The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-12-30
MexicO's Ambassador to the
United States Dead
At Washington as the Result Of
an Operation
APPENDICITIS.
Was SO Years of Age and Had
Spent Nearly
Forty Years in the Service of
His Government.

Washington, Dec. S0.-Ambassador Of
Mexico Romero died at o'clock this
morning, aged 62 years.
The remains will be taken to Mexico
for interment.
Senior Romero probably was the best
known member of the diplomatic corps
in Washington and was for some time
its dean. When Great Britain raised
her mission to an embassy the added
rank placed Sir Julian Pauncefote, the
British ambassador at the head of the
corps, though a Junior in years Of ser
vice to Senior Romero, who was raised
only recently from the rank of minister
to that of ambassador, Mexico taking
advantage of an act of congress proV1d-
ing that the president should have
power to raise our foreign ministers to
the rank of ambassadors whenever
foreign government should raise the
rank of its accredited representative.
Great Britain, Italy, Germany, France
and Russia set the example, which
Mexico followed in order to honor the
diplomat who had represented her so
ably at Washington for more than
twenty years and had served her faith
fully and well in other capacities at
home.
A sketch prepared by the bureau of
American republics and published in its
bulletin for the month of December,
1898, after revision by Senor Romero
himself, gives the subjoined biograph-
ical review of the dead ambassador:
"Senor Romero is one of the most
eminent statesmen, writer's and diplo-
mats Of Mexico. He was born in the
city of Oaxaca, Feb. "a, 1887. He re-
ceived his first education in his native
place and finished it at the capital of
the republic, where he received his
diploma as a lawyer. In 1855 he first
entered the foreign office, although still
pursuing his legal studies. In 1857.
when President Comonfort made his
coup d'etat, forcing President Juarez to
leave the city, Senior Romero accom-
panied him to Vera Cruz, where he con-
tinued in the service in the department
of foreign relations. In December, 1853,
he came to Washington as first secre-
tary of the Mexican legation and re-
mained here in that capacity until
August. 1860, when, in the absence Of
the minister, he became charge daft
faires. He returned to Mexico in 1863
to take part in the war against the
French, and was appointed colonel by
the president General Porfirio Diaz,
then appointed him as chief of staff
Soon after that President Juarez ac-
credited him as envoy extraordinary
and minister plenipotentiary to Wash
ingtOn. He remained at this post from
October, 1853, until January, 1863, haV-
ing rendered most important services to
his country.
''On his return to Mexico he was ap-
pointed secretary of the treasury but
was obliged on account of ill health, to
give up that Office in 1872. For three
years he remained in SOconusco, devot-
ing himself to agricultural pursuits, and
from 1877 to 1873 was again secretary
of the treasury.
I'm 1880 he served as postmaster gen.
eral. In March, 1882, he came back to
Washington as envoy extraordinary
and minister plenipOtentiary and has
remained in that capacity ever since,
with interruption of only ten months
in 1892, when, for the third time, he was
called to serve as secretary of the
treasury. AS representative of his
country in the United States, Senior
Romero has shown himself a most eff
cient and able diplomat. His efforts
have been most successful in strength
ening the friendly ties between the two
nations, and with this object in view he
has written a great deal his produc-
tions always receiving the highest en-
comiums from the press of the United
States and other countries.
''Senor Romero was a member of the
international American conference and
in that body served with great distinc-
ton. having been one of it's two vice
presidents. AS representative of Mexico
in the conference, he voted for the eS-
tablishment of the bureau of the Ameri-
can republics, and ever since it's
ganization has shown an active and
jealous interest in its progress. He was
a member of the executive committee
of the bureau when that body was first
organized and on every occasion has
lent his valuable aid to the work of the
international union of American re-
pubIics.
This sketch necessarily fails to do JUS
tice to the life work in behalf of his
country performed by the dead man.
He had seen his native country steadily
rise from a nation of revolutions and
disorder to an honorable position among
nations as a progressive, stable and
prosperous republic. In much of this
he had had a share. He kept in touch
with affairs throughout Mexico's do
mains, and recognizing the fact that it
was of vital Importance to the nation
that it's resources and credit should not
suffer because of fear on the part of
capital and industry that they would be
unsafe in the undeVeloped republic, he
investigated with painstaking care,
each published account of disorder or
violence, and then saw that, where un-
true, denials of the publications were
furnished to the press. Every old news
paper man in Washington became
familiar with this unvarying practice
of the late ambassador through the re-
ceipt of clippings of alleged outrageS
and summaries of the official report
made thereon to the ambassador. SenOr
Romero married q Washington woman
many years ago and their home on
street, off Franklin Park, was a social
center and the scene each season of
brilliant society functions. A large part
of resident as well as official society
always attended these affairs. Madame
Romero died not long ago. She and her
husband enjoyed the friendship and
confidence OF the leaders in national