Los Angeles herald., 1906-11-21
Former Assistant Secretary of State Says Some
Complimentary Things About Southern Cal
ifOrnia-Talks of Presidential Posi-
bilities-Na as Newspaper Man
FRANCIS B. LOOMS

One of Americas most diplomatic
of diplomats is at the Alexandria. He
is Francis B. Loomis, of Washington
D. c., former assistant secretary of
state under the late John Hay; at one
time head of the consular service of
the United States, ambassador to many
European courts, and one of the
country's chosen ENJOYS on some of
her most important missions to foreign
chimes.
To look at Mr.. Loomis, one would
never suspect that he has been the
possessor of titles too numerous TO
mention He is Il quiet looking man
with a pair of keen eyes, a short
mustache, a youthful, bouyant ap
pearance, and a gracious kindly Lam
really-no- -one-at-all sort of manner.
81 am just down here having a little
pleasure jaunt," said Mr. Loomis in the
corridor at the Alexandria last night.
You see l have not been here for
twenty-one years and / naturally find
some changes. Twenty-one years ago
L came to Los Angeles with a party of
government officials. We were In the
state about a month, but in Los An
geles only a few days. Even in those
few days l saw enough to know that
there We're real men in Los Angeles,
the kind that have the stuff in them
that makes things go.
This is an entirely different city,
but in it l can see the hand OF those
men.
To Interest Business Men
Il came west to attend to some busi
ness concerning ranch l have up
north. 1t is about forty"fve miles from
| Merced and the railroad which is gOirg
into the Yosemite will pass right by It,
| The Yosemite is beautiful in winter as
well as in summer and it is believed
that this railroad will attract many
people there at all times of the year.
L had a few days to spare and 1
thought l could find no better way to
get rid of them than to run down here
to see how you have been growing.
while l am here l hope to see some
of the members of>the chamber of Corl-
merce and the board of trade, to in
terest them in the convention to be
held in Washington in December to
discuss trade relations with foreign
countries and to consider ways of I'M
proving the consular service. Th's
meeting will be directly called by the
New York board Of trade and repre-
sentatiVes of every state i'm the Union
viii be invited to be present.
Il am strong advocate of building
up the consular service in every way
possible. Our commerce with foreign
countries is a most important part of
our exstance as a nation. America
occupies a high position i'm the minds
of Europeans generally and we have a
great reputation to sustain.
Whom do | think will be the next
president of the United States? Well.
If / could tell that | would make my
fortune and yours.
az
presidents in their campaigns and have
been all through the country with two
or three of them and / am convinced
that it is a question no one can decide
until the people decide it as a whole
Presidential Possibilities
Among the Democrats there are
several possible candidates and the
same is true of the Republicans. Pres-
dent Roosevelt's friends know that he
means what he says when he says he
has no intention of entering the pres-
Dental race, and yet If the entire con-
venion was to demand ii, l think he
might change his mind. 1t would be
a great thing to have such an influence
brought to bear upon one.
william Jennings Bryan may be the
Democratic candidate and there are
also some other splendid Democrats
who might be chosen. / have been al
most as close as 1t is possible to come.
to several of the rulers of the White
House and / do not believe that any.
one can predict the outcome of a presi-
Dental election"
One of the most unusual of Mr..
Loomis' missions to foreign countries
was his recent visit to France as
special envoy Of the United States, to
bring back the remains of John Paul
Jones, the famous admiral, which
have been resting In France for over
one hundred years.
In speaking of his visit to France,
Mr.. Loomis said; 1T was a remarkable
mission and found the French people
possessed with the most friendly feel
ing possible for America"
In promoting the interests Of Amer
ican commerce In South America Mr..
Loomis has been most prominent He
was United States envoy extraordinary
and minister plenipotentiary to Vene-
zuela and filled the same diplomatic
position at the court Of Portugal. He
also served as consul at 81. Etienne,