The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-12-20

l. All the clients stand around and hobnob
and gesticulate.
The President has Just sent for me"
says one in his particular lingo. And an
other takes up the cry: He sent for me
last year. but I've never seen him YET. I'm
Caught in the inferno
Suddenly the conversation dies away
and you almost heal the palptta tons OF
many anxious hearts.
A uniformed oniccr striped and barred
like an criole has appeared in the door
way.
He reads with somewhat SUpercilious
smile the LET Of the chosen.
Those who are summoned pass with him
beyond the curtain. one step nearer the
republican throne.
The disappointed and the disguised re-
main behind in THE inferno" until the
rattle OF the Presidents carriage and
the clanking harness of his mounted
guards tell them that business is over for
the day and that the benevolent despot OF
Mexico has gone to take his ease at Cha
pultepec.
However. instead of fading themselves
in the presence of the President. those
who passed the curtain merely enter sec
ond gallery. locally 1.-The Purgatorio.'
Here there is another wait and another
selection. another reading aloud of the
fortunate names.
Many man gets no further than ''rhe
PurgatoriO," and must. when hunger or
time presses. retire to the outer world
through THE Inferno" But We will fol-
low the twice-chosen and selected into a
large room. where the Presidents military
STAFF are sauntering about. Then If you
are lucky you go into his presence.
HUNG WITH RED DAMASK.
The apartment is hung with red damask.
into
eagles. over which can still be seen the
imperial crown that poor Carlotta placed
there in the heyday of her dream of EN-
pire. before the grave closed over Maxi
milan and the doors OF the madhouse up
on her own distraught mind.
Throughout the business hours Diaz sits
there. with his face always In the shadow
and yours always in the light.
He looks you over. the shrewd old man.
and you can read the one thought that
for the moment is uppermost in his mind.
What can this man teach me?
What does he know that 1t would be
We'll for me to learn? II on inspection the
outlook does not promise profit in knowl-
edge to the shrewd old Oaxca Indian who
has made himself more powerful than
many Kings he will let you go with a hand
shake that passes for English on the
French stage.
may prove very long: one hour. two hours
and even three they have been known to
last. while the other clients htingered and
thirsted in THE Infierno.S
You may teach the President many
things or merely prove TO him that you
are a chatterbox: but one thing is quite
certain. he will not talk himself except
about the sleeping cars in the United
States.
hon NJ, IT -1.aV
met is he given TO making condolences.
1t is hardly necessary to say anything
about Jose Ives Limantour. because he is
personally so well known III New York. If
he becomes President. the ruler of our
neighbors across the Rio Grande will be
an habitue of our best clubs and In close
personal touch with our leading men. Ho
speaks English without an accent and
knows the United States like the palm of
his hand. You regard him az more than
half American until you meet him in
Paris, when you would swear that he had
never left France in his life. This adapta-
bility. or, rather. this ability (which is
given to few Mexicans) to pass for an
American in New York and a Frenchman
on the boulevards. is Il heavy political
to the suffraGes of the Mexicans
which Limantour could not hope to con-
tend against without the very decided sun
port of DiaE.
COULD NOT HOLD POWER.
How long Iimantour could maintain
himself in power is question upon which |
those expert in Mexican conditions never |
can agree. and perhaps it is wisest to |
await the course of events
He can never become President without |
the sanction of Diaz. Yet doubtless nc
long as he lives Diaz can keep his man or |
his puppct on the throne Yet he must |
die some time: even the Oaxaca Indians.
though famed for their longevity, in the |
end go the way of all flesh.
The benevolent despot Is now at least &c |
years old, probably older, and the oues- |
ton whether Limantour could stand !
alone is one that may at any day become |
urgent.
1t is. Of course. perfectly possible that
he may develop qualities suited to the new
conditions and prove as successful in DOLL.
tics as he has in finance
a few years ago. when he came to New
York, everybody in Mexico as well as in
Wall street said 1t would do him good 1
that is. his health-but as for the ayowetl
purpose of his visit. the negotiation of a
oan. he might as well spare himself the
pains of trying.
Wall street, 1t was asserted. had never
yet made loan to foreign Government.
md was not likely to begin with Mexico.
However. Limantour secured the loan
ind he may be able to conjure the want