Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1900-09-06
A CALL ON GEN. PoRFIRIo DIAZ
Experience of Kentuckian Who PAID
Visit to Mexicos President.

w men was IN lne City Oh MEXICO,
recently" said Col. T. G. Stuart of
Kentucky, sit became necessary for me
to call upon the president of the re-
public, Gen. Porfirio Diaz, affectionate-
ly known among his people as Ell
President Grande, the great president.
All preliminaries were arranged by.
and my credentials were presented
through, the American ambassador
and the Mexican minister of state and
5 o'clock in the afternoon of Friday
was set, though, owing to my uneX-
pected absence from my hotel, | did
not receive notice of the time APP
pointed until an hour before. This
hurried me somewhat, for there are a
few more formalities to be observed
that are common to call at our own
white house. For instance, the proper
thing in apparel is a white silk shirt
an interpreter, because the Mexican
president must in all official matters be
addressed in his own language, and my
Spanish, while good enough for or
binary purposes was hardly equal to a
state occasion. | had silk-faced coat,
all right, and my silk front outing
shirt answered in that direction, but,
of course, when l wanted an interpre-
ter, one could not be found, and | had
to give him up after losing my temper
trying to find him.
can American friend, resident In
Mexico, volunteered to accompany me,
as far as he could, and we proceeded TO
the National palace in as fine a
carriage as the city could produce,
We arrived at the National palace in
good time and shape, and the sentinel
at the gateway having been informed
of our coming, passed us into the inner
court with the usual salute. This
National palace, by the way, is not as
our white house is, the official resi-
dence of the president, but merely
his office in connection with the offices
of the state ministers. He has his
own private residence in the castle of
Chapultepec. At the entrance to the
were met by an officer in uniform,
who, recognizing us, passed me on into
the chamber, leaving my friend toI
wait for me, as ne was not included in
the call Inside, / was met by an
officer, to whom gave my card, and he
offered me his arm with low bow,
and escorted me to the diplomatic
room, where another officer took me in
charge, and, passing me beyond a
number of waiting diplomatists, gov
ernors, ministers, and other officials,
gave me seat near the entrance to the
presidents room. In a few moments
an officer of the presidents staff came
out, and with the usual salute, offered
me his arm and escorted me into the
great state chamber of Mexico, that is
to say, one Of the halls of Montezuma,
which you have all read about, and in
its magnificent appointments 1t was
worthy of any Montezuman that ever
lived,
CAS- we entered the chamber a tall
and distinguished man rose
from a chair near the center of the
room and waited to receive me. |
was duly presented by the officer with
me to the president. who shook hands
most cordially and introduced his son,
Capt. Porfrio Diaz, Jr., handsome
young fellow of about 25 years. of most
delightful manners and speaking Eng
fish with a fascinating accent Apollo
giving to the president for my lack of
an interpreter, was graciously as
"a, Dp1t he frN
glad TO act in that capacity, and then
the most cordial relations were at once
established. After the customary in
terehange OF compliments the president
bowed me to q seat on sofa. with his
son at my left, and seated himself ON a
big chair before US.
I'VE then proceeded to talk business
the son interpreting-and the presi-
dent showed that he knew how to talk
II. He assured me OF his hearty ap-
prevail OF the cooperation OF Ameri-
cans and Mexicans in all enterprises
for the development of the country
and opened the way to me for all the
Official information l might need.
had expected that / might get ten
minutes OF his time, for he is the
busiest man In Mexico. but he became
so much interested in the matter pre-.
sented that he prolonged the interview
for two hours. and left him with the
assurances that he would gladly extend
every courtesy In his power during
that visit to the country or any future
visit / might make A cordial invita-
ton was also extended to call at any
time desired to see him, either
formally or Informally.
at parting pretty little incident
i occurred which struck me very
pleasantly indeed. After had shaken