The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-07-12
MExIco's PosToFFlcE PRESIDENT
senor Llmantour, Man Without Mil.
 itary Prestige.

From Success for July.
 Senor Llmantour, the prospective presi- dent of Mexico, Is without military pres tige. a qualification so necessary to the rulers in all spanlsh-American republics. wherein fear remains strong political emotion, voluntary obedience to !aw is re- garded by most men as evId 7uca of q lack of spirit. and it's violation is considered something to boast of But 1t may be said for the minister of finance that he has crushed two of his rivals in the cabinet. and that, with his genius for finance and his rigorous methods of administration. he administers the most efficient department of the government.
 Besides, the people Of Mexico are mak- ing rapid strides in civic virtues. Diaz is more loved, today, than feared. The attitude of the army is no longer that Of master, but that of defender of the country There is no longer the sensa- tional and theatrical prominence given to administration by Bernardo Reyes. The present minister of war Is eminently loyal, and there Is every reason to be- lieve that the Mexican military element will attend to it's own business and leave politics alone. Indeed, there Is not d real military leader among the possible
 opponents of Senor Limantour. Before DlHZ LITle, Ine dIHl9 utStIltu tH6 bpN-
 ernment because the soldiers were not paid. Senor Llmantour has announced his intention of increasing their pay ' soon.
 | Idmantour does not appear to be 4S | years old. Notwithstanding the fact that his hair, for years past. has been prema-
 turely gray his face Is unwrinlkled, his steel-grey eyes keen and alert. his car- riage erect, his form, though slight. well l. afn a1a ttP ia ff ivory-lke pallor, Is intellectual and com mandng, being characterized by an am- pie forehead and a pronounced and well shaped nose. He is apt to strike those who meet him for the first time as some what cold and reserved This impression gradually wears off one talks with him and comes under the influence of his personal magnetism Nevertheless, if the interview hinges on business. Limantour never lays aside his caution, and It would be a hopeless task to try to en- trap him Into unguarded statements or inconsiderate promises. It is not easy
 to win his confidence, but, when 1t is once bestowed. his kindness Is inexhaustible.
 His strength as a public man lies in his
 mature and ell-balanced judgement and
 seif-control. He has no weak points, and
 his character is so well rounded that it
 causes sore perplexty to his enemies, who | try In vain to find a flaw in his armor. Unlike many other Spansh-American po- | litical men, he has an absolutely clean
 record in public and private life, and the | Tiempo, a conservative daily newspaper, | remarked at the time when some journals were dsparaging him on the score of his i foreign parentage, that it was infinitely
 to that statesman's credit that the worst | thing that his enemies could lay at his door was that his name ended in 'our.'
 Much of the equanmity which he op-
 poses to all of the vicissitudes of public 1 life may be attributed to the fact that
 he is, like Roosevelt and Balfour, man
 of a wide range of activities, and of in-
 tellectual and artistic tastes, in which, during his leisure moments. he finds re- | taxation from the strain of business. A l happy and model domestic life inures to | the same end