise their differ
ences. The doctor said that they would
agree to anything provided the consid-
GRAFTON was large enough, AID he
thought that if the four presidents were
to form a syndicate, and govern the
country in partnership, it would be a
satisfactory arrangement all round.
Il went back to the hotel, and wrote
an invitation to each of the presidents
to dine with me on the next day but
one, promising to send an escort of U. s.
marine to bring each president to the
hotel, and to see him safe back to his
camp. Then l went aboard the frigate
and arranged with the captain for the
use Of four detachments of marines,
consisting Of four men each. l got the
correct addresses Of the four presidents
and started each detachment in time to
reach its particular guest and to bring
him to the hotel at 6 O'Clock sharp.
ordered the best dinner that the land
lord could get up, and l borrowed a
dozen of champagne from the captain
of the frigate, having sampled it on my
way from the United States, and know
ing that it was first class in every re-
spect.
"Of course | wasn't so foolish as to
let one president know that / had in
yited any of his rivals. Each man sup
posed that he was the only guest, and
naturally came to the conclusion that
meant to recognize him as the only
lawful president. This made it reason
ably certain that every one of the four
would come to dinner, and l calculated
when l had got them comfortably full
of the captains champagne they would
be ready to listen to reason.
" For the first time in the history of
Central America my invited guests ar
rived promptly a: the hour specified.
This wasn't their fault, for if they could
have had their way they would have
struggled in at all hours, from 6 to 10.
But the midshipmen that were in COM
mand of the different escorts knew
their business, and being ordered to de-
liver the presidents to me at 10 minutes
before 6, had them on hand at the pre-
else moment. How they did this never
inquired. One of the presidents-I think
it was Garcia-complained that it was
contrary to the law of nations for
American marines to prod Central
American presidents in the back with
bayonets, but l didn't take any notice
of what he said, knowing that it would
be impossible to convince Central
American of the value Of punctuality.
when the four presidents met they
were considerably surprised, and there
would very likely have been a difficulty
then and there if had not made them a
little speech, and begged them to OBJ
serve the law Of hospitality, and to alb