The Washington herald., 1909-08-29
SENIOR BARRA IN FAVOR
Meeting of Presidents Taft and Daz Revves Interest in
Purposes of Two Republics

lands. and Il was from this post that he
was transferred to his present one IN the
United States.
The leading part Senior de la Barra has
taken IN the various congresses 10 which
he has been a delegate. and the special
commissions intrusted 70 him, have earn
ed for him recognition and decorations
from the various governments that have
benefited by his work Spain conferred
upon him the Ordre Royal Illustre de
Charles III. and from Italy he has re-
ceived the Ordre de Ia COuronne dTtaIie.
He has also received degrees from many
universities. both in this country and in
Europe, and has been elected an honorary
member OF the Royal Academy OF Madrid.
Senior de la Barra Is a handsome man.
with fine eyes. Intellectual forehead. and
slender, graceful figure. He wears a
heavy mustache. slightly tinged with
gray. as IS his hair. He speaks French
and English almost as fiuently as he
does his own tongue. and is an inter-
esting public speaker. His manners ara
gracious and be has the affability and
charm which add so much 10 the useful
ness Of a diplOmatist and he became.
In the short two years he was stationed
in Brussels one OF the most popular
members Of the foreign colony. When
It is considered that. from a Mexican
standpoint Brussels is one OF the most
difficult and delicate places &c success
fully al. Senior de Ia Barras acumen as
a diplomatist will be thoroughly appre-
ciated.
His family consists Of his wife and
two children His wife, whose maiden
name was BOrneque, comes OF a dis
tinguished Mexican family. being the
] Al
can historian and statesman, Don Lucas
Alaman. Her grandfather and father
were Representatives Of the descendants
OF COrtez IN Mexico The name OF the
wife OF the Mexican Ambassador is Sc
nora Dona Maria Elena Borneque de
Leon de la Barra. and she IS declared
I by her friends 10 be the soul OF hos
pitality
Senior de la Barra, like all prudent men,
is very modest. He claims he does not
speak English well. but IN truth IS an
/ accomplished lingu.st. His first connec-
ton with the commercial side OF Ameri-
can affairs was when he acted as inter
prefer for Andrew Carnegie. Mr.. Car
negie wrote what the Mexican AM
bassador was pleased 10 call a most ex-
cellont book on world peace At Tie
/ Hague conference Mr.. Carnegie wanted
[
all the modern languages. and Senior de
la Barra. being asked 10 translate il
into Spanish. courteously complied with
the request.
The Mexican Embassy. built some TWEEN
| ty-odd years ago in I street between
Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets, is a
/ spacious house arranged with q special
view for entertaining and with a sepa-
rate addition for the chancelery. Il was.
next 10 the British Embassy. the most
! imposing diplomatic residence in town for
( a long time, but in the last ten years all
/ OF the embassies have been installed in
handsome buildings. Mexico IS the only
/ American nation which owns cut
right its embassy building and ambassa-
dorial residence in this city. At the time
/ the legation-Mexico had not then pro-
NOTED her envoy here 10 the rank OF am
/ bassador-was built. Nr. Romero waa
minister. and as soon as he moved into
! the new quarters his American wife took
/ the lead in all social affairs and began
/ 20 entertain on a scale that had never
4 before been attempted here. Senior Ro-
nero. who was made an ambassador on
the eve OF his death. was succeeded as
/ master OF the Mexican Embassy BY Senior
! Azpiroz, who likewise died at his post
Of duty. Then came Senior Casasus, and
I finally Senior Creel. who retired 10 take
up the duties Of governor of the Mexican
state Of Chihuahua. Senior de Ia Barra
I IS q statesman OF the new school,, an
4 enthusiastic admirer OF Diaz, and a sub
/ scriber 10 the theory that Mexico is done
/ forever with revolutions and viii not Be
( influenced. even by the death Of Disz. 20
! forsake the policy Of modern progressive
! ness that has gradually been gathering
/ force during the last quarter Of a cen
] frrry-