The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-01-26
MIR. BRYAN IN MEXICO.
The Extraordinary Welcome Given
the American Statesman.


We are not altogether benighted-out
of the world, as it were-in our old city
Of the Aztecs. Luis MazZantini-the
Spanish matador whose yearly income
is equal to that of a president of re-
public-is with us once more, after ten
years, and we are also Boosting of the
presence among us of the silver
tongeed man from Nebraska, Mr.. w. j.
Bryan. They are both stopping at the
same hotel-our best one. the SAM
and while the smart English and Amer
lean visitors, and even the best Mexi-
cans of the city, whom one sees congre-
gated about and in the hotel, are all for
Bryan, the manta-clad poems, the car
gadores, water-carriers, are all for
MaZZantini, the great torero! They are
the people of the country; to three
quarters of them stand the One-quar-
ter of educated MeXicans. Spaniards
and foreigners of the Republic of Mex
leo. And while they are the people who
pawn everything they have to get tick
cts to MazZantini's fights they care not
for the man who may Be Pre- sident some
day of los Estados del Norte" A
sunny day, and seat on the sunny
side at the bull fight; good bulls from
Atenco that will fight, por Dios, as
bull should; plenty of pulque to warm
the heart, and a good fight, with the
killing Of many horses, yea, even pic
ador, or a banderillo, or a matador-
that is what the peon loves.
However, Mr.. Bryan need not feel
hurt over the Indifference of the poems.
Because, from the better-class MeXi-
cans, President DiaZ himself, and the
Americans Of the City of Mexico, he
has had a reception and welcome such
as no American ever before received
from Mexico. From the moment that
he touched Mexican soil he has been
petted. and feted, and applauded
Two other men of the United States
of America have been welcomed and
applauded here since the year 1S41-Mr.
Seward, for one, and General Grant,
for another. They were admired for
their services to their country-not al
together for their personality. But
Bryan seems to strike a certain chord
about the Mexicans that Seward and
Grant did not. Mexicans attach much
10 n mans manner personality, voice,
the way he looks at you, and the tone
in which he addresses you. They like
Bryan, and they become enthusiastic
in speaking of the 'Presidente en- 10 flu
turo de los Estados Unidos del Norte!'
And Mr. Bryan may congratulate him
self upon having captured, through his
strong personality, his good manners,
and fine face, the liking Of very crit
ical people.
However. Mexico has changed much
since the days of Grants visit. Then.
the Republic was gathering itself to-
gether. as it were, and trying to find
out Just what il was. To get money to
entertain Eel General a good many
taXes-not large ones, but still such as
to be felt-were imposed on the people
Of the country. such as the soldiery,
shoemakers. small merchants, etc,
which, Of course, did not make them
feel quite as cordially toward General
Grant as they otherwise might. And
in connection with this rather anus
ing anecdotc has been told me by an
old citizen:
Bands and flowers and muchas "tTs1
cosas met and welcomed Grant, and up
in trent If the palace. where ne was IN
tertained by the president and his Staf,
hung tremendously big wreath OF the
red, white and blue, forming the word
welcome" placed there by al aTbi-
tious and thoughtful Mexican. Now. 1t
came to pass that after few hours.
while the president and his cabinet
We're toasting Mr. Grant inside the pal
side the palace happened to remark the
aforesaid wreath. The W. had DROP
ped of. leaving the word ''eicoine.
meaning in Spanish he cats. And
"Pues 81, he does eat" remarked che
old RuTale captain, sadly; but We p"-
bres pay for it,
But nobody was taxed to feed Mr..
Bryan. Unless, perchance. it was chef
of the president out at Chapultepec.
or the steward of the American Club.
For. even though we are on silver
basis with exchange coyly slipping
about from 200 up to 200, we are far
better off than we were when Grant
came. and silver was worth more.
Mr.. Bryan has had all fun and no
work in Mexico; if he has ever said
word about silver and politics ii has
been accidental. All along, his state
ment has been that he came to Mex
leo for rest" And, while he may have
gained some idea of MeXico's prosper
ity. il has been observed from the HO-
tel SAM, the castle at Chapultepec, the
best streets of the City Of Mexico.
where foreigners all live, and the ban
guets and clubs which he has attend
ed. Mexicans all know why he came
here. and they put their best foot for
ward and gave him splendid enter
tainment.
At the station the Presidents own
carriage met him. and the Presidents
own body-guard escorted him to his
hotel. He was banqueted al the arts
tocratic Jockey Club and in the Pres
ident's own home. At the meeting of
the Mexican Congress he was begged
to make speech. being the first Amer
lean who ever addressed, from their
own tribune. a Mexican Congress. And.
in the Hall of the Engineers. he made
another speech to as many MeXicans
as English and Americans. And spe-
cial receptions were given him at the
American Club, where he met and
shook hands with his fellOw-Ameri-
cans. and told them how proud he was
of the Americans in Mexico.
Well, Mr.. Bryan has seen the "lujo'
and the best foot forward Of things
in Mexico. From what he has seen, he
could with reason say that Mexico is
the happiest and most prosperous of
countries on her silver basis. He has
had a superficial glance at and into
matters political and silver" here. He
has not seen the inner side, the heart,
of the matter, and made a study of it
all-which, perhaps, as life is short, is
best.
An Emperor for a Sfepladdpr