Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-05-06
THE MEXICAN PRESIDENT
COULD NOT FIND TIME TO GO TO
Ell PASO TO MEET
MCKINLEY,
BUT SENT A REPRESENTATIVE
IN THE PERSON OF GENERAL JUAN
HERNANDEZ,
Governor Miguel Ahumada, of
chihuahua, Also Was Present,
Both With Stats in Full Uniform.
The Message of the Chief Execu-
tive of Mexico to the President,
and the Reply Thereto.


Ell PASO, Texas, May 5.-The Pres
idential party reached Ell Paso, the
gateway of Mexico, at O'Clock this
morning, and will remain here until
noon tomorrow. President Diaz, of
Mexico, had hoped to meet the Presi-
dent here and shake hands across the
/ border, but as the Mexican Congress
Is in session he could not leave the
capital. He sent a personal message
to the President, however, and also de-
spatched Gen. Juan Hernandez, the
commander of the second military zone
of the State of Chihuahua, personally
to present his good wishes to the Chief
Magistrate of the United States.
Governor Miguel Ahumada, of Chi
huahua, the most northerly State of
Mexico, also travelled to Ell Paso to pay
his respects, and these distinguished
Mexican officials, accompanied by Gen.
Hernandez's staff in full uniform, were
received by the President in his car at
the station. After exchanged feIicita-
tons, the President requested Gen.
Hernandez to convey to President Diaz
his personal good wishes for the health
and happiness of President Diaz and for
continuation of the cordial relations
at present existing between the two
countries. Diazs message was as fol-
lows:
CITY OF MEXICO, Mex, May s.
ITO the President of the United States
of America, Ell Paso:
when you arrived this day at the
frontier of Mexico l wished I might
shake hands with you, but send you
as cordial salute as corresponds with
the cordial relations which exist be-
tween the two republics of North
America l also send Gen. Hernandez
to express to you the same feeling.
(Signed) '.PORFIRIo DIAZ."
To this the President sent the follow
ing response:
EEL PASO. Texas, May S, 1901.
ITO His Excellency, Gen. Porfirio Diaz,
President of the Republic of Mexico,
City of Mexico:
1T gives me great pleasure to recipro-
cate the courteous greeting of Your Ex-
cellency and to express my most cordial
good wishes for your health and happf-
ness and for the continued prosperity OF
the Mexican republic to which We are
bound by SO many ties of mutual in
terest and friendship.
0Signed) WIN. MCKINLEY"
1t being Sunday, the President had
requested the local committee here not
to arrange any programme for the day.
His wishes were respected and the mil
itary parade and official exercises were
postponed until Tomorrow. The Pres
ident and Mrs. Mckinley and the mem
bers of the cabinet attended the Station
Street Methodist church in the morning,
and in the afternoon some of the party
went lot d uflFe.
After dark tonight, the Mexican
band, which had been brought from
the City of Mexico by Gen. Hernandez,
serenaded the President and Mrs. Nc
Kinley at the train. While it was a
comparatively quiet day in Ell Paso,
Notwithstanding the large number of
strangers in town, it was otherwise in
the Mexican city of Juarez, just across
the Rio Grande May 5th is the ami
versary of the defeat of the French in
vaders at Puebla and is celebrated as
our Fourth of July is in the United
States. The Mexicans are not puritani-
cal in their observance of the Sabbath.
Indeed, Sunday is always a fete day
with them.
The great pleasure of the celebration
to-day was a Spanish bull fight. A ia
nous matador had come to Juarez from
the City of Mexico for the occasion
None of the members of the Presidents
immediate party attended but bull
lighting is the national sport in Mexico,
as of Spain, and Gen. Hernandez and
the Governor of Chihuahua occupied a
box overlooking the ring The fight
proved to he more than usually bloody
and brutal. The net casualties were
four bulls despatched. one horse killed,
two picadors endorsed and one toreador
severely but not fatally wounded. as he
was helped over the fence surrounding
the arena by maddened bull.
Governor Murphy, Of Arizona, and
his staff will participate in the formal
greetings tomorrow. One of the feat
ures of the programme tomorrow is to
be Mexican breakfast with the typical
Spanish dishes for the ladies of the
party.