Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-03-25


During my stay In Montev!dco l
spent an evening at the rpesidenta
mansion. The occasion was one Of the
weekly receptions, and the wealth. oui-
ture and beauty Of the capital were
present. might add the courage. for
the reception was held under curious
conditions. There were soldiers at the
door. who rcrutiniycd every guest ms
he passed In. felt their eyes bore
through me when entered with our
consul general and his family. Gntling
guns. cannon and dynamite bombs
looked down upon us from the roof.
and I doubt not that private detectives
were stationed here and there along the
streets.
The president Of Uruguay lives upon
"a political volcano lie Ia IN daily dan
ger Of assassination. and he never
knows when a revolution may spring
up TO overthrow him. lie ". indeed.
one Of the most remarkable men In
south American Politics. His name IL
Juan l.. Cucstar. lie was vicc-preAi-
dent at the time Of the assassination
uf President hurdi. a year ana hnlt
AFRO. lie became president NJ bordas
death. and hls term should have cx-
p,red on March 1. 1895. lie IN SIN In
Office and has made himself dictator
OF the republic.
In July last u revolution was sprung
to overthrow him. The army had It's
headquarters not far from Muntevidco.
and many OF the chief officers were In
the conspiracy. II they could have
trusted each other cucs,as would have
been overthrow and probably KILLED.
The revolution failed because the man
who was to cut the telephone wires
between the station and the city did
not do his duty. The result was that
the president was Inclined aa soon nH
the army started for Montevideo. The
officers. finding that they were discoN-
cred. suspected each other ~ trcachcty.
Some began 30 back out. They with
drew their troops and the police were
able 60 control the remainder
Today prcaident cucftas never goes
about without an armed guard. HIS
mansion n In the Street " the Eigh.
tenth of July, NJ quite distance
froia the administration buildings.
when he goes from his home to his
ONCE he has soldiers all about him, and
there nro ten outrldcrr nn white horses
IN front AMI behind hia carriage. No
one II permitted to enter the preHidcn-
tlni mansion nj any time without the
approval ~ the soldiers. and half way
up the marble staircase there IN mill.
inry all, who carefully looks at all
who go by.
IN THE PRESIDENTS PAflLoRs.
Passing this official We went on 60 the
SECOND floor and were soon In the par
lorr % the prCnldcntH house. They nro
very large aud are ~ well furnished NJ
those Of the White House. ~ the time
We entered they were filled with ladies'
and gentlemen. who were Laughing and
goaaipinE about subjects ~ passing IN
isfunt ~ unconccrncdly as though they
were at a church social ana not Nnnu-
wlrhcd. nn II were. between tntling
guns and military guards IN the midst
OF a possible revolution. The ladies'
were In evening dress. They wore low
necku and short sleeves, ana the zen.
tiemcn wore black trousers. boiled
shirts and stccl-pen coats.
The wife. daughter and sons OF the
president were entertaining the guests.
HIS exccllency. the president not yet
having entered. Shortly after shaking
hands with US Madam cueHtaa led uH
10 one end OF the room, where there
was n large sofa with chairs facing
each other ana running out Into the
room at right angles TO ~ two ends,
She and her daughter sat ON the sofa
and We as distinguished guests. occu-
pied the chairs, This n the way q
Montcyideo hoatcsH receives her cali
.rs. Il In the form OF seating OF the
better class houses all over South
America. We chattcd some time with
the presidents vito. while callers came
and went. shaking hands with everyone
In the room ar they entered and those
" Madam cuestar and all OF the
guests upon going away
HOW PRESIDENT cuEsTAs LOOKS
After short time the president came
In. I had heard much of him and had
wondered what kind NJ q man this die
tator. this military Organiser, this man
OF blood and iron OF the uruguAynn re-
public might be. imagined him per-
haps a iilHmarck or possibly giant
with head ~ a god. ! wnH surprised
20 see waddle In on a cane stout, tat
old man. with features aOmewhat like
those OF Paul Kruger. the ilocr presl-
dent ~ South Africa. President Cues
tnH' face might be called strong, but u
cannot be called handsome. His COM
piexion In dark and his eyes bright and
piercing. The nose and osiln almost
like those OF Punch and hts great head
n Joined 10 fat STOPPING shoulders by
wnfcr-like neclN Ills face was free
from worry. He evidently was not
troubled aa to whether his oatllns
guns were In order; and ~ ! saw him
smile ar he went from guest 20 guest
could not realize that he held a nation
IN his fist.
He shook hands as I was presented
and made a few polite remarks, lie
then greeted Consul General Swalms
daughter. asking her why she had not
come 10 dine that day lie IN very
fond OF her and considers himself her
godfather. as II were. lie had her sing
for him at the reception and later on
che took the mandolin and sang the
national air OF Paraguay In spanish
and a plantation song or two In our
own dnrkcy dialect with great hp.
rlause. Shortly after this the president
left the room and wc after shaking
hands with our hostess and the nfiy
other people remaining, departed.
LATE HOURS IN MoNTEvIDEo.
II was twenty minutes past 10 y. m.
at this time. This. however, n early
for Montevidco. where invitations are
often for midnight and dances and
parties last III daybreak. 80 u was
not too late to make another call, That
same pirht we visited Dr. salteraln.
who until recently was secretary OF
state, and who N one Of the most ne-
complished and Influential men of the
republic. We remained there unul l.
O'clock. having tea, music ana general
chat.
am surprised TO flnd that so many
of the people OF Uruguay speak several
languages. Most 81 the women ! met
ut the presidents spoke French. Span
iah ana Italian with equal iiuency'
Mrs Saiterain spoke English and DR.,
Salteraln iH "a fine English scholar.