The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-05-29

TaIks-HOw He Fought HIS why
TO the Presidency-His Narrow
Escnpe From Prison In WOman's
CIothes-Some Peruvian RevOlu-
Millions and How the Chileans
Looted the Countrywide Span
ish rs CoIonizers-A Visit to the
Houses of Congress.
Copyrighted, 1898, by Frank G. Carpenter.
LIMA, Peru, April 24.-It was in COM
pany with Richard R. Neal, the secre-
tary of our legation at Lima, that
called upon the president this after
noon. His excellency had appointed
p. M for the audience, and at that hour
we entered the vast, low, one-story
building which forms the White house
and government offices Of this republic.
Soldiers in uniforms of white duck,
with guns at their sides, guarded the
doors, and as we entered the hall we
passed by company of infantry ready
for immediate action In case OF reVolu-
ton. Additional guns stood in racks
against the walls, and my surroundings
were those of a fortress rather than
country where the people are sup
posed to rule. This is, you know,
land of revolutions. President Pierola
came in after many months of hard
fighting, and in the houses and
churches of Lima you may yet see the
marks where cannon balls and bullets
went crashing throug.
For days the president beSieged the
city. The opposing factions had CAT
and they swept the streets. The dead
were carried out each morning by the
CARLOAD, and there were so many dead
horses that they were not buried, but
were covered with coal oil, and, a
match having been applied, were thus
consumed. With the new president,
Pierola, in, and the old president, Ca
ceres, banished, there was peace and a
new government, and there is peace to-
day. The present administration has
been in power for several years. 1t is
more progressive than any administra-
ton Peru has had for long period,
and under 1t the country is steadily i'm
proving. There is an opposition party,
however, and President Pierola is too
good a soldier to sleep on his arms. He
keeps his troops in good order, and you
find soldiers almost everywhere pres
ent.
AS we went further into the palace
we passed a number Of officers in uni
form and then proceeded through one
ante room after another, until we came
into the office of the presidents private
secretary, the ]. Addison Porter of
Peru. This man was even more suave
than our Mr.. Porter. He told us that
the palace, the president and himself
were at my disposition, and that his
eXcellency would receive me at once
He went out, and a moment later
ushered Mr.. Neal and myself into a
large hall furnished not unlike one of
our public reception rooms at Washing
ton. In the center of the room as we
entered stood a straight, handsome man
with an eye as bright as that Of an
eagle.
His features were striking, and his
strong nose and mouth those of a leader
of men. His forehead was very high,
and the white curl which hung down
upon 1t was twisted about after the
style of our once American dictator,
Roscoe Conkling, while his brown whis-
kers were trimmed after the fashion Of
Louis Napoleon. 1t was Nicholas Pie
rola. the famous South American
statesman, general, patriot and revolu-
zionist, the president Of Peru. He is
years of age, probably nearer the latter
year than the former. He is about
five feet six inches In height, but his
military bearing makes him look taller.
He was dressed in black broadcloth suit
with a cameo medallion on his white
tie. He stepped toward US as we came
in and shook hands with me upon my
presentation. He asked me to take a
seat on sofa, and, with his own hands,
brought a chair and sat down beside
me. He chatted for some time with me
as to my trip, and said he was glad to
have an American journalist come to
Peru, as he felt his country was not
properly known in North America.
During the conversation, in which Sec
rotary Neal acted as interpreter, his
eXcellency referred to the wonderful
mineral and agricultural possibilities Of
Peru.
He said that its mineral regions had
not been carefully prospected, that it's
surface was hardly scratched and that
If 1t had the proper amount Of capital
and the right sort of immigration it
would be one of the richest countries
Of the continent. Upon my asking his
excellency how he regarded the intro
duction of American money, he replied
that Peru would be glad to welcome
any Americans that might come, and
that there were many safe investments
here which would yield a profitable re-
turn. He was anxious, he said, to see
an increased trade between the sister
republics of the United States and Peru,
and hoped that one of the transisth-
milan canals would be pushed to it's
completion with that end in view.
THE MONROE DOCTRINE.
During the audience told his excel
lency Of chat had had with Presi.
dent Mckinley just before leaving
Washington, in which our president
stated his anxiety that the two CONT
nents should have better trade relations
and that the business between them
should be greatly increased. In his
talk with me President Mckinley sta
ted his position on this matter in strong
terms, saying that the foundation for
all such relations was peace and friend
ship, and that 1 might state his hope
that peace would continue, for without
1t business could not endure.
President Pierola heartily assented to
this. He said he was able to state
that Peru was in a safe and settled
condition, and that he thought 1t would
continue so. He referred to the Mon
roe doctrine, with which he said he was
in thorough accord, saying that the re-
publics of this hemisphere should sup
port, aid and defend one another in the
protection of their rights as free gov
ernments. At this point the new min
lister from Bolivia, whose reception had
been fixed to follow mine, was an
nounced and our very pleasant talk
was brought to a close
UPS AND DOWNS OF PRESIDENT.
The statesmen Of South America
have much more eventful lives than