Omaha daily bee., 1908-12-14
TROPHY SEIZED FOR DUTY
Mexican Premium for Students Taker
by Customs officials.
SENIOR DOMINIQUE COMES SUNDAY
He Urges that His Treasures BE
shipped to Corn show I'm Bond
and Expects Them TO
Arrive Today.

Heartless. indifferent customs officials of
the United States on the Mexican border
seized the trophy being brought to the Ma
tionaI Corn exposition by Zaferino Domin-
guez TO be given to the students corn judg-
ing team getting the highest number OF
points. and Ssnor Dominguez arrived in
Omaha Sunday morning withsnt the trophy
or his trunks eoassining exhibits.
The Mexican agriculturfst takes the SELF
ure good naturedly however. and officials
of the exposition set at work at once to
get the trophy released.
II is thought the baggage Of Senior Domin-
guez. together with the solid silver trophy
valued at l.5ao will arrive in Omaha today
| IN bond and can be secured from the Omaha
customs office.
No word had been received from the
! trophy late last night but kilograms were
flying between Omaha and the Mexican
\ border.
! The judges have already awarded the
! trophy TO the team coached by Prof. II. l.
| Bowman Of Ames, but 1t was the plan to
have Zaferino Dominguez present the hand
some trophy to the Iowans at the Monday
morning meeting in Concert hall But the
custom officials spoiled the plan-as they
have spoiled many, many plans.
Wanted Five Hundred Dollars Duty.
They wanted me to pay $50 duty on the
trophy" said Senior Dominguez at the Hotel
Rome last evening
This looked unreasonable TO me and I
tried 10 explain that l was taking the cup
\ TO Omaha 10 give 10 the students who
should win in a corn judging contest
They only laughed at me. 1 showed them
my letters from the American consul in
Mexico City and they laughed some more.
Then ] let them go through all my letters
and the clippings from papers about the
trophy. but they stin laughed. and finally
/ suggested they send il 20 Omaha in bond.
which they agreed to do.
Yes. 1 think it will be here. I will wait
patiently until we hear from the custom
officials. I thought such a trophy which
I was bringing 10 the United States 10 give
| to students and encourage them in the
study OF our agricultural products would
surely be exempt from duty. but you could
not make United States customs official
on the Mexican border believe anything"
Bust of DiaE in silver.
The trophy is worth 1850 or more. It
is a beautiful example OF the Mexican
silversudths ar The bust Of President
and critics in Mexico City declare II to
be one OF the finest busts Of the Mexican
president ever made. This is mounted
on a green onyx base and the whole en-
closed in a handsome red case made with
all the splendor which the Spanish and
the Mexican workmen could put in g. This
case ZeferinO Dominguez managed 20 bring
with him, though he had 10 leave the
trophy,
The whole is the idea Of Senior Dom
inguez, and the white silver the green
onyx and red case are the colors Of the
Mexican nag while in the detail Of the
trophy is seen the Mexican eagle and coat
of-arms. together with the American eagle
and shield. Of red. white and blue
One of Republics Big Men.
Zeferino DomingueE Is one Of the dis
tinguished men OF the Mexican republic
J He is doing IN Mexico what the best farm.
: ers In the United States are doing IN ths
way Of improving farm products. He hai
taught the Indians to test seeds. plant
them scientifically, distinguish between
varieties and their adaptabflity, started IN,
Mexicans and Indians 20 producing bis
crops by dry farming. until the men OF
his farms are able 20 compete with ths
most advanced workers in the Unltec
States
When his exhibit arrives. visitors 70 N.
National Corn exposition VIII be given
graphic idea Of what IL being accomplished
! in the sister republic BY such men as Dom
ing1ez and G0rOzpe The big map OF IN,
exhibit VIII snow the production IN ever
state Of the republic. the varieties o.
: srain grOWn. the rainfall. irrigated sec
J tions ana that uthich a. any farmed
Bamples q ths products from every STAT
IN the rapublic WI als0 b. aho1n