The Washington herald., 1906-10-28
SECOND ONLY TO DIAZ.
MexicO'S Minister of Finance
Visits Washington.
INTERVIEW At WHITE HOUSE
Senior Limantour Has nm Important
Talk with President Roosevelt, and
Later Tells The Herald About the
Affairs of the Country Beyond the
Rio Grande-Has No Ambition to
Succeed President Diaz.

Next to President Diaz there is no mere
distinguished man in the republic Of Mex
leo than Senior Jose Ives Limantour, who
has for the past fourteen years been in
the cabinet Of the President as minister Of
finance That office is Of transcendent i'm
portance in Mexico and Senior Imam
tour has filled IL so successfully that he
has won the gratitude and plaudits of his
couptrymen, while his fame has gone far
beyond the boundaries Of his native land
Minister Limantour. who is staying al
the Arlington, came to Washington TO see
President Roosevelt and had an impor-
tant interview with him. He has been
spending a welI-earned vacation in Paris,
where a married daughter resides, and he
Is now en- route to the City OF Mexico
having left Nine. LimantouF awaiting MN
in New York. Last evening, with The
courtesy characteristic Of the high-class
representatives. of the Latin race, be
gave a Herald reporter an interview re-
garding conditions in his country. and the
relations that exist between it and the
United States.
Country Has PFOgreSsed.
Senior Limantour. who is about ffty-fiye
years Of age, has the simple, unaffected
bearing of a gentleman and the grace that
comes from superior association. He has
a quick wit and an extensive stock OF
lore, and his use of the English language
is that of an adept
I do not tiatter myself. said he, that
can tell The Herald anythin novel OF
. of especial interest. As one who was born
IN Mexico and whose interest for the well
fare Of his country is acute, / can say
that during the past thirty years of in
tcrnal tranquility and stable govern
ment our nation has made very solid
and substantial progress. We do not
know what a boom Is, bat every year OF
our national life marks a distinct adj
vance, a gain on its predecessor. Thirty
years ago we had uo factories worth men,
tionng, to-day we have such a variety
OF industries that the mere enumeration
would be tedious. They manufacture
pretty nearly every thing the Mexican
people need, and the products Of ou
plants are all consumed at home.
What of YOUR financial condition.
( 1t Is sound TO a gratifying degree w
have S51t93.Jo0 gold reserve in London AND
T the National Bank of MeNieo, and thi.
Will enable us 90 maintain stable cur
reucy. Our peso, the value of which has
I been established al 59 cents on the ba .
. OF United States money will never vsrl
but slight degree from that standard
. The fluctuations of former times viii new
OF again disturb US. one Of the best eyi
. dences of the progress of the country j,
90 be found in the rise of the public reve-
nues. Fourteen years ago there Was col
lected for national purposes only 81 o90Du
Il nH.H
ofotC8 pesos annually. The credit Of TN
( republic. [ need not say, is OF the best
What has been the prime factor ia th'
/ great advance of Mexico
Gives Credit to Diuz.
Enthusiastically the credit belongs q
I one man. Gen. Dlaz, whose name is re
/ yered wherever civilization has a foothold
I He is to-day, CT the age OF seventy-fvs
as young as most men Of nifty. His healtI
IS unimpaired. his mental faculties Of IN
diminished strength. his capacity for wori
as great as ever. He has never been NOR
popular than he is to-day, and his hold o.
the country j. absolute
/ "Wiu the peaceful status Mexico enjoy
be- disturbed On the passing away Of Gen
/ Diaz2''
Not at all Mexico long ago got Oh
/ of the revolutionary habit. Three decade
! have elapsed since We had domesti
/ troubles. The young generation know
OF that stormy period only by tradition
most of those who participated ia tn
fighting have Joined the great majority
The new generation is for peace and or
der. The property interests are row 10,
great 10 admit of revolution. We have
great railway system that penetrate
every part of the republic. and railroad
ever initiate against conflicts. If yol
/ Americans had possessed ia 1850 the rail
road mileage now existing there woul'
have been no civil war. In this connection
/ wish to dcnOuncc as absurd fabrication
the ridiculous stories of a revoluti0Bar
movement i'm Mexico. a revolution mus
have leaders, an organization, pro
gramme, men Of military prestige a
there is nothing of the sort in Mexico
il is easy 10 see that our revolution
exists only in the columns Of sensations
/ newspapers.
Not Politician.
"Senor Limantour il has often bee
b said i'm the press Of the United State
4 that rs you are the man who gave &
b Mexico its present sound system o
/ finance and established its credit in tn