The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-09
THE RICH.
Talk with n Promoter of Railway
Excursions.
New Orleans UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

New Orleans TlmeS-Democrat.
How does the modern personally con-
Quoted tour in this country compare with
the Cook tours in Europe?'' Mr.. Grafton
was asked.
"Oh, we are far ahead of them in point
of elaboration" he replied, ''but the sys-
tenn is entirely different. The Cook tours
are arranged in the interests of economy
and the business is wonderfully we'll man.
aged from that standpoint, considering its
enormous magnitude. Here the expense is
a secondary consideration, and the service
is consequently vastly superior. The last
time | took a party to Mexico L paid the
Pullman company over $4,000 simply for the
use of their cars. We carried a private bag
gageman maids for the ladies, Wallets for
the gentlemen and had a small army of
guides, interpreters and agents looking out
for our accommodations In advance. Such
a tour as that would never be dreamed of
abroad.
1T is an interesting fact" continued
Mr.. Grafton, that the class of people
who might be termed the homeless rich
* very largely on the Increase in this
country. 1t is made up of men and women
of large private means who have no fad
their entire lives in palace cars, on board
steamers and IN temporary quarters at
hotels Some 6s>the-z have apartments
at fashionable hotels in large cities that
they keep all the year around and call
home by courtesy. but the majority of
them are necessarily on the wing. They
generally follow pleasant weather around
the globe. The early spring will find them,
for instance, in California; as summer adj
vances they go TO the Adirondacks or the
lakes, or possibly TO England; in the fall
hey will be in Paris, and in the winter
they are liable to be on the Riviera. in AL
giers, in Florida or at Yokohama. In brief.
the whole world is their playground, and
when they die they die on the cars or in
a hotel. tc' rf.H ~
A quarter of a century ago such opulent
wayfarers We're comparatively unknown in
the United States, although they were
800 nA.@aI L,t 80 lA@ 49,
has been an enormous increase of wealth
in this country and the leisure class has
grown in proportion. We excursion men
do a good deal of business with people of
that kind. Money is no object to them and
what they want is to nave all trouble
taken off their hands. They are only too
glad to avail themselves of our experience.
To the average everyday person such q
life seems rather dismal. but there must
be a great fascination about it. Those who
take 1t up seldom. If ever, settle down in a
fixed home."
Mr.. Grafton has been a warm friend of
President Diaz for years. and he talked in
terestingly of his personality.
People claim he is a Dictator he said,
land perhaps there is some truth in the
charge, but Mexico has needed a dictator
TO keep it on the straight road, and the
success Of his regime speaks for itself.
Without doubt his reputation as a fearless
and determined soldier has had a great
deal to do with his ability to keep the gov
eminent in hand. Very few outsiders know
what a close eye he keeps upon the adj
ministrative machinery. He receives a
daily report from the governor of each of
the states. and the system he pursues is
very like that OF a great railroad corpora
ton. 1t is impossible for anything of i'm
portance to happen without his knowl-
edge"
when he dies or finally gives up his
office, do you think there will be any
trouble about the succession of power?"
mo. He has made careful preparations
against that time, and I believe the crisis
will be tided over without any difficulty. I
was in the City of Mexico only a few days
ago and talked with several prominent men
on that very subject"
who do you think will be the next Pres
i6ent .of the republic?"
well, if President Diaz were TO die to-
night, his successor would, of course, be
Vice President Mariscal. who was in New
Orleans about a year ago. Mr.. Mariscal is
a very able man. but he is also very old.
almost as old as Diaz himself, and in the
nature of things he can't last much longer.
The general impression in Mexico at pres
ent is that the coming man is Jose Liman-
tour, who is now secretary of the treasury.
He Is about forty-ive years old and has a
private fortune of fully $40, GOO, 600, most of
which he inherited. In spite of the fact
that he was born immensely rich, he has
been a student and a worker all his life.
and is a man Of the first ability. AS a
financier he has few living equals. and it
is largely due to his genius in that line
that Mexico enjoys its present prosperity.
His budget of revenue is invariably in ex-
cess of governmental expenses and the bus
mess end of the administration is run on
strictly business principles. Moreover, he
has the reputation of being absolutely hon
est and his patriotism is unquestionable.
He has never touched a dollar or the large
salary of his office, but turns 1t all back
into the treasury as a private gift to the
nation. Personally he is very affabIe, and
he has the great advantage of being able to
speak English fuently. Unless there is
T.
lieve he will be the next President of Mex
ico."