Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-15
TAFT AND DIAZ
Bv Frederic j. Haskin

In his person Mr.. Taft represents the
Anglo-Saxo ideal of freedom-that Is,
that he is the head of a nation which is
a government of laws, not of men,"
This is the Anglo-Saxon notion of gov
ernment exemplified in England in the
seIf-governing British colonies of Can
ada. Australia and South Africa, and
i'm the United States. There have been
times in each of these countries when
men, and not laws, have been supreme
with and without detriment to the peo-
pie. But the principle exists and devo-
tion to it perhaps the chief Characters
tic of William Howard Taft.
Gen. Porfirio Diaz is undoubtedly one
of the greatest of living statesmen. His
rise to a commanding position in Mex
leo was typical of the stormy and
bloody politics of the Latin-American
states but his long rule has been re-
markable for the peace which he has
given to the people and the prosperity
which he has brought to the nation. AS
a soldier in the patriotic armies which
resisted the French attempt to establish
monarchy in Mexico as leauer OIL
a revolutionary army against the gov
ernment of President Juarez and as the
beneficiary of the revolution which over
threw President Lerdo de TeJada, Gen.
Diaz served his time at the Latin
American game of war and revolution.
He came to the presidency by procla-
nation in 1875, and in 1877 was elected
bv congress as constitutional president
to serve until 1880. He failed of re-
election, and quietly handed over his
office to his successor, Gen. Manuel
Gonsalez, who served four years. Diaz
was then reelected president and took
up his duties December 1, 1884. He has
been in power ever since that ulne'
Diaz has been sltillful in government
and diplomacy. He has brought about
the extinction of brigandage and has
restored peace and confidence to the
people. He has established the credit
Of his country on basis which it never
before enjoyed. He has invited foreign
capital to come to Mexico to develop
the enormous resources of the country.
In all Latin-America the name of Diaz
| is honored as one of the great liberia
tors At the same time he has not
hestated to use force, and every symp-
| tom of opposition to his policies has
! been met with the sternest of pressiVe
measures. Jut at this time the con-
dition of the laboring classes il Mexico
is the cause for popular indictment
of the Mexican government, but on the
whole the world holds with Diaz and
| admires him.
Diaz is the typical product of a re-
publican form of government where the
government is of men, not of law. Diaz
| is a despot benevolent and beneticent
but a despot He brooks no opposition
and his will is law throughout Mexico.
One of the distinctive policies of the
Diaz administration has been cordial
| ity toward America and Americans.
General Diaz is a most democratic man,
who is always approachable, He is es-
pecially friendly to American business
men. By this policy he has induced
a flood of American money to, come into
Mexico and begin the development Of
the all but untouched resources of that
FL Dorado. At this time there is no
| less than 100000 of American CAPT
tai invested in Mexico. Railroads,
mines plantations-every form of in
dustry has attracted American money
and brains. General Diaz has encour-
aged this American invasion and has
repressed every disposition of Mexican
| demagogues, or patriots, to oppose the
tide of Yankee gold.
Diaz is now an old mamie will be
seventy next year-and it is now the
ruling passion of his life to so order
affairs that when he leaves the presl-
dency, either by resignation or death,
things will be In such condition that
his successor will come into power
peacefully. The possible return to the
| horrors of the days before Diaz is the
nightmare of all true Mexican patriots.
Such meetings as this tomorrow be-
| tween Taft and Diaz are frequent oc-
currences in Europe, although there
are few instances of the instanter ex-
| change of calls on the border line.
| European monarchs sometimes meet
on yachts, sometimes they visit each
others capitals. King Edward, who
is the uncle of all Europe, is fire.
uuent visitor at almost every Euro
pean court His visits usually are i'm
portant diplomatic events. None OF
the European rulers are hedged about
with rules of etiquette such as have
heretofore prevented an American
president from leaving the country.
The European monarchs. however,
usually travel abroad incognito, a
harmless fiction which relieves both
them and their hosts from the burden
of court etiquette. Such luxuries are
forbidden, in the very nature of things,
to an American president. He may
travel only as himself, and to avoid
uncomfortable ceremony as much as
possible he may employ the services
Of a Captain Archibald Willingham de
Graffenreid Clavering Butt to wire
ahead that corned beef and cabbage is
the approved presidential menu.
President Diaz travels with more
pomp and circumstance and INDUCES
in military uniforms and many trap
pings of royalty forbidden to the chief
magistrate of the United States. The
meeting of these two men today is
fraught with interest and significance
to all the people of the two republics.
TOmorrow-Carrying Ocean Freight.