Arizona republican., 1909-10-17


Diaz occurred here today. Outwardly
it came attended by display of SOL
diery. a flare of trumpets, the boom
Of cannon and the pomp of ceremony.
suggestive of supreme authority, but
in the actual hand-clasp of the two
executives and in the exchange of
courteous words that passed from lip
to lip there was a simple but cordial
informality.
Mr.. Taft was the first to speak He
assured General Diaz of his warm per-
sonal regard. General Diaz assured
President Taft of his high esetem for
the man who had accomplished so
much in the Philippines. Cuba and
elsewhere and who had now the hon
or to be the chief executive of so
great a nation as the United States.
Mr. Taft spoke in simple American
fashion He declared that he was
glad 10 meet President Diaz. He was
glad to know the president of such
great nation, and was especially glad
To know the president who had made
the nation great. Both presidents
dweIt upon the cordiality of the rela-
tions between the United States and
Mexico. Mr. Taft declared that to-
days meeting was not necessary TO
make stronger. the bonds of friend
ship: it merely typified the strength Of
the bonds as they already exist.
The Private Meeting.
Less than a score of persons were
permitted to witness the meeting of
the two executives. Even these were
excluded later when Presidents Taft
and Diaz withdrew into an inner room
of the chamber of commerce building,
where the historic meeting occurred.
and were attended only by Governor
Crcel of the State of Chihuahua, for
mer ambassador to the United states.
who acted as interpreter.
The scene of the days ceremony
shifted several times from the thriving
little American city across the shallow.
wandering Rio Grande to the typical
little Mexican settlement Of Ciudad
Juarez. In the custom house there
President Diaz received a return call
evening he entertained the American
president at a large dinner party. a
state banquet which in all its sur
roundings of lavish decoration, its
brilliant color. It's wealth Of silver
plate. handed down from the time OF
Macmillan, probably was the most
notable feast ever served on the Am
crican continent.
Ii was at this banquet that the more
formal and public expressions of re-
gard between the two executives as
the representatives of the people of
the United States and Mexico were
exchanged.
A Bloody Boyish Episode.
The day was marred by one unto
ward incident. a lad of Is years was
stabbed to death by a school compan-
ion lust as President Taft was step
ping from his special train on ITS
arrival in the center of the city at $3.50
o'clock this morning. The boys were
in the crush gathered in the plaza and
in pushing forward to catch glimpse
of the president they became involved
in a fight. Noll Morgan, aged ii.
pulled a knife and before bystanders
could realize what was happening
Lawrence W-imber, Is years old, was
living mortally wounded at their feet
Before the ambulance could reach the
scene the boy was dead.
The crowd about the place was 50
great that even the wagon from the
morgue could not make its way
through. and during most of the time
President Taft was at breakfast the
body lay on the pavement not forty
rods away Some thoughtful person
finally took down two American flags
from the decoration about the plaza
and spread them over the dead boys
form. Morgan was arrested and held
in the county Jail tonight He is an
utterly crushed and heart-broken boy.
A Neutral Region.
An interesting incident of the day
was the declaration of neutrality over
El ChamizaI territory. a part of the
city of FL Paso. over which Mexico
was contending for sovereignty. The
Chamizal territory was formed when
the Rio Grande took one OF its peri
odical spells of contrariTess and
changed its course a mile or so TO the
westward. The matter was still in
dispute.
II was agreed between the govern
ments of Mexico and the United States
today that the territory which lies on
this side of the international bridge
should be regarded as neutral and
that neither the American nor the
Mexican flag should anywhere be dis
played thereon.
The Glory Of Diaz.
The days ceremonies began this
morning. when General Diaz in n
state carriage, with gold hubs. gold