Arizona republican., 1900-10-25
MINISTER SAMPSON
alks Interestingly to Washington Post Reporter.

General A. J. Sampson of Phoenix. United States minister to Ecuador, was In Washington a fo-v days ago and while there was interviewed by l re- porter for the Washington Post. There is something new in every talk with an observing man who has travel4d abroad. As General Sampson is such man the interview is reprodurad he- low and will be interesting reading for his Phoenix friends:
 They raise very good tobacco down in Ecuador remarked d tall and graceful gentleman. with q conSeniaI air at the Ebbitt yesterday. as he drew from an inside pocket some closely rolled cigars of moderate size. "and they make it up into an excellent smoke. They don't often get to this country. for most of the produc- is consumed there. A little of it 7 ts oyer into Peru
 General \. ]. Sampson of Phoenix. AriZ., the man who made this pbS-r- vation. adjusted his silk file at 3 com fortable angle, and. through the smoke. talked of affairs in that far-Or rrpub lie. He is United States minister t. Ecuador, now on annual leave. and has recently come down from West Po'nt, where he went on a personal visit to the son of President Eley Alfaro, at present a student there, through the courtesy of congress. President A faro is progressive man, friendly tp this country, and a very competent chief magistrate' remarked General Sampson. The president of Ecuador is not eligible for reelection, and they .i- ., for term of four years. I have not heard who was elected, but the new president will not be inaugurated till next August.
 Ecuador is yer" prosperous, but il does not offer an inviting field for our people, unless one has large capital and understands the Spanish language. There are only four Americans in Quito. and probably not more than fifty people in Ecuador who speak Eng fish. Pure Spanish is spoken of every body, except the Cholo. or mixed races. The production of cacao is one of the chief occupations, that being the berry from which cocoa and chocolate are made. There are cotton mills, and quite a diversity of industries but Qui,o, while a delightful capital can not be approached by rail or by wagon road. In two years it is expected that a New York syndicate will nave com pIeted railroad to that point. Horses and mules and thousands of men and women are engaged in bearing burdens to Quito and other towns. It taxes sixteen Indians about thirty days to convey a piano to Ecuador's capital. Guayaquil is the chief seaport town. where Americans Go considerable trad ing.
 'The Catholics have established eE- cellen, hospitals at Quito, which Mrs Sampson and I visited before We left for this country, and to which We have made contributions. They take the best of care of the sick and insane. and also of a colony of lerers. that num- bers thirty-siX women and thirty seven men. The president of one of the very strong and flourishing banks at Guayaquil, is Martin Reinburg. an es- timable man, whose fathe" recently died a Cincnnati.'
 General Sampson is d native of Ohio. but has lived much in the west. and was at one time attoruey-generaI of Colorado. He is the first resident of a territory to he appointed to a diplo- matic position of the grade of minister in siXty-three years, the last example of that kind before his appointment being that of Lewis Cass, who resided in what was then the territory of Michigan"